Andrew MacBean
Encyclopedia
Andrew MacBean is a theatre director and writer based in New York City, New York and London, England.
He was born in Toronto, Ontario on February 7, 1963, grew up in Pickering and Toronto, and attended Queen's University at Kingston, where he received a B.A. in Drama and Music. He then studied directing as an intern at Playwright's Horizons, in New York City, and was a senior member of the BMI musical theatre workshop, first under Lehman Engel
, then Maury Yeston
.
He can be heard on the 1984 original-cast recording of Anne of Green Gables – The Musical, as Gilbert Blythe
, a role he performed for three years, as well as creating the awarding winning musical Sleeping Arrangements, which premiered at the Charlottetown Festival
and ran for three years.
He founded Theatreworks in London, England in the 1990s. He was associate director with Trevor Nunn
on Andrew Lloyd Webber
's Aspects of Love
and Sunset Boulevard
. He then worked as Trevor Nunn's associate director on Anything Goes
at the Royal National Theatre
and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
.
He has also done corporate work with Coca-Cola
worldwide.
He co-wrote the musical Raindogs, which received a showcase in London in 2007 and was featured at the MAD Fringe Festival at the Trafalgar Studios
in August 2008. Subsequently is was showcased at the Bay Street Theater, Sag Harbor New York. It features additional music by Paul Chant and Boko Suzuki. As a freelance director, he directs plays and musicals: in 2007, he directed a 50th Anniversary production of West Side Story
, and directed The Sound of Music
with a London cast taken to Cyprus. In 2008, he worked with William Finn
directing the West End premiere of Finn's Make Me a Song, featuring West End stars Sally Ann Triplett
, Frances Ruffelle
, Simon Thomas
, Gareth Snook, Louise Dearman
, and Ian H. Watkins. In 2009, he created a new "Cirque du Soleil
" version of CATS, for large amphitheatres, which premiered in Cyprus.
He was born in Toronto, Ontario on February 7, 1963, grew up in Pickering and Toronto, and attended Queen's University at Kingston, where he received a B.A. in Drama and Music. He then studied directing as an intern at Playwright's Horizons, in New York City, and was a senior member of the BMI musical theatre workshop, first under Lehman Engel
Lehman Engel
Lehman Engel was an American composer and conductor of Broadway musicals, television and film.-Work in theatre, television and films:...
, then Maury Yeston
Maury Yeston
Maury Yeston is an American composer, lyricist, educator and musicologist.He is known for writing the music and lyrics to Broadway musicals, including Nine in 1982, and Titanic in 1997, both of which won Tony Awards for best musical and best score. He also won a Drama Desk Award for Nine...
.
He can be heard on the 1984 original-cast recording of Anne of Green Gables – The Musical, as Gilbert Blythe
Gilbert Blythe
Gilbert Blythe is a fictional character in Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series of novels.In the CBC Television film adaptations of the 1980s, Gilbert Blythe is portrayed by Jonathan Crombie. For the 1934 film adaption, Gilbert is portrayed by Tom Brown. In the Japanese anime...
, a role he performed for three years, as well as creating the awarding winning musical Sleeping Arrangements, which premiered at the Charlottetown Festival
Charlottetown Festival
The Charlottetown Festival is a seasonal Canadian musical theatre festival which runs from late May to mid-October every year since 1965.Named after its host city, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, since its inception the festival has showcased Canada's most popular and longest-running musical,...
and ran for three years.
He founded Theatreworks in London, England in the 1990s. He was associate director with Trevor Nunn
Trevor Nunn
Sir Trevor Robert Nunn, CBE is an English theatre, film and television director. Nunn has been the Artistic Director for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and, currently, the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. He has directed musicals and dramas for the stage, as well as opera...
on Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
's Aspects of Love
Aspects of Love
Aspects of Love is a musical/chamber opera with a book and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart. It is famous for the song "Love Changes Everything."...
and Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
. He then worked as Trevor Nunn's associate director on Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
at the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
.
He has also done corporate work with Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
worldwide.
He co-wrote the musical Raindogs, which received a showcase in London in 2007 and was featured at the MAD Fringe Festival at the Trafalgar Studios
Trafalgar Studios
Trafalgar Studios, formerly The Whitehall Theatre until 2004, is a West End theatre in Whitehall, near Trafalgar Square, in the City of Westminster, London....
in August 2008. Subsequently is was showcased at the Bay Street Theater, Sag Harbor New York. It features additional music by Paul Chant and Boko Suzuki. As a freelance director, he directs plays and musicals: in 2007, he directed a 50th Anniversary production of West Side Story
West Side Story
West Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
, and directed The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
with a London cast taken to Cyprus. In 2008, he worked with William Finn
William Finn
William Alan Finn is an American composer and lyricist of musicals. His musical Falsettos received the 1992 Tony Awards for Best Music and Lyrics and for Best Book.-Biography:...
directing the West End premiere of Finn's Make Me a Song, featuring West End stars Sally Ann Triplett
Sally Ann Triplett
Sally Ann Triplett is a British singer and actress most famous for her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and many West End productions.-Eurovision:...
, Frances Ruffelle
Frances Ruffelle
Frances Ruffelle is an English musical theatre actress and recording artist. Her mother is Sylvia Young, the founder of the famous theatre school at which Frances trained, and her daughter is recording artist Eliza Doolittle. Her younger sister is actress Alison Ruffelle...
, Simon Thomas
Simon Thomas (television presenter)
Simon Thomas is a British television presenter, who worked on Blue Peter for six years.-Early life:Simon Thomas was born in Norwich, Norfolk to Andrew and Gill Thomas. He has two sisters called Hannah and Rebecca...
, Gareth Snook, Louise Dearman
Louise Dearman
Louise Dearman is a British musical theatre performer, currently playing the role of Glinda in the West End production of Wicked. She has a number of other professional stage and television credits, such as Eva Perón in Evita, and released her debut solo album, You and I, in 2005.-Early...
, and Ian H. Watkins. In 2009, he created a new "Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
" version of CATS, for large amphitheatres, which premiered in Cyprus.