Brit master of the musical takes on Eurovision Oct 21, 2008
Unite: Andrew Lloyd Webber ... Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, the man behind box-office hits such as Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar, will write Britain's next Eurovision entry. (The Age, Australia -- World)
Andrew Lloyd Webber is not the man to save the Eurovision Song Contest Oct 21, 2008
Then, just when you think it can't get any worse, Andrew Lloyd Webber is unveiled by the BBC in a Churchillian address to the nation as the man to restore our national pride by composing next year's entry. Oh dear. (Telegraph.co.uk)
Andrew Lloyd Webber Accepts Eurovision Challenge Oct 21, 2008
Andrew Lloyd Webber, the composer of "Cats" and "Evita," has volunteered to write Britain's song for the Eurovision Song Contest when the competition is held in Moscow next year. In a message posted Monday on a BBC Web site, Lloyd Webber called for volunteers to sing his song, while managing to suggest that he, like many fellow citizens, doesn't take the competition very seriously. (Newsmax)
sound of music's revival triumphs Oct 20, 2008
This production -- the work of a gifted creative team originally assembled for a London revival by producer Andrew Lloyd Webber -- is as substantial a treatment of this evergreen entertainment as we are likely to see in our time. Font. (Vancouver Sun)
Lloyd Webber to pen the UK's next Eurovision song Oct 19, 2008
Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber says 'your country needs you. Andrew Lloyd Webber is to help pick the UK's next Eurovision entry, in a overhaul of the BBC's selection show. (BBC News -- UK)
Disney sets out to make 'The Passion for kids' Oct 19, 2008
Andrew Lloyd Webber is to write the UK's entry for the Eurovision song contest in a bid to restore beleaguered national pride. NEWS NOW. (Yahoo News -- 'The Passion of the Christ')
Madonna had 'affair' with A-Rod claims wife Oct 18, 2008
The 55-year-old's former clients include Paloma Picasso, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ian McEwan. Both legal teams are expected to convince their clients to mediate a settlement since it is understood there is no prenuptial agreement in place. (Daily Telegraph)
The Princess of Wales Theatre Oct 18, 2008
The new production of The Sound of Music, by David Mirvish via Andrew Lloyd Webber, begins with singing nuns filling not only the stage but the auditorium ... The new production of The Sound of Music, by David Mirvish via Andrew Lloyd Webber, begins with singing. (Canada.com)
Canadian Maria soars on stage Oct 17, 2008
THE SOUND OF MUSICMusic and lyrics by RichardRodgers and Oscar HammersteinBook by Howard Lindsay and Russel CrouseStarring Elicia MacKenzieDirected by Jeremy SamsProduced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian and David Mirvishat The Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. I'm as wary as the next critic about reality television values invading the theatre. (Globe and Mail)
For just about everyone, this one's a memory play Oct 15, 2008
And David Mirvish is counting on these audiences to flock to the Princess of Wales Theatre to see his co-production with Andrew Lloyd Webber. I think it's a show that encompasses a wide range of age groups, so people will bring their old memories to it and comparisons, Mirvish said. (Globe and Mail)
Locally cast 'Evita' a quality production Oct 10, 2008
This stage presence matters when playing Che Guevara in "Evita" by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Story tools. (Anchorage Daily News)
Befrienders friends Oct 10, 2008
She started off with a stirring rendition of I Dont Know How to Love Him from the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar. From the sidelines, Tan then moved towards centrestage and belted out the hit ABBA number Thank You for the Music, and wrapped up with On My Own from the musical Les Misrables. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- News)
Local student to appear in Lipscomb production of ‘Joseph’ Oct 8, 2008
NASHVILLE One of Andrew Lloyd Webber s most endearing and vibrant productions, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, will kick off Lipscomb University s 2008 theater season Oct. 10-12 in the Collins Alumni Auditorium. Beth Jackson, a Columbia resident and Columbia Academy graduate, will join a cast of almost 50 students and guest artists, including a children s choir, to bring the Biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors to life with all the same spectacle and spirit of the... (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Earn It Yourself Oct 7, 2008
SUPERSTAR composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has amassed a fortune of 1. 3 billion - but the "Phantom of the Opera" creator doesn't plan to pass any of the money along to his five children. (New York Post -- Gossip)
Phantom fortune Oct 7, 2008
Andrew Lloyd Webber and, inset, like-minded tycoons ... Andrew Lloyd Webber's children will reportedly see very little of his fortune when he dies, with the British composer saying he and his wife would prefer to "spread around" the millions among budding young artists ... " send photos, videos ffs to 0406 THE AGE (0406 843 243), or us.... (The Age, Australia)
Lipstick power Oct 3, 2008
The Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical opening tonight at Sydney Laurence Theatre tells the story of a woman with humble beginnings who rises to political power by winning the hearts of common folks through beauty, charm and ambition. Sound familiar. (Anchorage Daily News)
Management: : Down and out in London Oct 3, 2008
Theatres have also reported a slump at box office while some, such as the maestro of the musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber, tried desperately to use the gloom to increase takings by offering sacked bankers free tickets to his productions. "Both The Sound Of Music and Joseph are feel-good shows and I thought that free tickets might offer some respite, albeit for a couple of hours, for some of those people who have sadly lost their jobs in the current economic upheaval," he wrote on his website. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
I'm disappointed that Neal E. Boyd won 'America's Got Talent' Oct 3, 2008
Il Divo was supporting Neal, Brian McKnight loved Queen Emily, Marc Cohn was voting for Eli, Andrew Lloyd Webber was impressed with Donalds Phantom of the Opera performance and Wyclef John called Nuttin' But Stringz his family. Previous AGT hopefuls were also at the show to put on their own special performance. (Seacoast New Hampshire)
Congratulations - Star-packed tribute for Sir Cliff's half century Sep 20, 2008
Organised by children's charity the Variety Club, the event was attended by Cilla Black, Gloria Hunniford, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sir Tim Rice. Cherie Blair, David Gest and Dame Kelly Holmes also joined the celebrations as the 67-year-old performer marked his half-century in show business. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Lloyd Webber helps out sacked bankers Sep 19, 2008
So what wou 00004000 ld be worse - losing your job in the global financial meltdown or having to sit through an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Thousands of bank staff unemployed by the collapse of the US investment bank Lehman Brothers can now find out for themselves after the West End impresario offered them free tickets to his two West End productions. (Times Online)
The great unravelling Sep 19, 2008
Andrew Lloyd Webber offered free theatre tickets to his musicals to comfort devastated financial employees who make up the bulk of the City's workers. And pity the poor German bank KfW, which sent 530 million ($956 million) to Lehman Brothers on Monday in what it called an "erroneous swap" and is still vainly trying to retrieve the funds. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Boom goes bust: Bubbles burst for British bankers Sep 19, 2008
Impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber has tried to lighten the gloom by offering free tickets to The Sound of Music and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to laid-off bankers. For now, some are keeping faith in the resilience of Britain's august financial institutions. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Business)
Andrew Lloyd Webber offers free tickets to redundant bankers Sep 18, 2008
Andrew Lloyd Webber is offering free theatre tickets to bankers who have lost their jobs in the current financial crisis. By Stephen Adams Last Updated: 8:38PM BST 17 Sep 2008. (Telegraph.co.uk)
How do you solve a problem like a downturn? With free show tickets Sep 18, 2008
Theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber is offering free tickets to two of his West End musicals to bankers who have become unemployed in the credit crunch. "Free tickets might offer some respite for some of those people who have sadly lost their jobs," the composer said. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Dazzling 'Phantom' playing in Glendale Sep 16, 2008
But atmosphere is not the only wonderful thing about this musical based on Gaston Leroux's book, "Phantom of the Opera" (not to be confused with the Andrew Lloyd Webber version of the same name). The story of "Phantom," written by Arthur Kopit, is ultimately more tender and romantic. (Los Angeles Daily News)
'Loved Being Married' Sep 13, 2008
Metrosexual star Zac Efron tells me that he is in talks about making a U.K. stage debut, but is not sure as yet if it will be in the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. " I can tell you he has been offered the role and is more than keen to prove he can perform live. Sure man, singing is my thing I can cut it no problem," he said. (Fox News)
EG Listings: Sep 5, 2008
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black's revised Tell Me on a Sunday charts the course of a newly single girl arriving in New York. Until September 14, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, $30 - $99. (The Age, Australia -- Entertainment)
BILLY'S THE BEST Sep 5, 2008
When all is said and sung, "Billy Elliot: The Musical" promises to be the biggest London import since Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh started minting money with "Cats." The show tracks closely to "Billy Elliot," the 2000 film (rated R, for its repeated use of the word "focking"), and has retained the same writer, director and choreographer. Here, as in London - where the show opened three years ago - three boys will alternate as Billy, the motherless son of an out-of-work coal miner... (New York Post -- Entertainment)
