Andrew Lloyd Webber Strikes Deal for Musical Theatre Advancement in China

Andrew Lloyd Webber will be expanding his musical theatre empire into China, starting with a Chinese makeover of his hit musical, Tell Me On A Sunday.

According to Independent, Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group (RUG) has struck a deal with leading performing arts company Shanghai Media Group Live. Tell Me On a Sunday is set for a Chinese tour next year. The deal also includes musical theatre education opportunities taught in collaboration with leading Arts Education Schools in China.

Lloyd Webber said that, "The Really Useful Group has been bringing my music to China since 2001. Our ambition is that Chinese audiences should enjoy musical theatre productions every bit the equal in scale and quality to those in North America or Europe. Now, in Shanghai Media Group, we have a partner with whom we can achieve this goal."

Shanghai Media Group Live is also looking forward to the collaboration, saying, "We are excited to be working with RUG to develop musical theatre in China and hope this partnership can grow into a successful case study for international cooperation."

Andrew Lloyd Webber is the composer of some of the world's best known musicals including Cats, Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera (which celebrated its 30th anniversary this past year) and Sunset Boulevard. In New York, Cats is running alongside School of Rock - The Musical, and The Phantom of the Opera.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski