Andrew Lloyd Webber talks Broadway shutdown, his new ‘Cinderella’

Until now, not one night in 40 years that Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber hasn’t had a show on Broadway. Four SRO musicals here at one time. “Phantom’s” the longest-running production ever. Honored by the queen, etc., etc., he says: “The industry says theaters reopen June 7. My opinion? Optimistic. Ridiculous. I think this peaks in …

Until now, not one night in 40 years that Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber hasn’t had a show on Broadway. Four SRO musicals here at one time. “Phantom’s” the longest-running production ever. Honored by the queen, etc., etc., he says:

“The industry says theaters reopen June 7. My opinion? Optimistic. Ridiculous. I think this peaks in June, and theaters remain closed until end of September.

“We need these places, many are old, safe as possible. In South Korea, they take everyone’s temperature. We’ll self-clean handles, wipe doors, utilize every safety measure. People won’t wish to crowd into small clustered seats again. But we must reopen. Some, with leftover money to spend, need the theater.

“Three people in my company had the virus. My two sons tested positive. I haven’t seen them for 2 ¹/₂ weeks. I, myself, put a bag over my head with steaming water filled with medication that clears the airwaves and clears your nasal passages. I self-medicated.

“My London theaters are run not-for-profit, and I’m in the middle of redoing the Drury Lane. An old building, and you can’t stop in the middle. So we must keep an essential crew, like electricians, working. Paying
everyone. Unions came to some arrangement. It’s a nightmare.”

How does one actually, suddenly, shut down a running Broadway show?

“On a Monday, we literally told them ‘Sorry …’ We keep looking after the cast, but there’s also front-of-the-house people. I have a management team bearing the brunt of it all. We make two daily calls to them. It’s dreadful for everyone.”

And new productions?

“I’ll do everything to make ‘Phantom’ definitely come back. The set is old, and we’ll work on that. Easter Sunday NBC re-telecasts ‘Jesus Christ Superstar.’ Been around 50 years, it even played a stadium in Italy, which is not a center for musicals.” [His Holiness Pope Francis saw it.]

“My newest is ‘Cinderella.’ No conventional Cinderella — but fun. Ready for rehearsal, orchestral arrangements done, we hoped for a workshop in three weeks. But nobody’s even making scenery. I’m hoping for maybe October on Broadway.”

Daughter Bella, 23, orchestrating his social-media appearances, told him to sit at the piano and what songs to play. And, says His Lordship: “I love doing it.”

Tokyo friend sends sad report

Dewi Sukarno, who was married to the late first president of Indonesia, sends this from Tokyo: “Lectures, speeches, charities, parties, openings, events, all public places, entertainment places, clubs, bars, schools, supermarket, convenience stores, department stores closed. Drug stores, open. Hotels are field hospitals.
“Prime minister announced ‘emergency declaration’ to seven prefectures — Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa, Osaka, Hyogo, Fukuoka. 108 trillion yen (US $992,934,525,600) will be spent to control the coronavirus. Positive so far, 4,077, deaths 97. Tokyo is in lockdown.”

Sweet story

Noah, 13, is stuck home, no presents, no guests, no ceremony, no bar mitzvah. Daddy Stuart Slotnick called Rye Brook’s local fire department, who showed with a truck and a firefighter’s hat to fit him. Happy Birthday, Noah.

One kvetch

Producer Jamie deRoy. “I’m scared every day. Being alone’s hard. I stopped wearing makeup, and now my iPhone doesn’t recognize me. I even cleaned my kitchen. I never knew how much expired food I had.”

And those at-home clothes? Washing machine’s busted. Cleaner’s closed. Dried egg’s on one sleeve? Mayo’s on the lapel? Hang pj’s and drawers out the window on a clothesline. With clothespins. Whatthehell, it beats Park Avenue’s useless statues.

Only in New York, kids, only in New York.