Ian and Webber Tie for #1 in The Stage's Top 100 List

The UK theatre website The Stage has named David Ian and Andrew Lloyd Webber as tied for #1 in its annual list of the 100 most influential people in British theatre today.  The full list will be published on December 29th.

Ian, who is the chairman of Live Nation's global theatrical division, produces the smash West End revival of The Sound of Music alongside Webber.  Both men, who were involved with the TV casting search "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria," will soon be busy with other reality shows and revivals.  Ian will be featured on and serve as producer for the reality talent search "You're the One That I Want," which will find the leads of an upcoming Broadway production of Grease.  Webber (whose many hits as a composer include Evita, Cats and The Phantom of the Opera) will offer "Any Dream Will Do," which will result in lead casting for his upcoming Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat revival.

Cameron Mackintosh, currently the co-producer of Mary Poppins alongside Disney, landed the third place on the Stage list.  Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire of Ambassador Theatre Group are fourth.

Last year, Ian placed in the list's #1 spot; Webber tied with Panter and Squire for third place.  Webber had previously placed first on the coveted list six times since 2001.

Others to have placed in the top 20 include actor and Old Vic artistic director Kevin Spacey, Donmar Warehouse artistic director Michael Grandage, producer Bill Kenwright, and Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter. 

Visit www.thestage.co.uk for more information on The Stage.