Rebecca Kane Burton Steps Down As CEO of LW Theatres

Rebecca Kane Burton
Craig Sugden – Rebecca Kane Burton
The live industry vet stepped down from her role as CEO of LW Theatres in London.

Rebecca Kane Burton has left LW Theatres in London, England, after five years in the role of CEO, according to a report by The Stage.

She joined LW Theatres in 2016, when it still ran under the name of Really Useful Theatres until its rebrand in 2018. Prior to that, Kane Burton was the VP & General Manager of London’s O2 arena.
Before joining the O2, where she spent some four-and-a-half years, Kane Burton worked eight years at English Heritage before becoming Managing Director of another iconic London venue, Alexandra Palace.
She’s spent the previous months alongside LW Theatre owner Andrew Lloyd Webber, lobbying the UK government to get help for the sectors, which, like all of live, struggled and continues to struggle immensely under the coronavirus restrictions.
She was also instrumental in some of the earliest pilot events taking place in the UK, at the London Palladium, to test ways of gathering crowds in a live event setting without major risks of transmission.
In a parliamentary hearing on Sept. 8, 2020, she pointed out to decision makers, “We demonstrated that we can operate safely, and that people will feel comfortable, confident and, more importantly, excited to be back with us. Live performance up and down the country can and must continue.”
At that point, LW Theatres had furloughed about 60% of its staff, and Kane Burton made that case that, amidst health risks, millions of people out of work posed risks as well.
According to a statement from LW Theatres, obtained by The Stage, Kane Burton made the decision to leave the company to “take some time to enjoy life” and spend time with her daughter, before exploring where the “next chapter will take her.”
The theatre magazine also quoted from a LW Theatres statement, saying, “it is with great sadness” that Kane Burton had decided to step down, adding that during her tenure she oversaw an “overhaul” of the company’s business model. 
The statement also said, she was behind a new ticketing business at the company, and led the £60 million restoration of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Mark Wordsworth, executive chairman of LW Theatres, who has been on the board for 20 years, will lead the business following Kane Burton’s departure.
“Rebecca’s infectious enthusiasm will be missed by everyone and we wish her all the very best for the future,” the LW Theatres statement concludes.