Alan Menken News & Discussion

[Warm Regards]

Alan Menken and Glenn Slater apparently have a television project:

You can’t say ABC is not taking big swings. The network has given an off-cycle pilot order to Galavant, a single-camera comedy fairytale written by The Neighbors creator Dan Fogelman, with Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken attached to write the music and his frequent collaborator Glenn Slater expected to pen the lyrics. Produced by ABC Studios, Galavant centers on handsome Prince Galavant and his quest for revenge over the King who stole his one true love. The project stems from Fogelman’s collaboration with Menken and Slater on the Sing Like A Larry Bird musical episode of The Neighbors last season, which earned the series an outstanding music and lyrics Emmy nomination. It expands ABC’s fairytale primetime footprint established with drama Once Upon A Time and its upcoming Wonderland spinoff. Fogelman knows a thing or two about writing fairytale musicals — he co-wrote Disney’s Tangled, whose music and lyrics were penned by Menken and Slater. With Galavant, ABC is renewing its efforts to launch a music-themed series. During the 2010-11 season, at the height of Glee‘s success, the network developed three such projects, a comedy from Menken, top lyricist David Zippel and comedy veteran Marco Pennette, a drama with musical elements from writer Bob Kushell starring Tony winner Idina Menzel, and a musical comedy from Sharpay Fabulous writer Robert Horn. Galavant is the first project to come out of the overall deal Fogelman inked with ABC Studios over the summer, which also include his showrunner services on The Neighbors, now in its second season. He has brought on former Industry Entertainment manager, Jess Rosenthal, to run the new company, Rhode Island Ave. Prods. Fogelman’s other feature credits include Cars and Crazy Stupid Love.

Source: http://www.deadline.com/2013/10/abc-ord ... nn-slater/

[DisneyJedi]

Oh, come on. Glenn Slater can't be the only person available all the time to do lyrics for Alan's songs. Can't they get someone like David Zippel or Stephen Schwartz to do that instead?

I'm sorry, Glenn but you are the weakest link. Good-bye!

[Musical Master]

Oh, come on. Glenn Slater can't be the only person available all the time to do lyrics for Alan's songs. Can't they get someone like David Zippel or Stephen Schwartz to do that instead?

I'm sorry, Glenn but you are the weakest link. Good-bye!

Alan should get Kristen Anderson Lopez in my mind.

[TsWade2]

Hey! Don't be mean to Glenn Slater. He's doing a good job, except for that Phantom of the Opera sequel.

[estefan]

Oh, come on. Glenn Slater can't be the only person available all the time to do lyrics for Alan's songs. Can't they get someone like David Zippel or Stephen Schwartz to do that instead?

I'm sorry, Glenn but you are the weakest link. Good-bye!

I don't think it's merely a case of availability. I recall Menken saying Slater has been his favourite lyrist to work with, since Howard Ashman.

[DisneyJedi]

Seriously? Even Stephen Schwartz can lyric-write circles around Glenn.

[TsWade2]

It sounds like a lot of people aren't used to with Glenn Slater. It's like people prefer Howard Ashman as Alan's best lyricist, that I can't argue with that. I guess people don't like modern things or people.

[DisneyJedi]

Well.... I personally think Glenn isn't the best lyricist to work with Alan Menken, unlike Stephen Schwartz, Howard Ashman or even Tim Rice.

I mean, I can't really say that Glenn's lyrics really helped with 'Home on the Range', but what the hell do I know? I haven't really watched the movie in full since I saw it at a dollar theater back in 2004.

And two of the recent Broadway productions that he and Alan collaborated on (The Little Mermaid and Leap of Faith) didn't really last long, LoF literally only having a month long run. Though part of the blame for 'Mermaid' can be placed on the costume designs.

[TsWade2]

Look guys, I respect your opinions, but I think criticizing Glenn Slater for being the worst lyricist or wishing that he'll give up we'll do you no good. I think he's doing a fine job, not great, just fine. I know he's not Howard Ashman, but time goes on. I'lI admit the Love Never Dies and Leap of Faith made not be his best work, but I think he did good on The Little Mermaid Broadway musical and Tangled. Besides, The song I See the Light has become Disney's popular song anyway. In fact, believe it or not, that song I See the Light won a Grammy for Best song written for visual media. I just find this widespread criticism unfair and unnecessary. I'm not forcing you guys to like him, I just want to advise people to cut him some slack and give him a chance.

[Musical Master]

I think Glenn Slater as a lyricist for Alan Menken's work in Disney is allright, but sometimes his lyrics can vary to funny and warm to unimaginative and dull. Which is why I think Alan should work with Kristen Anderson-Lopez because she is doing a lot of good work for Disney and if Winnie the Pooh is any indication, she is much more inventive with her lyrics than Glenn, so if it's possible, she can be available.

But he's better than Randy Newman.

