11 Quotes & Sayings By Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber is the most successful composer of musicals in the history of the theatre. He is also an internationally recognized film producer, manager, and director. His musicals have had more than 1,000 productions worldwide and more than 28 million people have seen them on stage, with some seeing up to seven productions. He was born in England in 1946, and moved to New York City in 1963 Read more

As a teenager, Andrew's first love was music; he wrote his first theatrical song for a school play. By age 18 he had written two successful songs for the famous pop singer Sandie Shaw. In 1965 he wrote his first musical (The Likes of Us) which opened Off-Broadway at the Morosco Theatre.

The show was produced by David Merrick, who asked Andrew to join him at The Theater de Lys (Musicals) along with composer Lionel Bart (Oliver!, Evita). Together they created Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which opened on Broadway in 1968 and ran for more than a year. In 1971 Andrew wrote a musical called Jesus Christ Superstar which was based on a story by Tim Rice.

Jesus Christ Superstar led to a long collaboration with Rice that resulted in The Boy Friend (1972), A Little Night Music (1975), and Cats (1981). Three years later Andrew returned to Jesus Christ Superstar with a new book by Rice and lyricist Elton John, who collaborated with Andrew on many other popular musicals including Evita (1996), Aida (2000), The Woman in White (2005) and Sunset Boulevard (2011).

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Sometimes it's very difficult to keep momentum when it's you that you are following. - Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber
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What strikes me is that there's a very fine line between success and failure. Just one ingredient can make the difference. Andrew Lloyd Webber
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I wonder what would have happened if automation and computers had existed when 'Oklahoma! ' was having its out-of-town try-out, and three days before closing in Boston, when it was still called 'Away We Go, ' they added a new song called 'Oklahoma! ' I don't think that could happen today. It's almost impossible to change musicals on the go now. Andrew Lloyd Webber
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I'm going to take the kids away over Christmas but I don't, I've written 14 musicals now, I don't want to rush into doing something just for the sake of doing it. I want to do it when I find a story. Andrew Lloyd Webber
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I mean I don't really think about it. You know, do you know what I often say to myself? I think you're very lucky in life if you know what you want to do. Andrew Lloyd Webber
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I loved medieval architecture when I was very small I don't know why. Andrew Lloyd Webber
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Music, architecture and pictures have always been my passions, and all that material wealth has meant for me, is being able to have some of the pictures I liked. Andrew Lloyd Webber
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The arts are the one thing that appeal right across all forms of politics, race, creed - everything. Andrew Lloyd Webber
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I think the thing's that perhaps sad really is that younger people haven't come in and I think it must have been absolutely fantastic to have worked in the 50's when you had all of the great Broadway composers and when West Side Story didn't win the Tony Award. Andrew Lloyd Webber
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I don't think I am that materialistic, actually. Obviously at home in the country the art collection is important, but we have one big room in the middle of the house where we do everything - the television, the kitchen, everything. Andrew Lloyd Webber