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Sarah Hoogenraad

Professor Marx

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21 December 2016

The Mark of a True Artist

Andrew Lloyd Webber is a staple of the theater industry. He has some of the most

popular, highest grossing theater works today. Since the 1960s, he has been constantly working

on both Broadway in the United States and the West End in London. He is a constant subject of

interest for biographers and interviewers, including the likes of John Snelson, Michael Walsh,

Gerald McKnight, and Peter Marks. Andrew Lloyd Webber is the most innovative composer in

the past 50 years on Broadway, with meaningful, controversial works ranging from such broad

topics as the Bible, feline culture, and the ghost of a theatre, all combining the music styles of

pop, rock, and classical music. Even through constant criticism, changing times, and even health

setbacks, his works and their influence stay relevant.

Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals are controversial and cover a very wide range of topics,

which marks them as easy targets for critique. Jesus Christ Superstar (1970) follows the life of

Jesus himself, transforming it into a rock opera. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

(1968) follows the events of Joseph’s Bible story, using a wide variety of music styles to get

through the odd plot. Cats: The Musical (1980) is about a lot of cats at a “Jellicle Ball,” and The

Phantom of the Opera (1986) follows an opera singer’s encounter with a horrifying figure who

haunts a Paris opera house. These shows cross lines that nobody had dared cross before, and they

were not accepted with completely open arms. Jesus Christ Superstar almost was not completed

because of the controversy around a musical focused on Judas’s betrayal and Jesus’s crucifixion.
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According to Gerald McKnight in his biography entitled Andrew Lloyd Webber, “He (Webber)

offered the Superstar single to the British Decca recording company, who turned it down as ‘too

controversial’” (McKnight, 105). Webber himself hated the Superstar initial Broadway

production, stating in a Washington Post interview, “It was the worst night of my life… Can you

imagine, you're 23 years old, your dream is to have a musical on Broadway, the show premieres,

and you hate the production?” (Marks). Joseph’s confusing storyline just could not get to a point

to where it pleased the critics; they started by saying it began with too little content, and then

could not handle when it included more. One critic in 1973 said in a review, “The ‘once

charming’ Joseph has been sacrificed on the altar of the great god, Showbiz” (Walsh, 40). In the

case of Cats, arguably one of Mr. Webber’s most successful works, the odd concept was not

received well by the critics at all, receiving reviews calling it “Not quite purr-fect” and “Kitty

Litter” (Walsh, 127). Even The Phantom of the Opera caused controversy, as the piece was

written specifically for Webber’s, at the time, wife Sarah Brightman to play the lead of Christine

(Walsh, 202). The controversy and criticism only gave Mr. Webber even more of a drive, and the

unique topics only make his work all the more innovative. His bravery to produce these topics

allows him to still have his name, and works, relevant in theaters everywhere today.

Andrew Lloyd Webber seamlessly blends the pop, rock, and classical music styles. The

soundtracks of musical theatre pieces tend to be in their own personal genre, or at least they were

until Webber began composing. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an

extravagant display of pop music; Jesus Christ Superstar has some of the same pop elements, but

has more of a rock feel to it; Cats and Phantom combine these styles and add a classical flair. His

work has been described as “adapt(ing) the music of his time, from jazz-oriented rhythms and the

strident beat of rock and reggae to serious operatic work” (McKnight, 195). While in modern day
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musical theatre the blending of music styles is the status quo, back in Webber’s time this was not

the case. His decision to incorporate stylistic diversity in his work makes him all the more

innovative as a composer. Gerald McKnight describes the Lloyd Webber touch, stating:

In the cautious opinion of distinguished musical contemporaries, his feeling for melody

is exceptionally gifted, his mastery of theatrical effect extraordinary, and the use he

makes of every known form of musical expression demonstrates a catholicity and

adventurous courage which has become the Lloyd Webber keynote. (McKnight, 195-196)

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s incredible blend of styles makes his music easily discernable from

other theatrical albums. If a theatre soundtrack brings back floods of memories of oldies rock,

new pop, and even the most classical pieces, it is almost certainly from the likes of Webber.

