DVDizzy Forum

Disney's Divinity wrote:Personally, I loved all of "Evermore," "Days in the Sun," and "Speechless." I even liked Celine's "How Does a Moment Last Forever" and the "One Jump Ahead (Reprise 2)." Those additions are really the only thing I get out of the re-makes' existence. I imagine the need for new songs is more a requirement on Disney's part than Menken's, which is why they added songs to TLK 2019 as well. (And IMO "Evermore" is better than "If I Can't Love Her" by miles; although I came to like the latter a little more after I heard Josh Groban's cover. "Days in the Sun" isn't as good as "Human Again," but it's still a great song in its own right for me.) I don't really care for "I See the Light"--would've much rather had a big ballad there--but it deserved to win considering what it was up against that year.

I prefer "Days in the sun" by far to "Human again" and I love all of the songs you mentioned but I don't think they were oscar worthy.

Stars in the House Welcomes Lea Salonga, Alan Menken, Jodi Benson, Paige O'Hara
https://www.playbill.com/article/stars- ... january-26

Menken is working on a new stage musical.

Shoshana Bean, Bonnie Milligan, Terrance Mann, Nancy Opel Lead Reading of Greetings from Niagara Falls from the Creative Team of Newsies
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/S ... S-20190122

I'd like for Shoshana Bean to be involved in something with Menken. She has a great voice.

Watching Little Shop of Horrors again and it's interesting to note that the ending of Part of Your World is similar to the ending of Somewhere That’s Green and Seymour's part in Skid Row is similar to Proud of Your Boy. I knew that Menken has a tendency to repeat himself in recent years, like Galavant's theme song is similar to To the Fair from the score of Beauty and the Beast, but apparently he did it in the past as well. I guess all composers have their own signature when it comes to their music.

I think part of the thing with POYW and "Somewhere That's Green" is that when Disney hires a composer / team, they're looking for them to re-create what they've done in the past that's been successful for Disney. That's why I think the Lopezes also sort of re-created the "Defying Gravity" moment with "Let It Go" (that loud and proud "Here I am, world!" type of song).

farerb wrote:Watching Little Shop of Horrors again and it's interesting to note that the ending of Part of Your World is similar to the ending of Somewhere That’s Green and Seymour's part in Skid Row is similar to Proud of Your Boy. I knew that Menken has a tendency to repeat himself in recent years, like Galavant's theme song is similar to To the Fair from the score of Beauty and the Beast, but apparently he did it in the past as well. I guess all composers have their own signature when it comes to their music.

You're right; the ending of "Part of Your World" is quite similar to the ending of "Somewhere That's Green". Actually, the entire song has always reminded me a bit of "Part of Your World", but I agree with Disney's Divinity that it's probably partly because Disney wanted something similar to what they had done in Little Shop of Horrors. "Skid Road" has also always reminded me of "Belle" from Beauty and the Beast. Not the music, but the idea for the song (in both the characters are not happy where they live) and the fact that both are sung by an ensemble cast. I think Ashman and Menken probably reused that idea for Beauty and the Beast.

Personally, I don't see a big resemblance between that part of "Skid Row" and "Proud of Your Boy", though. But yes, it's quite common not only for composers but artists in general to repeat themselves in their work.

As for Galavant's theme song, yes, that's the most obvious case of Alan repeating himself. I think it's even more noticeable when compared to the beginning of "No Matter What" and "If I Can't Love Her" from the Broadway musical because the music is also sung in them. But at least, the tone of the Galavant song is very different and that melody is used as the main chorus this time.

^ Not to mention LSoH's female narrators being similar to The Muses from Hercules. The sisters' song in TLM Broadway show ("She's in Love") also reminds me of them.

Disney's Divinity wrote:Not to mention LSoH's female narrators being similar to The Muses from Hercules. The sisters' song in TLM Broadway show ("She's in Love") also reminds me of them.

You're right! That's another thing they borrowed from Little Shop of Horrors. If I'm not mistaken, Alan Menken himself has admitted it in interviews. I think it was a great idea to use that for Hercules. The Muses add a lot to the movie, in my opinion.

Alan Menken will be the featured guest on an upcoming podcast episode of Score: The Podcast!

https://twitter.com/ScoreThePodcast/sta ... 9937847297

Apple http://apple.co/2Zl02W8
Spotify http://spoti.fi/2Fb8DDv
YouTube http://bit.ly/3o9srfA

Jeremy Jordan will lead the Off Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors when it returns this fall
https://ew.com/theater/jeremy-jordan-li ... -broadway/

Speaking of the desire for another male-lead musical from WDAS, he’d be my pick for the lead. What a voice!

^ YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So much yes. <3 Jeremy's voice!

rb_canadian181 wrote:Alan Menken will be the featured guest on an upcoming podcast episode of Score: The Podcast!

https://twitter.com/ScoreThePodcast/sta ... 9937847297

Apple http://apple.co/2Zl02W8
Spotify http://spoti.fi/2Fb8DDv
YouTube http://bit.ly/3o9srfA

Thanks for the heads up!

Disney's Divinity wrote:Speaking of the desire for another male-lead musical from WDAS, he’d be my pick for the lead. What a voice!

Yes, he would be a good choice.

Celebrate Angela Lansbury's Birthday With This Original Song by Alan Menken and Tim Rice
https://www.playbill.com/article/celebr ... d-tim-rice

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANGELA LANSBURY!!

D82 wrote:Celebrate Angela Lansbury's Birthday With This Original Song by Alan Menken and Tim Rice
https://www.playbill.com/article/celebr ... d-tim-rice

Thank you for sharing this! I didn't realize it was Angela Lansbury's Birthday and may God give her many more. This may sound silly of me but I'm constantly afraid that we will lose her and I hope she lives to be as old as Olivia de Havilland was if not even older so we can keep her for as long as possible!!

I'm shocked though at how old Alan Menken looked in that video!! Not in a bad way but still weird when I remember him mostly from his 90s days. IMO public figures should not be allowed to age because their viewers prefer them that way.

Happy birthday to Angela Lansbury, a class act!

Can anyone post a direct link to the video in the article? If not, I'll try to watch it at a later time when I'm somewhere with high-speed Internet.

This jukebox musical includes the song "That's How You Know" from Enchanted.

‘Stephen Schwartz’s Snapshots: A Musical Scrapbook’ to Stream on BroadwayHD
https://variety.com/2021/legit/news/ste ... 235129612/

VIDEO: Randy Rainbow Teams Up with Alan Menken for 'Pink Glasses'
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/V ... s-20220529

Hollywood in Vienna 2022 - A Celebration Of Disney Classics - Featuring Alan Menken
https://youtu.be/2UmwgZ9pH9A