Today, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Antonio Banderas confirm the creation of a new joint venture – Amigos Para Siempre (APS) – to produce Spanish language theatre, musicals and live entertainment shows, including some of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s best-loved works, for major Spanish-speaking markets.
Long-term collaborators and friends, Lloyd Webber and Banderas’ APS venture will license, produce and develop work for the world’s Spanish-speaking markets, one of the largest and fastest growing global audiences. APS covers all major Spanish-speaking markets throughout the world, including Spanish-speaking markets within the USA.
Through the Really Useful Group, founded and owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the joint venture will have first-class stage rights to Spanish language versions of Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical hits including The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, Starlight Express, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cinderella, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and School of Rock.
Amigos Para Siempre (or Amics Per Sempre in Catalan) was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Don Black, for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The song was performed at the closing ceremony by Sarah Brightman and José Carreras.
Andrew Lloyd Webber: “Not only is Antonio Banderas entertainment royalty, he is also one of the most versatile, creative minds I have ever had the pleasure of working with. It is truly exciting to partner with Antonio to bring my work, as well as other brilliant Broadway and West End titles, to new markets. While millions of people in the Spanish-speaking world already love our shows and music, the appetite for more, and the level of musical and theatrical talent, is extraordinary. I can’t wait to work with Antonio to bring the very highest-quality Spanish language productions to the world.”
Antonio Banderas: “I had the great privilege to work closely with Andrew during the recording and shooting of his celebrated musical EVITA in 1996, but it was when I saw Jesus Christ Superstar back in the early 70’s that I became attached to the music, the theatre and the fabulous talent of Andrew Lloyd Webber. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that I became an actor because of the enormous influence and the strong impression I experienced when I saw Andrew’s musicals. To have the opportunity to work with one of the most respected and admired composers of all times, offering his amazing works for Spanish speaking audiences, is one of the highlights of my career in show business.”
The Really Useful Group (RUG) is wholly owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber to produce, license and promote his shows and music around the globe. Productions of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, School of Rock – The Musical, Starlight Express, Evita and many others are currently playing and touring in all major markets across the world. Each year, across the globe, The Really Useful Group’s content reaches and is shared by hundreds of millions of people.
Banderas launched Teatro del Soho Caixabank Theater in 2019. He directed and starred in A Chorus Line, the company’s debut Spanish language production, and recently directed and starred in his second Spanish language production of Company.
This joint venture project is overseen by Emanuel Nunez, Managing Director of NuCo Media Group, and President of the Really Useful Group, Jessica Koravos.
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber has composed the scores of some of the world’s most famous musicals. From Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969) to Cinderella (2021), his work has been consistently seen on world stages. Before the COVID pandemic hit, Lloyd Webber had shows continually running in the West End for 48 years and on Broadway for 41. When Sunset Boulevard joined School Of Rock, CATS, and The Phantom Of the Opera he equalled Rodgers & Hammerstein’s record of four shows running simultaneously on Broadway. He is one of the select group of artists with EGOT status, having received Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards.
Lloyd Webber owns six London theatres including the iconic London Palladium and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Reopening in July 2021, the latter has been completely restored and renovated at a cost of over £60 million. It is one of the biggest projects ever undertaken by a private theatre owner in recent times. His mantra that every penny of profit made from his theatres is ploughed back into the buildings has meant that considerable work has been undertaken across his theatre portfolio during the pandemic, including the complete re-modelling and re-seating of the Gillian Lynne.
Lloyd Webber is passionate about the importance of musical education and diversity in the arts. Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation provides 30 performing arts scholarships every year for talented students with financial need and supports a range of projects such as the Music In Secondary School Trust and commissioning research into diversity in theatre.
Andrew Lloyd Webber was knighted in 1992 and created an honorary life peer in 1997. To mark his 70th birthday, his best-selling autobiography Unmasked was published by Harper Collins in March 2018.