Bill Kenwright: There Will Never Be Another

Since the start of my career, I’ve heard a lot about the rise of the so-called “investor producer.” That’s the pejorative term for people who are viewed as solely money people but serve as lead producers. However, we definitely have always had people in our midst who are much more than that. Bill Kenwright, who passed away last week, was an old-school dedicated leader. He committed totally to his projects. He knew more about them than anyone. And he often knew more about other people’s projects than even the people involved with those projects.

About fifteen years ago, I was working on a New York Times story (that ended up not running) on the difference between tours in America and Europe. Someone suggested I speak to THE Bill Kenwright. The man was busy—he had several productions at the time and he was also chairman of the Everton Football Club. I managed to schedule a 30-minute phone interview. That one lasted over an hour and had to be continued another day. At one point, I dropped a B-movie reference that, as soon as I said it, I assumed he wouldn’t get, but somehow he got it. He had an enormous knowledge of popular culture, which informed, but didn’t dictate his choices.

“Bill had an unerring instinct for promoting the unexpected,” said journalist Mark Shenton, a longtime friend of the producer. “He revived Blood Brothers after its original short-lived West End run under a different producer—and turned it into one of the longest-runners in West End history. He also took the show to Broadway—and turned it around, after initially unwelcome reviews, into a long-running success there, too. He was notably eclectic in his choices, ranging from being producer for Peter Hall’s company in the West End and on Broadway, to RSC transfers and star-led classic revivals in the West End and on Broadway of plays from Tennessee Williams to Ibsen, Wilde and Euripides.”

He produced hundreds and hundreds of shows. He took chances. Some didn't pay off, but many did.

“He was a huge influence and I will be forever thankful to him for believing in my work and giving me a platform that exceeded all my wildest dreams,” emailed Rob Madge, whose Broadway-bound show My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) was produced by Kenwright in the West End. “Not many men would proudly produce a show that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community whilst also chairing a football club!”

He was the ideal person for me to talk to about tours because he probably produced more than anyone ever. He was dedicated to spreading theater—to producing it everywhere. As part of that effort, he took over a number of regional theaters throughout the years, helping them survive. It’s hard to measure a contribution like his. It’s more than one show or another. It’s a legacy of commitment.

Kenwright was known in the industry as a shrewd businessman, but also one with a kind heart. Before I decided to write this story, I chatted with a few folks, no one famous, and they all told me of periodic gifts—a bouquet here, a bottle of champagne there—that Kenwright would send. Famous folks have those stories too, but it says something that they aren't the only ones that do.

“He would always say he could not afford to employ us all, but yet he did,” stated Here We Are star Tracie Bennett, who appeared in multiple Kenwright productions. “I will forever be grateful to this human being for telling me how the industry works. He gave me confidence when I had none as a kid moving to London on my own. He made me stronger as a performer and a better friend and person in terms of paying this forward to others now. He was loved and is sorely missed by so many, including me.”

Industry Trends Weekly is a short column that runs in the weekly Industry Pro Newsletter. To read past columns and subscribe Click Here. If you have an idea for the column, you can reach the author at cara@broadwayworld.com.