Lloyd Webber Expected to Sell 4 Theatres This Week

Following up previous reports Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber's selling four of his theatres, London's The Guardian has announced that the composer/impresario is expected to let go of a small slice of his theatrical empire this week.

The new owner of the Garrick, Apollo, Lyric and Duchess playhouses would be Broadway producer Max Weitzenhoffer, who has offered a reported £11m (roughly $20 million) to Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group, the largest theatre-owning company in London.  If Weitzenhoffer makes the purchase, the honor would then go to his company by January.

The American Weitzenhoffer owns theatres (like the London Vaudeville) and produces shows on both sides of the Atlantic.  The scion of the Davon Oil Company, he is currently producing Neil LaBute's Some Girl(s) at the Gielgud Theatre; David Schwimmer stars in the dark comedy. A two-time Tony-winner, his past Broadway productions include Medea, The Will Rogers Follies, Largely New York, Burn This, Song and Dance and Dracula (the play).

Lloyd Webber has received advice on the theatre purchases, from Patrick McKenna, a consultant who is the former chief executive of RUG.  The composer of Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, The Phantom of the Opera and many other hits had been reluctant to sell to just anyone."We must sell only to someone who understands the particular nature of theatre and who will protect and preserve these very special buildings," he stated.  Lloyd Webber has no plans to sell his London theatres that bring in musicals, venues that are traditionally more lucrative than theatres built for plays.