Cameron Mackintosh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Cameron Mackintosh
Mackintosh at Hatchards, London, 2022
Born	Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (1946-10-17) 17 October 1946 (age 78) Enfield, London, England
Occupation	Producer
Partner(s)	Michael Le Poer Trench

Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a famous British theatrical producer and theatre owner. He is known for creating many very successful musicals. In 1990, the New York Times called him "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world."

He has produced many popular shows, including Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Miss Saigon, Mary Poppins, Oliver!, and Hamilton.

Cameron Mackintosh was made a Sir in 1996 for his amazing work in musical theatre. Two of his shows, Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, are the two longest-running musicals in London's West End. In 2008, a newspaper called him one of the "100 most powerful people in British culture." He is also one of the richest people in British culture.

Early Life and First Steps in Theatre

Cameron Mackintosh was born in Enfield, London. His father was Scottish, and his mother was from Malta. He went to school at Prior Park College in Bath.

When he was eight years old, his aunt took him to see a musical called Salad Days. After that, he knew he wanted to become a theatre producer.

He started his theatre journey as a teenager. He worked as a stagehand at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Then he became an assistant stage manager for shows that toured around the country.

Building a Theatre Empire

Cameron Mackintosh in 2012

In the 1970s, Cameron Mackintosh started producing his own shows in London. Some of his early productions included The Card (1973) and My Fair Lady (1978).

His big breakthrough came in 1981 with Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats. At first, people thought it was a strange idea for a musical. But it became a huge hit and ran for many years in London and New York.

After Cats, he worked with French writers Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil. He helped bring their musical Les Misérables to the London stage in 1985. This musical also became a massive success and is now the longest-running musical in London.

In 1986, Mackintosh produced another hit: Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. This show is one of the most successful musicals ever. The original London show is still running, and the New York production is the longest-running Broadway musical of all time.

He then produced Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil's next musical, Miss Saigon, which opened in London in 1989. It was also very successful.

Cameron Mackintosh has produced many other popular musicals. These include Five Guys Named Moe (1990) and a new version of Stephen Sondheim's Follies (1987). He also helped bring popular shows like Oklahoma! (1999) and Mary Poppins (2004) to the West End.

In 1990, he became a co-owner of a company called Music Theatre International, which helps license shows. In 1991, he started his own theatre group, Delfont Mackintosh Theatres. This group now owns eight famous London theatres.

In 2008, Mackintosh produced a new version of Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The main actors for this show were chosen through a popular BBC TV show called I'd Do Anything. This made the show incredibly popular, and it sold tickets faster than any other West End show before it.

In 2014, Cameron Mackintosh was the first British producer to be added to Broadway's American Theater Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for people who have made a big impact on American theatre.

He also brought Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit musical Hamilton to London in 2017.

Cameron Mackintosh's Influence on Theatre

Cameron Mackintosh changed how musicals are produced around the world. He realized that shows could be very successful not just in London and New York, but also on tours and in other countries. He helped turn musicals into a global and very profitable business.

He also brought talented directors and technical experts from serious theatre into the world of musicals. This helped make musicals even better and more exciting.

His company, Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, owns eight important London theatres. These include the Prince Edward Theatre, the Prince of Wales Theatre, and the Victoria Palace Theatre.

Personal Life

Cameron Mackintosh was made a Sir in 1996 for his contributions to musical theatre.

His partner is Michael Le Poer Trench, a theatre photographer. They met in Australia in 1982. They live in London and also have homes in Somerset, England, and the Scottish Highlands.

Cameron Mackintosh supports The Food Chain, a charity in London that helps people with HIV.

His younger brother, Robert Mackintosh, is also a producer.

Politics and Views

In 2016, Cameron Mackintosh voted for the UK to leave the European Union. He said he loves Europe and Europeans, but he felt the system was not working well.

Production Credits

Images for kids

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  Mackintosh at Hatchards, London, 2022

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  Mackintosh in 2012

See also

In Spanish: Cameron Mackintosh para niños