Mackintosh began his theatre career in his late teens, as a stagehand at the
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and then became an assistant stage manager on several touring productions. In 1967, working with Robin Alexander, he co-produced five plays at the
Kenton Theatre,
Henley. He began producing his own small tours before becoming a London-based producer in the 1970s. His early London productions included
Anything Goes in 1969 (which closed after two weeks),
The Card (1973),
Side by Side by Sondheim (1976),
My Fair Lady (1978), and
Tomfoolery (1980). In 1981, he produced
Andrew Lloyd Webber's
Cats, then considered an unlikely subject for a musical. and second longest running London production. In 1986, Mackintosh produced Andrew Lloyd Webber's
The Phantom of the Opera, which is one of the most commercially successful musicals of all time. The original London production is still running and is the 3rd longest running production in London, He produced Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil's next musical
Miss Saigon, which opened at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in the
West End in September 1989. It was similarly successful, and the 1991 Broadway production had what was then the largest advance ticket sales in theatre history prior to its
controversy. Asian American actors protested the casting of a Caucasian actor and the use of yellowface in the role of the pimp. Mackintosh has produced several other successful musicals, including
Five Guys Named Moe (both in London in 1990 and on Broadway) and a revised London production of
Stephen Sondheim's
Follies in 1987. In 1995, Mackintosh produced the
10th anniversary concert of Les Misérables in London. Additionally he was responsible for presenting the West End transfers of the
National Theatre revivals of
Oklahoma! (1999),
My Fair Lady (2001), and
Carousel (1993). and
Martin Guerre (1996). He produced the stage adaptation of
John Updike's
The Witches of Eastwick (2000) which despite some positive reviews and a run of over 15 months, failed to replicate the worldwide success of his previous blockbusters. Mackintosh became a co-owner of the theatrical licensing company
Music Theatre International in 1990. He started the theatre group
Delfont Mackintosh Theatres in 1991.
Disney Theatrical Productions president
Thomas Schumacher met with Mackintosh in 2001 to discuss making
Mary Poppins into a stage musical. Mackintosh's involvement in the development of
the musical adaptation led to his producing both the 2004 West End and 2006 Broadway productions, at the
Prince Edward Theatre and the
New Amsterdam Theatre, respectively, along with Schumacher. He co-produced the London transfer of
Avenue Q, which opened in the West End at the
Noël Coward Theatre on 1 June 2006. In 1998, Mackintosh celebrated thirty years in show business with
Hey, Mr. Producer!, a gala concert featuring songs from shows he had produced during his career. The concert was performed twice, on 7 and 8 June, with proceeds going to the
Royal National Institute of Blind People and the Combined Theatrical Charities. Many celebrities took part, and the 8 June performance was attended by
Queen Elizabeth and
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Mackintosh produced a revival of Lionel Bart's
Oliver! at the
Theatre Royal Drury Lane which ran from 2008 to 2009. The production was cast via the hit BBC television series ''
I'd Do Anything''.
Jodie Prenger became the winner and was subsequently cast as Nancy in the production, with
Rowan Atkinson as Fagin. The publicity and attention surrounding the production was unprecedented on the West End stage, and it was reported in January 2009 that the production was the fastest-selling show in West End history, with £15 million of pre-opening sales. In April 2010, Mackintosh staged a
West End revival of the musical
Hair in London's
Gielgud Theatre. This production was transferred from Broadway, where a revival production was staged in 2009. In 2013, he worked with the
Chichester Festival Theatre on a revival of
Barnum, starring
Christopher Fitzgerald. Due to the Theatre's refurbishment, it was performed in a giant tent 'Theatre in the Park' in July and August. In 2014, the production toured the UK and Ireland starring
Brian Conley in the title role. On 27 January 2014, Mackintosh was the first British producer to be inducted into Broadway's
American Theater Hall of Fame. On 3 May 2014, Mackintosh relaunched
Miss Saigon at the
Prince Edward Theatre in London, celebrating 25 years since its first launch. In 2016, Mackintosh co-produced a new version of
Half a Sixpence at
Chichester Festival Theatre before transferring to the
Noël Coward Theatre in the West End where it ran for 10 months. Mackintosh produced the
London transfer of
Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway hit musical
Hamilton, which premiered on 21 December 2017 at the
Victoria Palace Theatre in the
West End. In 2019, Mackintosh and Disney's production of
Mary Poppins returned to the
Prince Edward Theatre in the West End, where it ran until January 2023. In summer 2024, Mackintosh co-produced and revised a new production of
Oliver! directed and produced by
Matthew Bourne at
Chichester Festival Theatre before transferring to the
Gielgud Theatre in the West End in December 2024. ==Influence==