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Cameron Mackintosh

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Cameron Mackintosh
Born
Cameron Anthony Mackintosh

(1946-10-17) October 17, 1946 (age 80)
Enfield, London, England
Other namesSir Cameron Mackintosh
Occupation(s)Theatrical producer, theatre proprietor
Years activeLate 1960s–present
Known forProducing Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Miss Saigon, Mary Poppins, Oliver!, Hamilton
Notable workLes Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Miss Saigon, Mary Poppins, Oliver!, Hamilton

Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a prominent British theatrical producer and theatre proprietor, widely recognized for his role in producing commercially triumphant musicals. By 1990, the New York Times hailed him as "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world." His distinguished repertoire features acclaimed productions such as Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Miss Saigon, Mary Poppins, Oliver!, and Hamilton.

Knighted in 1996 for his contributions to musical theatre, Mackintosh’s productions of Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera are recognized as the two longest-running musicals in West End history. In 2008, he was ranked seventh on The Daily Telegraph’s list highlighting the "100 most powerful people in British culture." By 2021, the Sunday Times Rich List estimated his net worth at £1.2 billion.

Early life

Mackintosh was born in Enfield, London, to Diana Gladys (née Tonna), who worked as a production secretary, and Ian Robert Mackintosh, a timber merchant and jazz trumpeter. His heritage includes Scottish roots from his father and Maltese-French ancestry from his mother. He received his education at Prior Park College located in Bath.

His decision to pursue a career in theatre production was inspired at the age of eight after attending a matinee performance of Julian Slade’s musical Salad Days.

Theatrical career

Starting out in his late teens, Mackintosh worked as a stagehand at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane before progressing to assistant stage manager roles on touring productions. In 1967, alongside Robin Alexander, he co-produced five plays at the Kenton Theatre, Henley. He initially produced small touring shows before establishing himself as a London-based producer during the 1970s. His early London credits include productions such as Anything Goes (1969), The Card (1973), Side by Side by Sondheim (1976), My Fair Lady (1978), and Tomfoolery (1980).

In 1981, Mackintosh produced Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, a show that initially seemed an unlikely commercial success but went on to become one of the longest-running musicals both in London and on Broadway. He then partnered with French creators Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil to launch Les Misérables in London in 1985. Despite a modest beginning, it evolved into a major hit, securing its place as the longest-running West End musical and second longest-running show in London.

In 1986, he brought to stage Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, which stands among the most financially successful musicals ever produced. The original London production continues to run as the third longest-running show in that city, while its New York counterpart holds the record for Broadway’s longest run.

Mackintosh also produced Schönberg and Boublil's Miss Saigon, which premiered in London's West End in 1989 and achieved similar success. The Broadway debut in 1991 set records for advance ticket sales but attracted controversy over casting decisions.

Additional significant productions include Five Guys Named Moe (1990) staged both in London and Broadway, and a revamped London version of Stephen Sondheim's Follies (1987). He produced the tenth anniversary concert of Les Misérables in 1995 and facilitated West End transfers of National Theatre revivals such as Oklahoma! (1999), My Fair Lady (2001), and Carousel (1993).

Some less commercially successful projects were Moby Dick (1993), Martin Guerre (1996), and the stage adaptation of John Updike's The Witches of Eastwick (2000).

In 1990, Mackintosh acquired co-ownership of theatrical licensing firm Music Theatre International, followed by founding theatre group Delfont Mackintosh Theatres in 1991.

Collaborating with Disney Theatrical Productions president Thomas Schumacher, he developed the stage adaptation of Mary Poppins, which debuted on the West End in 2004 before opening on Broadway in 2006. Additionally, he co-produced the London transfer of Avenue Q, which premiered at the Noël Coward Theatre in 2006.

To commemorate three decades in theatre production, Mackintosh organized Hey, Mr. Producer!, a gala concert showcasing songs from his shows. Held twice in June 1998, proceeds supported theatrical charities. The event featured prominent performers and attracted royal guests.

