Cherry, who expects "Housewives" to play at least through the 2010-2011 television season, tells Newsday, "I'll take whatever money I've made [and] I'm going straight to theatre and writing books for musicals. . . . . I feel like I really just started out learning how to write. I really know a lot about dramatic structure and how to paint characters. . . . Now I would love the time to really dig deep and do something great." Cherry says his favorite musicals include Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, Gypsy and Wicked. In addition to "Desperate Housewives," Marc Cherry was also a writer for "Some of My Best Friends," "The Crew," "The 5 Mrs. Buchanans," "The Golden Palace," "The Golden Girls" and "Homeroom." He began his career as a performer in musical theatre.

"Desperate Housewives" takes a "darkly comedic look at suburbia, where the secret lives of housewives aren't always what they seem." The hour-long dramedy features Marcia Cross, James Denton, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Eva Longoria, Nicollette Sheridan, Andrea Bowen, Ricardo Antonio Chavira and Brenda Strong. For more information visit www.abc.go.com.

"Desperate Housewives" airs Sundays on ABC-TV Channel 7, from 9-10 PM ET; check local listings.