Suitors are favourite things of Rodgers & Hammerstein Sep 3, 2008
Its music publishing division also contains the work of writers including Irving Berlin and TS Eliot while its concert library licences performances of music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cole Porter, among many others. A spokesman for the organisation declined to comment yesterday. (guardian.co.uk)
All Saints star found dead Aug 28, 2008
People - Entertainment - theage. The Age: national, world, business, entertainment, sport and technology news from Melbourne's leading newspaper. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Casting Announced for The Sound Of ... Aug 27, 2008
winner Elicia MacKenzie stars as Maria in the Andrew Lloyd Webber revival of The Sound Of Music. Burke Moses originated the role of Gaston in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, and has since played Fred in the revival of Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate. (Suite101.com)
Tell Me On A Sunday Aug 22, 2008
THERE are usually at least one or two songs in an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that become firmly etched on the brain, if only because they are repeated over and over again. Composed by Webber with lyrics by Don Black, Tell Me On A Sunday is a lightweight one-woman show, which demands a seasoned singer and actor to wring out its bittersweet emotions. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Lloyd Webber plans world premiere in Winnipeg Aug 14, 2008
Toronto The world premiere of The Boys in the Photograph, a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton, will see Canadian actors Jeff Madden, Richard McMillan and Erika Peck take to the Winnipeg stage this spring. Photograph is a Belfast-based coming-of-age story that revises Lloyd Webber and Elton's earlier collaboration The Beautiful Game, and will play the Manitoba Theatre Centre April 25 to May 23, 2009. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
‘Superstar' will open Community Theatre's fall season Aug 12, 2008
The story and life of Jesus Christ, so memorably set to music in the 1970s by Andrew Lloyd Webber, leads off the season for the Missoula Community Theatre, which has announced its lineup for 2008-09. Jesus Christ Superstar, with lyrics by Tim Rice, is a 1971 rock opera surrounding the life of Christ and the political tensions that led to his crucifixion. (Missoulian, MT)
Olympic date for singer Brightman Aug 7, 2008
Best-known for her musical theatre roles and her marriage to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Brightman has performed all over the world. The singer begins a North American tour in November to promote her most recent album, Symphony. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Sarah Brightman, Lisa Marie Presley, Steven Tyler Aug 7, 2008
The singer Sarah Brightman, known for her musical theater roles and her marriage to Andrew Lloyd Webber, will perform Friday at the Beijing Olympics' opening ceremony, organizers have announced. The British soprano will join the Chinese singer Liu Huan to sing the theme song to the 2008 Games. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
Where the super hot babes go to play Aug 6, 2008
Moss isnt the only celebrity in town: aging A-listers Andrew Lloyd Webber, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones all own homes here. The once-quiet fishing town of Montauk, N.Y., is another destination rapidly becoming a favorite among fashionistas, with the new Surf Lodge leading the movement. (MSNBC -- Politics)
Musical of Musicals offers special treat for aficionados Aug 2, 2008
Aspects of Junita places our cast squarely in Andrew Lloyd Webber country, and its rapid-fire spoofing is brilliantly written and performed. Everything is worked in here: Moser stands in for Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar while Fernandes is recast as The Phantom of the Opera with a twist I won't reveal here. (Hillsdale Independent, NY)
Maria problem solved Jul 31, 2008
hosted by Gavin Crawford, was based on a British series of the same name co-created by musical theatre titan Andrew Lloyd Webber ... Andrew Lloyd Webber auditions the four remaining candidates for the reality show 'How do you solve a problem like Maria. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Lee likely to be dismissed from Music team Jul 31, 2008
Andrew Lloyd Webber personally selected Lee, who acted as the musical supervisor in the British production of The Sound of Music, to be a judge on the CBC program, which featured 10 performers vying for the lead role. Lee was also supposed to be involved in the Toronto stage production's orchestration, but a spokesperson for Really Useful Group in Britain, Lloyd Webber's entertainment company and one of the Toronto show's three producers, said yesterday that "on this occasion we have felt it... (Globe and Mail)
Maria judge faces forcible confinement charge Jul 30, 2008
Andrew Lloyd Webber auditions the four remaining candidates for the reality show 'How do you solve a problem like Maria ... Mr. Lee, personally selected by show creator Andrew Lloyd Webber to be a judge on the program, which featured 10 singers vying for the role of Maria in the production's North American premiere in October, was noticeably absent from the final two shows. (Globe and Mail)
