American producer Max Weitzenhoffer is trying to take four London theatres off Andrew Lloyd Webber's hands--to the tune of £12 million ($21.6 million).
Weitzenhoffer, who already owns the Vaudeville Theatre in the Strand, is in line to purchase the Duchess, Lyric, Apollo and Garrick Theatres, which had been co-owned by Lloyd Webber and Bridgepoint Capital. Lloyd Webber had put his Really Useful Group up for sale in April; the organization manages the production and publishing rights of shows in the Lloyd Webber catalogue--among them Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Phantom of the Opera, Starlight Express, Aspects of Love and Sunset Boulevard. The Really Useful Group has not yet found a buyer. Weitzenhoffer 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).