Cameron Mackintosh

Cameron Mackintosh had his first financial success in 1976 producing "Side by Side by Sondheim" in London, but things accelerated in 1981 when composer Andrew Lloyd Webber "took a bit of a flyer on me," and he produced "Cats." The show's 16 productions went on to gross $1 billion around the world, paving the way for Mackintosh's later mega-hit productions: "Les Miserables," "The Phantom of the Opera," and the new "Miss Saigon." Such people as Jujamcyn Theaters president Rocco Landesman have indirectly credited Mackintosh's success with encouraging other producers to take risks on Broadway musicals.

The Theatre Royal Drury Lane is the crown jewel of this city's West End theater district, an impressively ornate auditorium that boasts a distinguished, centuries-old history. Original productions of many of the musical theater's most beloved classics have played here: "Oklahoma!," "The King and I," "42nd Street," "Sweeney Todd," "A Chorus Line." Backstage in the empty theater on a Sunday morning, Eric Schaeffer is taken by a different kind of magnificence.

"Miss Saigon" is back on track. The $10-million musical will open in New York April 11, after previews which begin March 23. And Jonathan Pryce will re-create his London role as a Eurasian character, the Engineer. The Broadway production was canceled in August after producer Cameron Mackintosh rejected an initial decision by Actors' Equity to veto his casting of Pryce.

Producer Cameron Mackintosh is planted smack in front of a set model for "The Witches of Eastwick," his new musical set to open in London next summer. On either side of him stand members of the show's creative team, and he has plenty of questions for them: How much will all those fancy lights cost? Where will the dancers dance in that diner scene? What's the emotional beat of that big production number, and how will they get the audience to settle down afterward?

Producer Cameron Mackintosh is planted smack in front of a set model for "The Witches of Eastwick," his new musical set to open in London next summer. On either side of him stand members of the show's creative team, and he has plenty of questions for them: How much will all those fancy lights cost? Where will the dancers dance in that diner scene? What's the emotional beat of that big production number, and how will they get the audience to settle down afterward?

America will miss "Miss Saigon." The Broadway production of the $10-million musical was canceled Wednesday by its British producer Cameron Mackintosh, angry that Actors' Equity vetoed his casting English star Jonathan Pryce in a lead role. The union denied permission Tuesday for Pryce to re-create his London role in "Saigon." Equity had been prodded by Asian-American activists who objected to the casting of a white actor in a Eurasian role.

Here's an idea that just might bring in some cash: rework "Moby Dick" into a musical, make it something people can dance to, and perform it in a swimming pool. You see, St. Godrick's, an English boarding school for girls, is desperately short of funds. So headmistress Dorothy Hymen, in an attempt to generate income, has assigned her young charges to devise their own version of Herman Melville's classic story about Captain Ahab and his search for the great white whale.

'Saigon' Summit Talk: A summit meeting between Actors' Equity officials and "Miss Saigon" producer Cameron Mackintosh will be held in New York in early September, in an attempt to resolve the controversy over the casting of the proposed Broadway production of "Miss Saigon," Equity announced Thursday. The Equity statement predicted that "a dialogue . . . rather than further press releases, will prove to be salutary."

Composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim, whose works include "Sweeney Todd," "Sunday in the Park With George" and "Into the Woods," will go to England in January to become Oxford University's first visiting professor of drama and musical theater. The post is funded by a $2.9-million endowment from impresario Cameron Mackintosh, who staged the first musical productions of "Cats" and "The Phantom of the Opera." Sondheim will serve the academic year at St.

What does "Miss Saigon" producer Cameron Mackintosh really want? While Actors' Equity postponed until today its response to Mackintosh's most recent request for more guarantees of artistic freedom before bringing the London hit to New York, speculation grew Wednesday that one of the key issues behind his statement was the casting of the title role.

The success of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" has not been lost on British mega-producer Cameron Mackintosh. The man who made millions off such stage blockbusters as "Cats," "Les Miserables" and "The Phantom of the Opera" is talking with Steven Spielberg about an animated version of Rudyard Kipling's classic "Just So Stories." Mackintosh had mounted two small productions in England of "Just So," a musical based on the Kipling book, and somebody in the audience alerted Spielberg to the project.

Moby Dick has been harpooned at last--not by the obsessed Captain Ahab, but by London critics reviewing Tuesday's opening night of the new stage musical from mega-producer Cameron Mackintosh ("Cats," "Phantom of the Opera," "Miss Saigon"). The arrival of a new show from Mackintosh is now, by its nature, a huge event in London's West End.

Here's an idea that just might bring in some cash: rework "Moby Dick" into a musical, make it something people can dance to, and perform it in a swimming pool. You see, St. Godrick's, an English boarding school for girls, is desperately short of funds. So headmistress Dorothy Hymen, in an attempt to generate income, has assigned her young charges to devise their own version of Herman Melville's classic story about Captain Ahab and his search for the great white whale.

Alternate 'Miss Saigon': Kam Cheng, a 21-year-old student, will be the alternate for Lea Salonga in Broadway's "Miss Saigon," doing some of the performances in order to give Salonga respite from the physical demands of the show's title role. Cheng's performance schedule will be announced later--producer Cameron Mackintosh "has to see her do the role in a rehearsal first," said a spokesman.

"What do we want? Equity! When do we want it? Now!" Chanting those words, about 60 picketers wearing yellow armbands marched on the sidewalk Friday in front of the Hollywood office of Actors' Equity, protesting the Monday accord between the union and "Miss Saigon" producer Cameron Mackintosh over the casting of the Broadway production. The $10-million London musical is scheduled to begin previews March 23 in New York and open April 11.

"Miss Saigon" is back on track. The $10-million musical will open in New York April 11, after previews which begin March 23. And Jonathan Pryce will re-create his London role as a Eurasian character, the Engineer. The Broadway production was canceled in August after producer Cameron Mackintosh rejected an initial decision by Actors' Equity to veto his casting of Pryce.

What does "Miss Saigon" producer Cameron Mackintosh really want? While Actors' Equity postponed until today its response to Mackintosh's most recent request for more guarantees of artistic freedom before bringing the London hit to New York, speculation grew Wednesday that one of the key issues behind his statement was the casting of the title role.