How do you solve a problem like... Elicia? Jul 29, 2008
Andrew Lloyd Webber called Janna a "theatre animal" and tonight said that she reminded him of the British How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria. winner. (Globe and Mail)
The new Maria von Trapp for prime minister! Jul 28, 2008
The CBC, British producer Andrew Lloyd Webber and Canadian producer David Mirvish might have considered whether or not they should have also held a contest to find the male lead, Captain von Trapp: The impresarios have cast the rest of the show and now found their "girl," but ironically they are still looking for that boy. The character is the father of seven children and decades older than the virginal Maria, which is just one of the yucky things about The Sound of Music. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Can Amy Winehouse be saved? Jul 27, 2008
She was compared to Edith Piaf, Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Her doting pop peers include George Michael, who has saluted her as the best singer and songwriter of her generation. (Times Online)
No problem for budding star from Woodstock Jul 27, 2008
Famed composer Andrew Lloyd Webber -- a guest judge -- hand-picked her out of the thousands who tried out ... "I had waves of 'Oh my God. I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe Andrew Lloyd Webber is telling me what to do,'" she said. (London Free Press)
The Boys in the Photograph, which will run in Toronto and Winnipeg next spring."> Jul 26, 2008
And she has landed a leading role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Boys in the Photograph. It will be staged next spring in Winnipeg and is scheduled for a Toronto run next summer. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
A review: Theatre by the Sea triumphs with "Evita" Jul 26, 2008
There is a moment in Theatre by the Sea s production of Evita the Tony-award winning Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on the life of the controversial Argentine political luminary Eva Duarte Peron that is guaranteed to give you goose-bumps. We know the story illegitimate peasant girl transcends a life of hardship and disgrace and shoots heavenward to history-making fame. (Westerly Sun, RI)
CBC says busy signals are a sign of the shows popularity Mom ... Jul 26, 2008
Armstrong and her roommate Marisa McIntyre received the least amount of votes, but Andrew Lloyd Webber, a guest judge for the remainder of the series, voted to keep Armstrong in the running and sent McIntyre home. Armstrongs mother Carlene said this is not the first time the phones have been a problem. (BCLocalNews)
And then there were three; Marias close in on finale Jul 23, 2008
The two performers faced off and Andrew Lloyd Webber, the show's co-producer, chose Armstrong to stay. Webber, who pioneered television casting for musical theatre with the original BBC contest, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria. (CBC.ca)
Maria's main man Jul 22, 2008
Andrew Lloyd Webber drops in on the CBC production earlier than planned, Gayle MacDonald writes, to lend his expert opinion on who will be the next 'Maria ... It was over a lunch in Barbados with fellow Briton Simon Cowell that Andrew Lloyd Webber came up with the idea of using a television audience to help find the ideal Maria for his production of The Sound of Music in London's West End. (Globe and Mail)
Aging 'Phantom' still quite a spectacle Jul 22, 2008
That chandelier could use an understudy, since Phantom will be getting its spectacle on at the Civic for close to a month, in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical's first road-show visit to San Diego since 1999. Phantom remains everything it's cracked up (and sometimes down) to be: A visually dazzling, richly atmospheric, expertly performed pop opera that freights its simple, melancholy story with oversized emotion and a fair cargo of bombast. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
'[title]': A show about a show? Hmmm Jul 21, 2008
Like Chaperone, also structured as a show within a show, [title] flatters its target audience with sometimes obscure references, along with predictable nods to Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Bell and Bowen also indulge in cheeky log-rolling, singling out a few media outlets that have played supporting roles in [title]'s Cinderella story. (USA Today)
* World News Quick Take Jul 18, 2008
The Phantom of the Opera, Broadways longest running show, will close down for four performances next month to install a US$750,000 digital sound system to improve the musicals sound design technology, producer Cameron Mackintosh and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber announced on Wednesday. Installation will begin on Aug. 24 and will continue for four days with performances resuming at the Majestic Theater on Aug. 28. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Bowmanville Maria returns Jul 17, 2008
