Paving the Way: Cameron Mackintosh and the Development and Impact of the Global Musical

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Shannon, Richard. 2024. Paving the Way: Cameron Mackintosh and the Development and Impact of the Global Musical. In: Robert J. Gordon and Olaf Jubin, eds. The Oxford Handbook of the Global Stage Musical. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 217-244. ISBN 9780190909734 [Book Section]

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Abstract or Description

This chapter seeks to establish the significance of Cameron Mackintosh in the development of the global musical; it draws extensively from interviews conducted by the author with key figures. The chapter proposes that Cats was a breakthrough production, setting a template for developing large-scale musicals which could be reproduced globally. It goes on to analyse the elements of this template, including marketing, the importance of the show logo, and developing as well as protecting a brand. Examining in detail the various different types of reproduced shows that Mackintosh oversees and the importance of accurate translation and responding to local conditions, the case is made that Mackintosh has established the importance of an interventionist producer, and that other key global producers such as Disney and Little Star have consciously followed his business methods. The chapter concludes that Mackintosh did set the framework for the proliferation of the global musical; his productions are not simply commodified replications, but rather works designed to ensure that the highest aesthetic standards are maintained, no matter where the show is staged.

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Book Section

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190909734.013.8