Really Useful Group

The Really Useful Group Ltd. (RUG) is an international company set up in 1977 by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is involved in theatre, film, television, video and concert productions, merchandising, magazine publishing, records and music publishing. The name is inspired by a phrase from the children's book series ''The Railway Series'' (which also inspired Webber to create ''Starlight Express'') in which Thomas the Tank Engine and other locomotives are referred to as "Really Useful Engines".

History

The company was set up in 1977 when Lloyd Webber, frustrated with the terms of his contract with the impresario Robert Stigwood, decided to take greater control over the management of his creative works. All Lloyd Webber compositions and productions created from that point have been owned by the company.

The Really Useful Group was floated on the stock market in 1986. Four years later, Lloyd Webber took it back into private ownership, selling 30% to film and music group PolyGram to fund the cost of buying back shares. In 1995, PolyGram was bought by Canadian conglomerate Seagram, with the Really Useful stake being passed to its own film and music subsidiary, Universal. In 1999, Lloyd Webber paid $75m for Universal's 30% stake, giving the composer 100% ownership of the group.

Divisions

Really Useful Theatre Company

The Really Useful Theatre Company produces and manages plays and musicals, mainly, but not limited to those written by Lloyd Webber. It is also responsible for licensing its productions worldwide. In the 1990s, RUT mainly produced shows on its own, but more recently has again developed partnerships with other producers and production companies, notably Bill Kenwright, to produce its works, as it had done in the 1980s with Cameron Mackintosh.

Among its productions and co-productions are:

*'' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' – Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice – London, Broadway, Los Angeles, worldwide
*'' Jesus Christ Superstar'' – Lloyd Webber/Rice – London, Broadway, worldwide
*''Evita'' – Lloyd Webber/Rice – London, Broadway, worldwide
*''Tell Me on a Sunday'' – Lloyd Webber/ Don Black – London, UK tour
*'' Cats'' – Lloyd Webber/ T. S. Eliot – London, Broadway, worldwide
*''Starlight Express'' – Lloyd Webber/Richard Stilgoe – London, Broadway, worldwide
*''Song and Dance'' – Lloyd Webber/Black – London, Broadway
*''The Phantom of the Opera'' – Lloyd Webber/ Charles Hart/Stilgoe – London, Broadway, worldwide
*''Aspects of Love'' – Lloyd Webber/Black & Hart – London, Broadway, 2007 UK tour
*'' By Jeeves'' – Lloyd Webber/ Alan Ayckbourn – London, Broadway
*'' Whistle Down the Wind'' – Lloyd Webber/Jim Steinman – Washington, D.C., London, UK tours
*''The Beautiful Game'' – Lloyd Webber/Ben Elton – London
*'' The Woman in White'' – Lloyd Webber/David Zippel – London, Broadway
*''Bombay Dreams'' – Rahman/Black – London, Broadway
*''The Sound of Music'' – Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II – 2006 London Palladium production
*'' Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – The Musical''; Various; London 2009
*'' Love Never Dies''; Lloyd Webber/Elton/Glenn Slater; London 2010
*'' The Wizard of Oz''; London 2010
*''Daisy Pulls it Off'' – Denise Deegan – London
*''The Hired Man'' – Howard Goodall/Melvyn Bragg – London
*''Lend Me a Tenor'' – Ken Ludwig – London, Broadway
*'' La Bête'' – David Hirson – Broadway, London
*'' School of Rock''; Broadway 2015

In 2016, Really Useful partnered with Concord Theatricals to act as representative for licensing its works in North America. In October 2021, the groups extended the partnership through 2025.

Really Useful Films

Really Useful Films is responsible for the production of film versions of Lloyd Webber's catalogue. Initially, these had consisted of lower budget straight-to-video versions of the shows (''Cats'', ''Joseph'', ''Jesus Christ Superstar,'' and ''By Jeeves''), but in 2004 the Really Useful Films completed the film ''The Phantom of the Opera'', directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum, which was nominated for three Academy Awards and three Golden Globes.

It has also released DVD and video versions of Lloyd Webber's 50th birthday concert at the Royal Albert Hall, the 2001 ''Masterpiece – Andrew Lloyd Webber in China'' concert and a musical version of ''The Gruffalo''.

The film director Nick Morris is regularly involved with the films division.

Really Useful Records

Really Useful Records produces cast albums of Lloyd Webber musicals. From 1986 until Lloyd Webber regained full control of the company in 1999, Really Useful Records had an exclusive deal with PolyGram to release albums through its Polydor label. Really Useful continues to release its albums and DVDs through Universal, current owners of PolyGram. Aside from cast albums, Lloyd Webber has also produced albums for Marti Webb, Sarah Brightman, Connie Fisher, Andrea Ross and Michael Ball via the label.

Lee Mead, who won the lead role in 2007's West End revival of Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat'' by taking part in BBC One's '' Any Dream Will Do!'' recorded a single of the song " Any Dream Will Do". The contest's third-placed Lewis Bradley and second-placed Keith Jack joined him on "Close Every Door To Me". Really Useful Records released the double-A side single to raise funds for the BBC
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