Andrew Lloyd Webber

Current Role

Andrew Lloyd Webber is currently preparing for the new BBC1 show that is set to completely take over your Saturday evenings. I'd Do Anything is the new reality talent show to cast the main roles of the timeless musical Oliver!. Directly off the back of the monumentally successful How do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do, Lloyd Webber will now seek out both Nancy and Oliver in a new production of the breathtaking musical right before the eyes of the nation!

Before this Lloyd Webber was working on the sensational productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Sound of Music where the lead roles were played by a Lee Mead and Connie Fisher.

Andrew Lloyd Webber controversially chose his latest leading roles by holding open auditions and then pitting the successful applicants against each other, live on the BBC. The public votes determined who would take the lead in both The Sound of Music and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and the same format is set to cast Oliver! This reality search format proved to be popular with ITV bosses, who created their own version of the program to find a sutiable Sandy and Danny for the West End musical remake of the cult film, Grease.

Early Life

Andrew Lloyd Webber was born to composer William Lloyd Webber and piano teacher Jean Johnstone Lloyd Webber and is a Queens Scholar of Westminster School. In 1965 he dropped out of Oxford where he had been studying history in order to pursue his interest in musical theatre, he wrote his first musical with Tim Rice, The Likes of Us, about the life of Thomas John Barnado, in the same year though it was not performed until 2005.

Andrew Lloyd Webber married his first wife Sarah Hugill in 1972 and they had 2 children, Imogen and Nicholas, before divorcing in 1983. In 1984 he married the singer and dancer Sarah Brightman and cast her as the lead in The Phantom of the Opera though the marriage didn't last and they were divorced in 1990. In 1991 Andrew Lloyd Webber married his third and current wife Madeleine Gordon, together they have 3 children; Alastair, William and Isabella.

In 1992 Andrew Lloyd Webber was Knighted for his services to music and was created a Life Peer in 1997.

Career Highlights

Though the first collaboration between Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice was not performed, their next musical was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was widely successful both in the U.K and in the U.S.A. The pairs other collaborations include Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita which is about to hit London's West End in an exciting new production.

Away from his musicals with Tim Rice, Andrew Lloyd Webber's body of work is one of the most impressive in theatre including The Phantom of the Opera and Cats, both of which with Cameron Mackintosh, which ran on Broadway for over 20 years. His other musicals include Starlight Express, The Woman in White, Whistle Down the Wind and Sunset Boulevard. Andrew Lloyd Webber is currently working on the latest production of The Sound of Music starring Connie Fisher, who was one of the first reality T.V stars to win a role in a prestigious West End production.

Andrew Lloyd Webber established his company, the Really Useful Group in 1977 in frustration at the terms of his own contract. Along with holding the rights to his work the company owns 7 London theatres.

Interesting Facts

• In the 2006 Sunday Times Rich List, Andrew Lloyd Webber was ranked 87th with an estimated fortune of £700m
• Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the song "It's Easy For You" which was recorded by Elvis Presley during his last session on October 29th, 1976 and featured on the "Moody Blue" album.
• Lloyd Webber is a supporter of the Conservative Party and has written music for a party political broadcast.

Awards

• Richard Rodgers award for Excellence in Musical Theatre
• A Golden Globe
• 3 Grammys
• An Oscar
• 6 Oliviers
• Praemium Imperiale
• 7 Tonys
• An International Emmy
• Kennedy Center Honor