TORONTO -- After months of adventure that included performing onstage at the London Palladium and meeting Andrew Lloyd Webber, Bowmanville native and current Oshawa resident Donna LaJeunesse was among the latest two contestants cut from the CBC reality series How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria ... Four contestants are still in the running to solve the problem of Maria by landing the lead role in a new Toronto stage production of The Sound of Music, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian... (Newsdurhamregion.com)
Sir Andrew pays a call Jul 15, 2008
Toronto Tony-winning composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is making an unexpected visit to Toronto this week to work with the final four Marias on CBC-TV's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria. Not scheduled to appear live on the show until the finale July 28, Lloyd Webber changed his plans to ensure the best Maria is chosen for the starring role in a David Mirvish musical to run in Toronto this fall. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Preview: Romantic 'Phantom' keeps them coming back for more Jul 15, 2008
His first pairing with Andrew Lloyd Webber the British composer behind Phantom, Cats and other deathless stage spectacles came as the director of Evita, which (like all those shows) first became a hit on London's West End. So why, out of all those productions and the scads of others that have come and gone on Broadway, has Phantom proved the one that just won't quit. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
'JC' falls on deaf ears Jul 14, 2008
Theatre Under the Stars kicked off its 62nd season this week under clear, chilly skies with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's 1970's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar and Irving Berlin's retrofitted 1946 Broadway classic Annie Get Your Gun. If TUTS doesn't quickly do something about its dreadful sound system, it may not be around to see season 63. (The Province)
That Maria problem is almost solved Jul 13, 2008
To go to London and meet the great Andrew Lloyd Webber, fly to Austria to see the birthplace of The Sound of Music and perform for millions of people all across Canada ... the first to London, England, to sing for Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and the second to Salzburg, Austria [where The Sound of Music originated. (Vancouver Sun)
Pitch perfect for Summerfair concert Jul 8, 2008
And then they turned the program over to Conductor Stuart Malina, who led the musicians confidently through a toe-tapping program ranging from John Williams Olympic Fanfare and Theme to selections from Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and, of course, Tchaikovskys 1812 Overture. . (Carlisle Sentinel, PA)
A Moving Production Jul 7, 2008
WITHOUT doubt I have not been so moved - literally moved - as an audience member since Trevor Nunn's first London production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber mu sical "Cats.". Then it was by means of a revolve that had the audience circumnavigating the setting - an effect found impracticable when the show moved to New York. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
"Superstar" Musical Ends Tour with ... Jul 4, 2008
Originally written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice as a rock opera, the show first came to Broadway as a stage production in 1971. While popular, the show also drew criticism from religious groups over the show s content, notably how the show portrayed Jesus as a man dealing with the sacrifice he must make and for portraying Judas as a sympathetic character concerned with Jesus' popularity and how he sees as the gradual wearing away of his master's ideals. (Suite101.com)
'Evita' is well-received by audience Jul 3, 2008
Director Kevin Archambault and Musical Directors Paul and Joanne Schubert have staged a well-cast, choreographed, and costumed version of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Broadway show, "Evita," in which the famous tango number, "Charity Concert/I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You," brings down the house in the first act. This electrifying musical, produced locally by Managing Director Lou Trapani,, won seven Tony Awards in 1979, including Best Musical and Best Score. (Rhinebeck Gazette Advertiser, NY)
Local-flavored 'Phantom of the Opera' at TIM Jul 3, 2008
Mahagenta, an ethnic jazz group that tries to bring traditional Indonesian musical instruments into the contemporary music scene, will play songs from the famed musical Phantom of the Opera, by British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. The performance, titled The Phantom of the `Traditional' Opera, will take place at Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) arts center in Central Jakarta, on Thursday night. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia)
7/1: Idols preparedfor summer tour Jul 1, 2008
(She also mentions a subpar performance of a song by Broadway musical maestro Andrew Lloyd Webber, who she says was her favorite mentor. It was hard. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
It's so long, farewell to first 'Maria' Jun 26, 2008
The TV show is based on a British series of the same name that Andrew Lloyd Webber co-created. Connie Fisher was the winner of that program, landing the coveted spot in a hit London revival of the musical classic. (London Free Press)