Even if his initial works have been around for nearly 50 years, Andrew Lloyd Webber

still remains incredibly relevant today. He has composed eighteen different musicals, many of

which are still widely renowned as some of the greatest of all time (“Shows”). School of Rock, a

2016 Tony Awards Best Musical nominee, recently opened on Broadway, and features a new

score of Andrew Lloyd Webber songs (“School of Rock the Musical”). Currently, School of

Rock, The Phantom of the Opera, and Cats are running on Broadway (“Broadway Musicals”).

His musicals gross about a million dollars apiece every week (“Broadway Grosses”). In fact, The

Phantom of the Opera is the longest-running Broadway musical of all time, having played for

over thirty years with more than 12,000 performances (The Broadway League). The initial run of

Cats currently reigns as the fourth longest-running Broadway musical of all time, at 7,485

performances (The Broadway League). Lloyd Webber’s work stretches even beyond the

Broadway stage. Many of his musicals have been turned into films starring A-list entertainers

such as Donny Osmond, in Joseph, and Madonna in Evita. His music has been used and
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referenced in hundreds of entertainment pieces worldwide (“Andrew Lloyd Webber”). Aside

from his actual works, Webber’s influence is still visible on the Broadway stage in other ways.

His innovation has been mirrored in many different popular musicals over the year, the most

notable recent piece being Hamilton: An American Musical, 2016 Best Musical Tony Award

winner. Hamilton has been widely praised for many different reasons similar to those of Andrew

Lloyd Webber’s work. Hamilton is mostly known for its blend of music styles, mainly hip hop,

R&B, and pop. Hamilton covers very controversial topics, such as the American revolution,

racism, and scandal. Hamilton is a huge success on Broadway, joining the Lloyd Webber pieces

as a musical grossing more than $1,000,000 a week. It is possible that the road to Hamilton never

would have been paved without Andrew Lloyd Webber’s contributions to musical theatre. The

man himself commented on the new megahit, saying, “I think the design is really clever. And

really, the use of the [turntable] and everything is masterful. It serves that piece. I don't think it's

possible to overemphasize how important getting that, the look of a show, is” (Marks). As a man

who is so incredibly influential in the theatre industry, receiving such a compliment was

probably something to celebrate for the Hamilton creative team. Webber’s work is still so widely

renowned and popular all over the theatre world; it is not likely that his presence and influence

will fade any time soon.

Many people do not respect Mr. Webber, or do not take him seriously; they do not

believe his shows are meaningful. He is very often called a “sellout” and referred to as someone

just trying to make some quick money. While it is important to fill the seats and profit from

shows, this is not the sole purpose of his work. Many of his musicals have very deep meaning

and important hidden messages. Even if they are not completely blatant, there is always some

kind of moral that he is trying to show. For example, Cats focuses on a group of “jellicle” cats
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waiting to find out who gets to ascend to the “Heavyside Layer” and begin their next life. The

show jumps from cat to cat, but eventually lands on Grizabella, an old, rejected, stray cat who is

hissed at whenever she approaches the stage. In a beautiful moment, or Memory, if you will,

Grizabella embraces her future and flies to the heavens, and begins a new life (The Story). This

show can be interpreted in so many ways, with so many deep meanings for audiences relate to.

There is the obvious tale of “don’t judge a book by its cover,” as Grizabella was a reject who in

the end was chosen. There is the encouragement to never give up, as Grizabella kept trying to

join the group throughout the show, and was not accepted until the end. There is the motivation

to keep searching for opportunity, as Grizabella did and eventually was given the most coveted

privilege in the Jellicle world: a trip to the Heavyside Layer. Cats, however, is not known for

these things. It is known for the innovative and beautiful choreography and set design, the

incredible costume design, and the funny lyrics. Only a person who actually witnessed the show

could begin to understand what the true purpose was: to inspire. Maybe people should take a

page from the Cats script and not judge a book by its cover. Is theatre not meant to be

experienced? With true experience comes true understanding of the purpose and value of theatre,

something Webber emphasizes greatly.

