Martin McCallum
{{Short description|British theatrical producer (1950–2024)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
Martin McCallum FRSA (6 April 1950 – 14 January 2024) was a British theatrical producer and President of the Society of London Theatre.{{Cite web |date=17 January 2024 |title=SOLT announces the passing of former President, Martin McCallum (6 April 1950 – 14 January 2024) |url=https://solt.co.uk/solt-announces-the-passing-of-former-president-martin-mccallum-6-april-1950-14-january-2024/ |access-date=19 February 2024 |website=Society of London Theatre |language=en-GB}} Described by The Stage as "a key figure in the British musical theatre boom of the 1980s", he is known for his 22-year tenure as Cameron Mackintosh's Managing Director and, later, Vice Chairman, during which Cats, Les Misérables, and The Phantom of the Opera were brought to the stage.{{Cite web |title=Obituary: Musical theatre producer Martin McCallum |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/obituaries--archive/obituaries/musical-theatre-producer-martin-mccallum-cats-les-miserables-phantom-of-the-opera |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=The Stage |language=En}}
Having begun his career as a production manager under Laurence Olivier at the National Theatre of Great Britain, McCallum retained a connection with subsidised theatre throughout his life, as an advisor to the Arts Council and longstanding Chairman of the Donmar Warehouse.{{Cite news |last=Coveney |first=Michael |date=22 January 2024 |title=Martin McCallum obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2024/jan/22/martin-mcallum-obituary |access-date=21 February 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} He worked on over 500 shows, on Broadway and in the West End.{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Margaret |date=18 January 2024 |title=Producer Martin McCallum Dies at 73 |url=https://playbill.com/article/producer-martin-mccallum-dies-at-73 |website=Playbill}}
Early career
McCallum was born Martin Higgins in Blackpool, Lancashire, the son of Jessie (née Lamb) and Raymond Higgins, a greengrocer. The family moved south, from Manchester to Surrey, where he would begin his theatrical career in 1967, as an assistant stage manager at the Castle Theatre, Farnham. After a number of years in repertory, McCallum was hired as a production manager under Laurence Olivier at The Old Vic, then home to the National Theatre of Great Britain.{{Cite web |title=Martin McCallum {{!}} Theatricalia |url=https://theatricalia.com/person/1rdw/martin-mccallum |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=theatricalia.com}}
While at the National, McCallum managed numerous shows, including Michael Blakemore's 1971 production of Long Day's Journey into Night, starring Olivier and Constance Cummings, and the original production of Harold Pinter's No Man's Land, with John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson.{{Citation |title=Theatre Impresario - Martin McCallum |url=https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=310275 |access-date=16 January 2024 |language=en}} In 1976, he was threatened at gun point for breaking strike in order to remove the set of No Man's Land to Canada and proceed touring.{{Cite web |date=30 July 2003 |title=Out of the comfort zone |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/out-of-the-comfort-zone-98448.html |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=The Independent |language=en}} After Olivier's departure and the appointment of Peter Hall as director, McCallum remained at the National Theatre, assisting with its relocation to London's South Bank.{{Cite news |date=25 October 1976 |title=1976: Queen opens National Theatre in London |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/25/newsid_2478000/2478397.stm |access-date=16 January 2024 |language=en-GB}}
Musical theatre
Leaving the National Theatre in 1978, McCallum established The Production Office, the first technical management and design service in the West End, with his former National Theatre colleague Richard Bullimore. The company was soon engaged to supervise shows including Franco Zeffirelli's Filumena, Harold Prince's Evita, and Cameron Mackintosh's Cats.{{Cite web |title=Production of Evita {{!}} Theatricalia |url=https://theatricalia.com/play/5q1/evita/production/k8x |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=theatricalia.com}} Following the latter show's success, McCallum would partner with Mackintosh in 1981.{{Cite web |date=15 February 1998 |title=Creative Industries: Seven of the best for Britain |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/creative-industries-seven-of-the-best-for-britain-1144846.html |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=The Independent |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Mackintosh |first=Cameron |title=Martin McCallum (1950 - 2024) Managing Director of Cameron Mackintosh Ltd, 1981 – 2000 and Vice Chairman, 2000 - 2003 - News |url=https://www.cameronmackintosh.com/news/view/martin-mccallum-1950-2024-managing-director-of-cameron-mackintosh-ltd-1981-2000-and-vice-chairman-2000-2003 |access-date=21 February 2024 |website=Cameron Mackintosh |language=en}} He served as Mackintosh's Managing Director from 1981 to 2000, and as Vice Chairman from 2000 to 2003, during which time McCallum oversaw the international roll-out of shows including Cats, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, and Miss Saigon, across Europe, Asia, and North America.{{Cite news |date=14 April 1999 |title=Is this the end of the West End? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1999/apr/14/features11.g27 |access-date=16 January 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news |date=23 October 1999 |title=Mister Musical |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/1999/oct/23/books.guardianreview10 |access-date=16 January 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=David |date=11 February 1996 |title=The Mega Music Man |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/1996/02/11/the-mega-music-man/87eadcb2-cf9d-4dec-ad3c-a7c18d20f43d/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{Cite news |last=Bennetts |first=Leslie |date=20 August 1987 |title=Marketing 'Les Miserables,' Or, Maneuvering Behind a Hit |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/20/theater/marketing-les-miserables-or-maneuvering-behind-a-hit.html |access-date=16 January 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}
Society of London Theatre
From 1992 to 2003, McCallum served as Chairman of the Donmar Warehouse, a period in which both Sam Mendes and Michael Grandage were appointed as artistic directors.{{Cite web |date=15 June 2003 |title=A nice guy Finishes First |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2003-06-15-0306150297-story.html |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=Chicago Tribune}} As Chairman, his support of subsidised theatre led to the commission of Tony Travers' Wyndham Report in 1998, the first major study of the economic impact of the West End theatre industry.{{Cite web |date=January 2005 |title=Memorandum submitted by the Society of London Theatre and Theatrical Management Association |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmcumeds/254/5020106.htm |website=UK Parliament}} The following year, McCallum was made President of the Society of London Theatre.
