Going through the best-selling mysteries of Lawrence Sanders, in late 1991, I happened upon "The Marlow Chronicles" the tale of an aging player; a b-level star of vaudeville, stage sccreen, radio, television who, discoving that he has only six months to live, decides to make his own death his greatest role. "There's never been a role that could match it. I wish all the critics could catch it!" sez he.
Peopled by colorful characters, theatre insiders and hangers-on, the novel is written in acts and scenes complete with stage directions, delightful scenery and character descriptions, snappy repartee, and musical references. I thought it would make a marvelous musical/opera.
A decade later, as I began to sketch it out, I applied to the Lawrence Sanders Foundation for the right to adapt it to the musical stage. Saying that Mr. Lawrence had long hoped that this book would be mounted as a theatrical production, the Foundation gave me the go-ahead.
Finding that Sander's dialogue practically sings itself, I set it all to music. The set pieces - solos, duets, quintets, chorus pieces and dances - are in the styles of the popular music of the theatrical productions and periods referenced in the action; including Shakesperean Ballad, English Music Hall Songs, Early Twentieth Century Melodramatic Airs, and Roaring Twenties Burlesque Music, with a touch of Tango, Pasa Doble, and a Progressive Jazz Septet setting of Hamlet's Lament.
Three years later, the Madison Theatre Guild took "Marlow" from the page to the stage in a concert reading with a cast that wow'd the socks offa me. I've been too busy at my day job to promote it until now. But here it is, all dressed out and ready to go.
Michael M. Birkley (Google Michael M. Birkley and Michael Birkley for more.) .....................................................................................................
Marlow - the composer speaks