Mr. Lloyd Webber’s work has not been without struggle; he has suffered many different

health problems, especially over the recent years. While he was working on his Phantom sequel,

Love Never Dies, he was diagnosed with arguably one of the most terrifying diseases around:

prostate cancer (Marks). In an interview, he recalled this experience, stating: “I didn’t think I was

going to die – just that I must have the wretched [cancer] removed so that I could get on with my

job” (Riddell). Despite this health scare, he never stopped working; he pushed on to finish his

work. After a few years of struggle, he was declared cancer free in 2010, and finished Love
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Never Dies in the same year (“Andrew Lloyd Webber Gets Cancer 'All Clear'”). This was not the

last of his trials, however. He eventually had to receive back surgery two years later because of

continuing pains, and even through this ongoing pain, he was still working on projects, such as a

new 2011 musical version of The Wizard of Oz, and a musical entitled Stephen Ward

(“Background”) (“About”). In 2013, he went through a minor depression, and continued to on

Stephen Ward despite this. He said,

There were days when I thought that I would do anything to get out of this. I adore my

work, and I thought that if I could not do that, then I had nothing more. I went through a

moment of deep depression – that awful moment when you think that you must find a

way out…With hindsight, it was stupid and ridiculous, but I couldn’t think what to do. I

got through the show I was working on, but it was murder. (Riddell)

Throughout his health crisis, the only thing that got him through was the work he had yet to do.

When he believed there was a chance of no longer having work to do, he considered taking his

own life. Mr. Lloyd Webber is so committed to his craft, that he even risked his life for it,

working through hardships when it could lead to his demise. That is the mark of a true artist.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s works in composition go unmatched. His dedication to his craft

has allowed him to create some of the most influential pieces of theater in the modern century.

His shows have created controversy, and have explored topics never before explored. He

masterfully blends different styles of music, a task that he was one of the pioneers of. His work is

still relevant and living pieces of art, still running on Broadway and inspiring other pieces to

overcome the same challenges as he. He has deep, meaningful stories that go beyond just flashy

production pieces. He has faced many hardships, and still prioritizes his work over it all. Andrew

Lloyd Webber has an incredibly passionate dedication to his work, and that is something that is
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admirable and not seen in every composer. If anyone deserves the success that this man has had,

and continues to have, it is Mr. Webber.

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Works Cited

"About." Stephen Ward The Musical. The Really Useful Group, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2016.

"Andrew Lloyd Webber." IMDb. IMDb.com, 2016. Web. 19 Dec. 2016.

"Andrew Lloyd Webber Gets Cancer 'All Clear'" BBC News. BBC, 11 Jan. 2010. Web. 20 Dec.

2016.

"Broadway Grosses." Playbill. Playbill Inc., 27 Nov. 2016. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.

The Broadway League. "Cats: The Musical." IBDB.com. The Broadway League, 2016.

Web. 04 Dec. 2016.

The Broadway League. "The Phantom of the Opera." IBDB.com. The Broadway League, 2016.

Web. 04 Dec. 2016.

"Broadway Musicals." Broadway.com. Broadway.com, 2016. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.

Marks, Peter. "With a Recent Tony Nod, Broadway Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber Looks

Back, and Forward; After a 10-year Drought, His Recent Tony Nomination Brings Him

Full Circle." Blog post. WashingtonPost.com. The Washington Post, 5 June 2016. Web. 4

Dec. 2016.

McKnight, Gerald. Andrew Lloyd Webber. New York: St. Martin's, 1984. Print.

Riddell, Mary. "Andrew Lloyd Webber: 'I Went through a Moment of Deep Depression – I

Actually Got the Forms for Dignitas’." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 18 July

2014. Web. 20 Dec. 2016.

"School of Rock the Musical." School of Rock. The Really Useful Group, 2016. Web. 04 Dec.

2016.

"Shows.” Andrew Lloyd Webber. The Really Useful Group, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2016.

Snelson, John. Andrew Lloyd Webber. New Haven: Yale UP, 2004. Print.
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"The Story." Cats the Musical. TM Rug, 1981. Web. 05 Dec. 2016.

Walsh, Michael. Andrew Lloyd Webber: His Life and Works. New York: Harry N. Abrams,

1989. Print.

"Background." Wizard of Oz - US Tour. The Really Useful Group, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2016.