Andrew Lloyd Webber is letting go of his The Really Useful Group brand after nearly 50 years.
Set up by Lloyd Webber in 1977 to manage his musicals, including rights and productions, the name – and its Swiss Army knife logo, became synonymous with the musicals boom of the 1980s and 90s, and Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s global export of musicals.
Lloyd Webber floated the company in 1986, but took it private again four years later.
The Really Useful Group will be rebranded to LW Entertainment, in line with Lloyd Webber’s LW Theatres London theatre business, and recently launched LW Tickets.
As with Really Useful, LW Entertainment will continue to manage Andrew Lloyd Webber’s body of work, including merchandising and franchising his musical brands including The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, Sunset Boulevard and Starlight Express.
The company is led by CEO James McKnight, who joined the business in December 2023 after a number of high-profile roles, including at the Harry Potter franchise at the Blair Partnership.
McKnight has made a number of hires over the last 18 months including Louise Hughes, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel; Lawrence Chapman, Group Chief Financial Officer; Libby Grant as Chief Commercial Officer; and Alex Parker as Musical Director.
Recent LW Entertainment activity includes relaunching AndrewLloydWebber.com, starting free fan hub The Box Five Club, and licensing The Phantom of the Opera as a new immersive production Masquerade in New York, produced by Randy Weiner and directed by Diane Paulus.
Also, a new Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat film is in the works, directed by Jon M. Chu (Wicked) for Amazon, and there are persistent rumours about a movie version of Sunset Boulevard.
Other recent and current productions of Lloyd Webber shows include Jesus Christ Superstar at the Hollywood Bowl starring Cynthia Erivo as Jesus. A company statement said that the success of this production is “prompting calls for an arena tour.”
Alongside Really Useful Group, Andrew Lloyd Webber also owns West End theatre chain LW Theatres, which runs the London Palladium, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Cambridge, His Majesty’s, Gillian Lynne and Adelphi Theatres.
Michael Harrison continues to lead on production
LW Entertainment will be focused on exploitation, but production will rest with Michael Harrison for Harrison and Lloyd Webber’s joint venture company, Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, which started in 2023. Recent successes for the company include Starlight Express, Sunset Boulevard, and current West End blockbuster, Evita at The London Palladium starring Rachel Zegler and directed by Jamie Lloyd.
Next up for the production arm will be the Broadway transfer of Cats: The Jellicle Ball and Lloyd Webber’s new musical, The Illusionist, directed by Jamie Lloyd.
The Phantom of the Opera expansion
Lloyd Webber’s acclaimed, long-running production of The Phantom of the Opera, continues to do great business in London, produced by Cameron Mackintosh. The show will enter its 40th year in November, and celebrate its 40th birthday next year.
Phantom will also start a major new US tour in November 2025, co-presented with The Really Useful Group / LW Entertainment.
Other new partnerships include The Phantom of the Opera expanding with a new book partnership with Penguin Random House LLC. In autumn 2026, new adult novel Our Strange Duet will debut, bringing a new voice to Victor Hugo’s heroine Christine Daaé, developed with author Erin A. Craig.
Recent Phantom extensions have included associations with Studio MinaLima and Palace Skateboards.
LW invests in GWB Entertainment for tours
In other news today, LW Entertainment has made a strategic equity investment in UK-based producer and general manager GWB Entertainment, a long standing production partner in Asia including previous tours of Cats and School of Rock. GWB will also provide general management to The Phantom of the Opera International Tour.
Paul Warwick Griffin and Gareth Hewitt Williams, GWB Founders UK, said in a statement: “Having collaborated closely with The Really Useful Group for many years, this partnership with LW Entertainment represents a pivotal milestone for us. We are thrilled to bring together our collective expertise and resources to create extraordinary experiences for audiences worldwide, while deepening our creative vision and broadening our global reach.”
Qubic Pictures to explore Phantom anime
LW Entertainment has also engaged Justin Leach of Qubic Pictures, Co-Executive Producer on Star Wars: Visions and Showrunner of Netflix’s Eden and Leviathan, to explore opportunities for a new The Phantom of the Opera anime. Qubic Pictures, an animation production company, works with leading creators and studios across Japan, North America and Europe.
Justin Leach, Founder, Qubic Pictures, said: “I’m incredibly excited to join forces with the talented team at LW Entertainment to bring The Phantom of the Opera to life through anime. This project is a rare opportunity to unite the grandeur of musical theatre with the artistry of Japanese animation – two beloved traditions that have touched audiences around the world. Our goal is to create a timeless and emotionally resonant experience that speaks to a global audience and honors the legacy of this iconic story.“
Consumer products
LW Entertainment has also appointed brand licensing and merchandising agency Merchantwise for new global consumer products programmes in the UK, select European markets, China, Australia and New Zealand.
Also, Event Merchandising Ltd (EML) has been appointed to run owned and operated channels (online and physical) for Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals, with future plans for an ecommerce store for global fans.
What They Said
James McKnight, CEO of LW Entertainment, said in a statement: “It is a privilege to be part of the next chapter of the Lloyd Webber family business. For nearly 50 years, this company has worked with the best in the industry to deliver transformational entertainment. LW Entertainment is about doing more of the same. We want to spread our impact across the world, taking the magic of Andrew’s work into more formats. I firmly believe that great business strategy is led by creativity, passion and partnership. Looking around us, I am not sure we could ask for much more.”
Madeleine Lloyd Webber, Group President of LW Entertainment and LW Theatres, said: “’The heart and soul of the company is creativity and innovation’ – a quote from Bob Iger which perfectly reflects LW Entertainment. This is a very exciting new chapter for our family business, while respecting and building upon RUG’s extraordinary legacy. The Lloyd Webber family are aligned and share the vision of LW Entertainment: to create, entertain, excite, challenge, disrupt, and inspire audiences across many art forms for generations to come. The brilliant team led by James McKnight, ably supported by our chairman David Chance and the rest of our Board, have already delivered innovation, and I’m excited and optimistic about the ambitious plans they have for the future.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “I am thrilled that the final piece of the reorganisation of the Lloyd Webber companies is complete. Our CEO James McKnight, together with Madeleine Lloyd Webber and our chairman, David Chance, has restructured the entire senior management team to reflect the business’ commitment to exploiting its copyrights in the most innovative way.”
Lloyd Webber went on to say: “LW Entertainment is a family company, and I am blessed that all four of my children are major contributors to the board. My wife, Madeleine Lloyd Webber, is Group President of LW Entertainment and LW Theatres. The recorded music exploitation, guided by Alastair and Billy Lloyd Webber, has already resulted in successful albums for Starlight Express and Sunset Boulevard, the latter reaching number 1. With the strongest team I could possibly hope for in place, I will focus on what I have always loved most – music.”
Book Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals in London
Book tickets to The Phantom of the Opera at His Majesty’s Theatre in London
Book tickets to Evita at the London Palladium
Book tickets to Starlight Express Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in London
The Phantom of the Opera
His Majesty’s Theatre, London
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📷 Main photo: LW Entertainment launches, rebranding Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Really Useful Group (Photo c LW Entertainment)
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