Andrew Lloyd Webber: From a Noisy London Block to a Country Estate

Andrew Lloyd Webber, 70, has composed 16 musicals, including “Cats,” “Evita,” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” His memoir, “Unmasked” (Harper), and a new collection of his music, “The Platinum Edition” (UMe), are out in March. He spoke with Marc Myers.

Even as a child, I loved musicals. In the mid-1950s, I built a sizable toy theater made of play bricks. It had a box office and a revolving stage, thanks to an old gramophone turntable. Over the years, I added sets and an entire fantasy town.