[TsWade2]

I think Glenn Slater as a lyricist for Alan Menken's work in Disney is allright, but sometimes his lyrics can vary to funny and warm to unimaginative and dull. Which is why I think Alan should work with Kristen Anderson-Lopez because she is doing a lot of good work for Disney and if Winnie the Pooh is any indication, she is much more inventive with her lyrics than Glenn, so if it's possible, she can be available.

But he's better than Randy Newman.

But isn't she busy doing songs with her husband?

[Musical Master]

I think Glenn Slater as a lyricist for Alan Menken's work in Disney is allright, but sometimes his lyrics can vary to funny and warm to unimaginative and dull. Which is why I think Alan should work with Kristen Anderson-Lopez because she is doing a lot of good work for Disney and if Winnie the Pooh is any indication, she is much more inventive with her lyrics than Glenn, so if it's possible, she can be available.

But he's better than Randy Newman.

But isn't she busy doing songs with her husband?

I think she's done with Frozen right now so if Alan really wanted to work with someone else he could ask her, like how he got Stephen Schwartz for Enchanted.

[DisneyJedi]

Alan and Stephen also worked on Pocahontas and Hunchback together. I mean, really. Why can't they collaborate on an upcoming Disney film again?

I mean, do they WANT Alan's music in these recent Disney films to be bland (save for a few exceptions) instead of sounding downright epic?

[Sotiris]

Q: This is a musical as well. How did you select the music?

Peter del Vecho: I had done a picture with Bobby (Lopez, the music) and Kristen (Anderson-Lopez, lyrics) before. They are a talented team that was involved from the beginning.

Source: http://www.kidzworld.com/article/28605- ... zen-part-1


Really?

"This was about three years ago before I went off to do 'Book of Mormon.' This version of the movie was supposed to be done in 2D and featured songs by Alan Menken. And at the reading that I took part in, Megan Mullally read the part of Elsa the Snow Queen. And she was brilliant, by the way," Gad enthused.

Source: http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief ... rozen.aspx


Even the new songwriters admitted how much Menken has influenced their work.

Having grown up “with a steady diet of Disney,” the husband-and-wife team studied the films “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Aladdin” — all by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken. “We are huge fans of everyone who has come before us and now that we've been through this journey – we bumped into Menken at a party the other day and I was like, I can’t believe you did so many of them,” Kristen says. “They’re so hard, and you have to really check your ego at the door.”

Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/11/ ... e-written/

Robert Lopez: When I graduated college I looked around at the landscape. I had been a Sondheim aficionado and everything I wrote kind of sounded like Sondheim. But then I looked up—I watched all the Menken things and I joined the BMI workshop, which was where Alan Menken honed his craft. I realized how incredibly influential their work was to all of musical theatre. It changed the world. Ashman and Menken changed the art form, really, and I realized I wanted to be a part of that. I really have no idea how it happened that we're here and we're doing it, so we're not taking a lot of time to look around, but we are really enjoying the ride.

Source: http://blogs.indiewire.com/animationsco ... bert-lopez

Lopez said his inspiration in writing the song had been the many well-loved Disney movies. "We've been listening to Alan Menken and all the other Disney composers. We really wanted to join the canon. We're really, really glad that the song caught on like this".

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/entert ... car-frozen

“We tried to use the influences that the situation called for,” Anderson-Lopez says. “And it felt like Anna (voiced by Bell) was calling more on the traditional, classical Disney style, as defined so beautifully by Ashman and Menken".

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/h ... -no-670649

The film opens with "Frozen Heart," a mood-establishing tune sung by workers cutting through ice. As the Lopezes pointed out, it has origins in a type of song used in past Disney films, like the "Song of the Roustabouts" from Dumbo and "Fathoms Below" from The Little Mermaid.

To write Anna's big number, Robert and Kristen looked at "traditional 'I Want' songs," Robert said. "We looked at The Sound of Music, we looked at 'Part of Your World' and 'Belle.'"

Source: http://www.thewire.com/entertainment/20 ... en/355512/

"There's absolutely not a single composer writing today who doesn't think about Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast every time they sit down to write a song," says Disney's Frozen co-composer Kristen Anderson-Lopez. "We're just playing on a playground that Menken and Ashman built."

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/alan ... q5o6v.html

Adds Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Frozen), “The film opens with this sense of a very large, very epic tale…and then it irises down to a tiny little flute in a tiny little town. And I think that contrast, without realizing it, we did that for Frozen.”

Source: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/09/01/be ... usive-clip


Robert Lopez even joked about it on Twitter.

Congrats Alan Menken. You inspire us all. Meaning we rip you off shamelessly.

Sources: 01/02

Q: I'm having a hard time believing that Robert Lopez didn't get help from Alan Menken. #Frozen

Robert Lopez: Nope, just a lifetime of inspiration!

Source: https://twitter.com/lopezbobby/status/4 ... 7474949120


Alan Menken even contributed to his career in an indirect way.