McCallum's presidency was marked by a commitment to youth access and by the inauguration of the joint Theatre Conference in 2001, exploring the future of London's theatrical buildings and spaces.{{Cite web |date=27 September 2001 |title=Post Conference Report About Theatre Future Now Available |url=https://playbill.com/article/post-conference-report-about-theatre-future-now-available-com-98819 |website=Playbill}}{{Cite news |last=Billington |first=Michael |date=2001-03-05 |title=This one will run and run |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2001/mar/05/artsfeatures4 |access-date=2024-04-22 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} In the wake of the September 11 attacks, he would collaborate with Mayor Ken Livingstone in the campaign to revitalise London's commercial centre,{{Cite web |last=cerisse@soltukt.co.uk |date=17 January 2024 |title=SOLT announces the passing of former President, Martin McCallum (6 April 1950 – 14 January 2024) |url=https://solt.co.uk/solt-announces-the-passing-of-former-president-martin-mccallum-6-april-1950-14-january-2024/ |access-date=21 February 2024 |website=SOLT |language=en-GB}} and was later appointed to London's Cultural Strategy Group (2003-2005), tasked with developing strategic policy in regard to culture, arts, and heritage in the capital city. From 1999 to 2003, McCallum sat on Arts Council England’s Drama Panel, serving as a member of its Advisory Task Group until 2005.{{Cite web |title=Obituary: Musical theatre producer Martin McCallum |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/obituaries--archive/obituaries/musical-theatre-producer-martin-mccallum-cats-les-miserables-phantom-of-the-opera |access-date=4 March 2024 |website=The Stage |language=En}}
Theatre design
McCallum is also regarded for his work in theatre design, having consulted on the renovation and restoration of London's Prince Edward and Prince of Wales theatres, as well as theatres in North America, Germany, South Africa, and Australia. In 2001, he acted as a consultant on the restoration of the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, USA.{{Cite web |last=Rabinowitz |first=Chloe |title=Theatrical Producer Martin McCallum Has Passed Away |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Theatrical-Producer-Martin-McCallum-Has-Passed-Away-20240117 |access-date=4 March 2024 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}
Later career
After 2003, McCallum worked mainly as an independent producer, on shows including Matthew Bourne's Edward Scissorhands,{{Cite web |title=New Adventures, Martin Mccallum and Marc Platt announce full casting and further dates for Edward Scissorhands - Visit West |url=https://www.visitwest.co.uk/news/read/2023/09/new-adventures-martin-mccallum-and-marc-platt-announce-full-casting-and-further-dates-for-edward-scissorhands-b4040 |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=www.visitwest.co.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Remembering our friend and supporter Martin McCallum |url=https://new-adventures.net/news/announcing-the-passing-of-martin-mccallum |access-date=21 February 2024 |website=New Adventures |language=en}} winner of a 2007 Drama Desk Award, and Martin McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishmaan, nominated for six Tony Awards in 2014.{{Cite web |title=Martin McCallum Tony Awards Wins and Nominations |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/tonyawardspersoninfo.php?nomname=Martin%20McCallum |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=www.broadwayworld.com}}
McCallum served on the board of the Sydney Theatre Company from 2005 to 2015 and, as a member of the STC Chair’s Council, oversaw planning for the renovation of its Wharf Theatre in 2018.{{Cite web |title=Vale Martin McCallum |url=https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/about/vale-martin-mccallum |access-date=11 March 2024 |website=www.sydneytheatre.com.au |language=en}}
Death
McCallum died in Sydney, Australia, on 14 January 2024, at the age of 73.
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCallum, Martin}}