Between 2008 and 2009, he revived Lionel Bart's Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, casting through BBC's reality show I'd Do Anything. This revival became the fastest-selling West End production at that time with £15 million raised before opening night.

In April 2010, Mackintosh mounted a West End revival of Hair at London's Gielgud Theatre, following its successful Broadway revival in 2009.

In 2013, he partnered with Chichester Festival Theatre to revive Barnum, staged at a temporary venue during theatre refurbishment. The production toured throughout the UK and Ireland in 2014 starring Brian Conley.

On 27 January 2014, Mackintosh became the first British producer inducted into Broadway's American Theater Hall of Fame. Later that year he relaunched Miss Saigon at London's Prince Edward Theatre, celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary.

In 2016, he co-produced an updated version of Half a Sixpence at Chichester Festival Theatre before transferring it to the West End’s Noël Coward Theatre, where it ran for ten months.

Mackintosh produced the London transfer of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway sensation Hamilton, which opened on 21 December 2017 at London's Victoria Palace Theatre.

In 2019, alongside Disney, he revived Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre with performances continuing until January 2023.

A newly revised version of Oliver!, co-produced by Mackintosh and directed by Matthew Bourne, is scheduled for summer 2024. It will premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre before moving to London's Gielgud Theatre.

Influence

Mackintosh is credited with revolutionizing the musical theatre industry into a worldwide and highly lucrative enterprise. He was a pioneer among producers in recognizing the financial potential of touring and international stagings—including in areas such as the former Eastern Bloc—which collectively could generate revenues comparable to or surpassing those of New York and London productions.

He has effectively brought established theatre directors from traditional backgrounds, including Royal Shakespeare Company veterans like Trevor Nunn and Nicholas Hytner, into the realm of musical theatre.

The Delfont Mackintosh group, under his leadership, owns eight prominent London venues: the Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, Novello, Sondheim, Gielgud, Wyndham's, Victoria Palace, and Noël Coward theatres.

Personal life

In recognition of his contributions to musical theatre, Mackintosh was knighted in the 1996 New Year Honours.

His life partner is Michael Le Poer Trench, an Australian-born theatre photographer; they first met at the 1982 Adelaide premiere of Oklahoma!. The couple splits their residence between London, Stavordale Priory in Somerset, and the Nevis Estate located in Scotland’s West Highlands.

Mackintosh was ranked fourth on The Independent on Sundays Pink List of influential openly gay individuals in both 2005 and 2006. Additionally, he topped The Stage 100 in 2007, an annual list celebrating key figures in the performing arts sector.

He serves as a patron for The Food Chain, a charity based in London dedicated to supporting people living with HIV.

His younger sibling, Robert Mackintosh, also works as a producer.

Laird of Nevis

In 1994, Mackintosh purchased the Nevis Estate on North Morar in Scotland's West Highlands, encompassing approximately . As laird, he has been involved in a longstanding disagreement with a tenant crofter regarding land usage; while Mackintosh seeks to develop holiday accommodations, the crofter advocates maintaining the land for grazing purposes.

Politics

Mackintosh defended casting Jonathan Pryce in Miss Saigon back in 1990 amid controversy over racial representation, opposing typecasting and discrimination based on ethnicity.

He was among the largest private contributors to the Labour Party in 1998, a decision he later expressed regret over. By 2010, he publicly criticized Labour’s economic policies for failing to prepare adequately for financial downturns. During the 2015 general election, he donated £25,000 to Conservative candidate David Warburton.

Although closely connected with Europe through his work, Mackintosh voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum, citing concerns about accountability within the European system.

Production credits

Additional resources

  • Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh, by Sheridan Morley and Ruth Leon, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson (UK) and Back Stage Books (US), 1998.
  • Master of the House. The Theatres of Cameron Mackintosh, authored by Michael Coveney, Unicorn, 2023, ISBN 9781914414831 – explores Mackintosh's significant London theatre venues and their restorations.

External links

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