The company which represents and licenses the performance rights to theatre giants like The Lion King, Les Miserables, Mary Poppins and Mamma Mia! is opening new offices in London and Melbourne – with plans to expand into the Far East.
New York-based Music Theatre International (MTI) was founded by the legendary composer Frank Loesser over 60 years ago. Its catalogue includes huge shows such as Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Hairspray, Little Shop of Horrors and Mamma Mia!
It also represents the majority of works of Stephen Sondheim (including Sweeney Todd), as well as all the stage productions of Disney Theatrical and Cameron Mackintosh (including The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Miss Saigon and Les Misérables).
Freddie Gershon, Chairman of MTI, invited Cameron Mackintosh to join him as an equal partner in the company twenty-five years ago. Recently Mackingtosh acquired the majority shareholding.
In 2007 Freddie and Cameron appointed their long-term friend and colleague Drew Cohen to become the company’s new President, and now the Chief Operating Officer of the company’s global activities.
Cameron Mackintosh’s control of MTI gives the company the responsibility of ensuring the future of over 400 musicals, alongside servicing over 100,000 clients worldwide.
According to MTI: ‘This serves to realise Cameron and Freddie’s desire to keep this unique collection of works out of corporate hands to serve copyright proprietors with passion and integrity as well as their heirs long into the future.’
Freddie Gershon said: “The Company has always been proud of both its independence, and the dedication and reputation of its remarkably passionate team recognized throughout the world as the best in their field. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Drew as MTI spreads its wings internationally.”
Drew Cohen said: “Our management team enjoys the closest of long-term relationships with the authors whose work we care for, whether they are the legends of Broadway and the West End or are just embarking on their careers in musical theatre. We work hard to nurture creators as well as the wonderful works they create.”
For 35 years, MTI has enjoyed a successful relationship with Josef Weinberger Limited, who have represented the MTI catalogue in Europe.
Sean Gray, Josef Weinberger Limited’s current Managing Director will serve as the new Managing Director of MTI Europe.
Cameron Mackintosh said: “I am thrilled that the time has come for an exciting new chapter in MTI’s long history and a re-organisation of its relationship with Josef Weinberger Limited. By later this year, MTI will be trading in its own name, with the two separate collaborative entities working in the same building and sharing much of the same personnel gearing up to expand over the coming years.”
Sean Gray said: “We have loved working with and representing MTI for the past 35 years and are very excited to be a part of its future. We are excited to bring the musicals we represent to new parts of the world and to new generations, to find great new works for theatre companies to perform, fresh new productions of MTI’s classic shows that will speak to today’s and tomorrow’s audiences, and to continue to promote and see the transformative and educative power of musical theatre.”
Through its direct licensing activity and via its sub-agent partners, MTI already regularly licenses productions in over 50 countries around the world.Music Business Worldwide