Then I was trying to get to be Alan Menken's assistant after I graduated college. I was trying to work an angle that I... My mom knew a woman that knew his sister. So, I was in touch with Faye, his sister and she was saying "You know, Alan doesn't need an assistant right now but if this was him on the phone, he'd definitely recommend that you join the BMI workshop". And that was maybe the 17th time that had been suggested to me. And I finally said "Then that's what I'm doing".

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYGk8cYjDcE

[TsWade2]

I hope Galavant is a hit. I hope it won't end up like Smash. Glee can't be the only musical series that is a hit.

[PatrickvD]

Q: This is a musical as well. How did you select the music?

Peter del Vecho: I had done a picture with Bobby (Lopez, the music) and Kristen (Anderson-Lopez, lyrics) before. They are a talented team that was involved from the beginning.

Source: http://www.kidzworld.com/article/28605- ... zen-part-1


Really?

Yeah that smells like bullshit.

[Sotiris]

Yeah that smells like bullshit.

I would understand if Jennifer Lee had said that since she joined the project late in the game but this coming from Peter del Vecho who was already on board when Menken was still attached is a bit insulting.

[PatrickvD]

Yeah that smells like bullshit.

I would understand if Jennifer Lee had said that since she joined the project late in the game but this coming from Peter del Vecho who was already on board when Menken was still attached is a bit insulting.

Agreed.

It's so disrespectful towards Menken. I hate how he's been shoved aside. And when Menken at the D23 concert said he was honored that Lasseter asked him to work on Tangled I almost vomited. Lasseter should be kissing the ground Alan walks on, not the other way around.

[Sotiris]

Videos

Aladdin’ actors excited to bring Disney musical to Toronto
http://www.680news.com/2013/10/17/video ... o-toronto/

Composer Alan Menken on taking 'Aladdin' from screen to stage
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/video/composer ... 00194.html

'Aladdin' Headed To Broadway
http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/lifest ... o-broadway

Review: Aladdin’s magic may charm kids, but maybe not their parents (with video)
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainme ... story.html

Off The Clock: Alan Menken says composing relaxes him
http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/video/off-c ... 00762.html

Aladdin the musical
http://video.theloop.ca/watch/aladdin-t ... qzvRtIW2_h

Broadway's 'Aladdin' Stars Scared To Ride Magic Carpet?
http://www.accesshollywood.com/broadway ... eo_2029737

"Aladdin" cast reflect on new musical
http://english.cntv.cn/program/culturee ... 2259.shtml

‘Aladdin’: Theater review
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainmen ... -1.1727136

Behind the scene of "Aladdin" on Broadway
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?secti ... id=9504774

Making magic happen with 'Aladdin' Tony nominee
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/thea ... e/9724183/

George B. Style Pops In on Aladdin Star for Tony Awards Red Carpet Practice
http://www.playbill.com/multimedia/vide ... t-Practice

Broadway's Aladdin and Jasmine face off with Disney trivia
http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/07/23/aladd ... sney-quiz/

I Dream of Genie: Backstage at Aladdin with James Monroe Iglehart, Episode 4: Inside Scoop
http://www.broadway.com/videos/155643/i ... ide-scoop/

I Dream of Genie: Backstage at Aladdin with James Monroe Iglehart, Episode 5: Mixing It Up
http://www.broadway.com/videos/155652/i ... ing-it-up/

I Dream of Genie: Backstage at Aladdin with James Monroe Iglehart, Episode 8: Farewell!
http://www.broadway.com/videos/155687/i ... -farewell/

Aladdin the musical to sweep into Sydney next year
http://tenplay.com.au/news/national/oct ... -next-year

Ryan's New York City Disney Adventure - Part 1
http://abc7chicago.com/travel/ryans-new ... 1/1075437/

Aladdin, the musical: Exclusive first look behind the scenes of the new West End musical
http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/thea ... 50366.html

Go behind the scenes of Disney’s Aladdin
https://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/w ... s-aladdin/

Alan Menken performs a medley from Aladdin live on In Tune
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03yhpwb

15 Sep - Aladdin The Musical: Genie
http://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/studi ... ical-genie

Aladdin's Sultan Clifton Davis Looks Back on Roles He Still Sings in the Shower, Would Like to Do Again & More
http://www.broadway.com/videos/157169/a ... gain-more/

Aladdin and Jasmine perform 'A Whole New World' LIVE
https://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-morning-sho ... orld-live/

[TsWade2]

I just don't understand everybody hating the idea of Galavant as a fairy tale musical comedy. I thought it was a splendid idea. I don't want this to flop like Smash did. It's just that, Glee can't be the only musical series to be a hit, you know. Speaking of which, if you haven't notice that after Glee has it's 6th season, I'm afraid this maybe Glee's last season. I'm not a fan of the show, but it has a great run. So, with Alan Menken involve with Galavant, I hope it's a hit. Don't make this a flop!