‘… Drew Back The Curtain, To See For Certain’ - Stage & Screen Lyricist, Storyteller and Musical Theatre Titan; Sir Tim Rice

From an early age Tim Rice was a pop music fanatic. He began his professional life as a trainee solicitor. While still an apprenticed clerk Tim approached the head of Arlington Books, Desmond Elliot, with the idea of writing a book about pop history. The idea didn't impress Elliot, but the fact that Tim was also a budding song-writer did. Elliot knew someone in need of a collaborator: a young man called Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wanted to be a composer. At Elliot's suggestion, Tim wrote to Andrew, and a meeting was quickly arranged. The two men hit it off immediately, and, owing to Andrew’s love of American musical theatre, began to try to write a musical rather than pop singles.

And so this story begins. Tim Rice continued to work with Andrew Lloyd Webber, giving us visceral and intelligent musical theatre fare that includes Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.

The pair also share the unique accolade of writing a song for Elvis Presley; “It’s Easy for You”. The song is also remarkable in that it is the last song on the last album released during Elvis' lifetime.

Subsequent collaborations have been with fellow titans of the craft - Elton John, Alan Menken, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson creating popular theatrical fare that includes Chess, The Lion King, Aladdin and Aida.

His output has been presented by the Disney Organisation, on Broadway, in The West End and for commercial stages around the globe. The popularity of his works with community and school theatres has ensured that at any time, somewhere in the world, a Tim Rice musical is being produced. This year in Australia alone we have seen commercial productions of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat and Beauty & the Beast.

Tim is the recipient of 3 Academy Awards, 4 Tonys, 5 Grammys and 1 Emmy - making him that ‘rare bird’ in the entertainment industry - one of only 17 artists to have garnered an EGOT.

He was knighted by Elizabeth 2nd for services to music in 1994. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is an inductee to the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, a Disney Legend Recipient, a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, and has his own Cricket team.
With Andrew Lloyd Webber he wrote a musical for Queen Elizabeth titled Cricket, and has crafted songs for Freddy Mercury, Placido Domingo and David Essex.
Tim Rice has contributed songs to soundtracks, such as “All Time High” for the Bond movie Octopussy. His most recent musical work, From Here To Eternity opened in 2013. He is the co-author of the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles and a co-founder of Pavilion Books.
And today, celebrates 400 episodes of the STAGES podcast.
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