Andrew Lloyd Webber Says He Feels 'Very Optimistic' About the Return of Broadway Theaters

Legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber joined 'Closing Bell' on CNBC to discuss his outlook for Broadway theaters and entertainment. He says he is excited about the potential for a vaccine and the future for the theater business.

Watch the full video from CNBC here.

"Well, as you probably know I've been fighting to get theaters reopened and indeed all forms of indoor and music spaces, up and down, not only just Britain, but all over America and the world based really on the information that I got very much earlier in the year, in fact January to be precise, from South Korea where live performances have continued all that time. And because I really tried to absolutely bang the drum for live entertainment, it seemed to me that the very least I could do is I don't live that very far from Oxford was to volunteer as an oldie to, to see if I could be accepted onto the trial," Webber told Wilfred Frost.

Webber received an early trial of one of the early Coronavirus vaccines from Oxford University.

"It clearly does depend a great deal on the vaccine but there have been a number of measures, a load of measures that have been applied in say Korea, and in, in Japan, for example, which have mitigated the effects of the virus enormously. And it has been frustrating because one hits the health authorities all the time.

"Every time you come up with something new, you know, or something you know, old that has been successfully trial in other places, there's always some reason why you can't proceed with it. And I know it's actually frustrating government actually in Britain too. However, we are where we are, and I can only report that I don't know whether I've actually had the real vaccine because of course by the nature of the experiment, I wouldn't know. But if I have, I haven't had any effects from it whatsoever other than feeling great," he said.

Andrew Lloyd Webber is the composer of The Likes of Us, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, By Jeeves, Evita, Variations and Tell Me on a Sunday later combined as Song & Dance, Cats, Starlight Express, The Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, The Beautiful Game, The Woman in White and Love Never Dies.

His awards include seven Tonys, three Grammys, seven Oliviers, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, the Praemium Imperiale, the Richard Rodgers and the Kennedy Center Honor. He currently owns seven London theatres, including the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and the London Palladium. He was knighted in 1992 and created an honorary life peer in 1997.

His awards include seven Tonys, three Grammys, seven Oliviers, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, the Praemium Imperiale, the Richard Rodgers and the Kennedy Center Honor. He currently owns seven London theatres, including the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and the London Palladium. He was knighted in 1992 and created an honorary life peer in 1997.