Alan Menken News & Discussion

[disneyprincess11]

Does EVERY movie have to be a musical?

[Lady Cluck]

Robin Wiliams wouldn't have done it on Broadway anyway.

Not that I want this to be made either. Never liked the movie much, or any of Robin's other schmaltzy mainstream family movies from that era.

[Disneyphile]

If you’ve ever loved a Disney song, chances are 65-year-old Alan Menken wrote it. With Oscars, Grammys, and Tonys to his name, he’s now set his sights on TV with ABC’s medieval musical comedy Galavant (which concludes Sunday at 8 p.m. on ABC). EW asked the legend to recount the stories behind some of his most iconic songs.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2015/01/22/alan- ... ney-songs/

[Sotiris]

Alan Menken and Glenn Slater are working on an original stage musical titled Happy Trails based on the life of Roy Rogers.




Articles

Alan Menken Boards Roy Rogers Musical ‘Happy Trails,’ Bound for Broadway
http://variety.com/2015/legit/news/alan ... 201412088/

Breaking News: Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Musical HAPPY TRAILS Coming to Broadway in 2016? Menken, Slater & McAnuff Join Creative Team
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Br ... m-20150122

T Bone Burnett to write songs for Roy Rogers musical
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/501190c7 ... rs-musical

[DisneyFan09]

If you’ve ever loved a Disney song, chances are 65-year-old Alan Menken wrote it. With Oscars, Grammys, and Tonys to his name, he’s now set his sights on TV with ABC’s medieval musical comedy Galavant (which concludes Sunday at 8 p.m. on ABC). EW asked the legend to recount the stories behind some of his most iconic songs.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2015/01/22/alan- ... ney-songs/

Interesting article. I never knew the story behind "Out There" from "Hunchback". I love such fun facts!

[Disney's Divinity]

Interesting to know gospel was Musker & Clements' choice for Hercules. I wonder what the soundtrack might've come out like with Menken left to his own devices there, but I'm not sure I'd trade. I thought the Pocahontas blurb was funny--"God knows we tried." But I do think they managed to put a little humor in "Mine Mine Mine."

[DisneyFan09]

Interesting to know gospel was Musker & Clements' choice for Hercules. I wonder what the soundtrack might've come out like with Menken left to his own devices there, but I'm not sure I'd trade.

The Three Commentears revealed that Menken wanted to go a more classical route with the songs, so I wonder how it should have been. But considering the comedic tone of the film, perhaps the songs would've been with a dash of comedy? I thought the gospel style was kind of odd in a Greek setting, but the songs are still passable.

I thought the Pocahontas blurb was funny--"God knows we tried." But I do think they managed to put a little humor in "Mine Mine Mine."

Yeah, "Mine Mine Mine" is the closest to a show stopping number in the movie, but is a funny song. I think they've should've put more humor in the songs, but still the movie doesn't get enough credit for it's humor. I thought it was remarkable that "Pocahontas" lacked the big show stopping number that was prominent in the early Renaissance films when I was it initially. The intention for it was "In the Middle of the River", but not every Disney film needs a showstopping number.

[taei]

Maybe that's the reason why Out There always stood out from the rest of the soundtrack... I always felt like it was the only song in the soundtrack that didn't fit with any of the other songs... Didn't stop me from loving it! And that Ending... Ah! Pure perfection!

[disneyprincess11]

Ron Clements and Josh Musker has announced at the Annies that Alan Menken is doing the songs for Moana!!!!!!

[Disney's Divinity]

Ron Clements and Josh Musker has announced at the Annies that Alan Menken is doing the songs for Moana!!!!!!

YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSS!~

[Atlantica]

YES !!

YES YES YES YES !!

This is wonderful and brilliant news !

[Maria_Potter]

Is this for real? Could someone provide a source? I saw it earlier on tumblr but I looked it up on Google and couldn't find anything...

(I will be super-excited if it's true by the way, I just don't want to be disappointed)

[disneyprincess11]

Is this for real? Could someone provide a source? I saw it earlier on tumblr but I looked it up on Google and couldn't find anything...

(I will be super-excited if it's true by the way, I just don't want to be disappointed)

I'm trying to find a way to watch the ANNIE AWARDS, so I can know that if it's true or not. Weird that this news hasn't spread like mountain fire though

[Prince Edward]

"Out There" is a perfect "I want" song. And I love how the song starts in a rather dark place, but ends up in a much lighter place. And it sums up the lovely character of Quasimodo in a brilliant way.

Also, Menken doing the Moana soundtrack is great news!!! I love the fact that Disney seems to be using him again (Tangled, live action Beauty and the Beast, and now Moana). It seems to me that they grow tired of him after Hercules and wanted to do anything other than animated musicals. The people at Disney that have wanted to avoid using him since Hercules (Menken being replaced on The Princess and the Frog, and the directors of Tangled not giving Menken the creative freedom he wanted) have seen the sucess of soundtracks/movies such as Enchanted and Tangled, and that the animated Disney movie musical that Menken established in the 80s/90s is as popular as ever (Tangled and Frozen proves that).

[Lady Cluck]

Where did you even hear about this if you didn't watch the Annie Awards? Sorry but I don't trust the source...

[disneyprincess11]

Where did you even hear about this if you didn't watch the Annie Awards? Sorry but I don't trust the source...

Someone from Tumblr, who saw it, said that they announced it.

[Sotiris]

Someone from Tumblr, who saw it, said that they announced it.

You really shouldn't present rumors or info you hear from unreliable third parties online as fact. You should have said so from the beginning that it was only something you heard from Tumblr. In any case, it turns out that, surprise, surprise, Menken is not actually working on Moana and this was just another false rumor.

[disneyprincess11]

You really shouldn't present rumors or info you hear from unreliable third parties online as fact. You should have said so from the beginning that it was only something you heard from Tumblr. In any case, it turns out that, surprise, surprise, Menken is not actually working on Moana and this was just another false rumor.

I thought because someone saw the awards, it means that she was right. Well, I talked to her and it turns out that she has never heard of Menken or the Clements/Musker. Here was the conversation:

Me: ​Wait, Alan Menken is doing the songs for Moana?! Did they announced this at the Annies?!
Poster: Oh, I couldn't tell. I heard "Music" and "Aladdin & Princess the Frog"
Me: Did they say Alan Menken
P: Couldn't tell. Don't know who he is.
Me: Did the directors mention Alan Menken?
P: Don't know who they are
Me: They presented the Voice Acting awards (When I saw it, it was at this part)
P: Oh, that's who they were!


Forgotten where this conversation ended. So, clearly she was wrong. I feel really terrible about this

[Disney's Divinity]

Don't feel bad. You were probably overexcited by the possibility and wanted to share.

[Miss Manday]

So, a friend of my sister's, who formerly worked in WDW Entertainment and now works doing an internship at Disney Broadcasting, has hinted that something is going to be happening for Rapunzel next month. She won't say what, but has said it's not a stage show at the parks, stating it's 'bigger than that'. My first thought was the cruise ship show, but the secrecy leads me to believe it isn't that. She said whatever it is, it will be announced next month. Since Disney isn't interested in doing a sequel for Tangled... the only other thing I can think of is broadway. Any rumblings on this/Menken working on something bigger? Seems strange to do broadway when they're about to open the cruise ship show... but I just can't think of anything else.