Enchanted (cut title song) | Demo | Alan Menken Disney Ashman Demos: An Ashman & Menken Archive 2026-09-22 | Enchanted (cut title song) | Demo | Alan Menken
Arabian Nights: Reprise 3 | Cut Scene Storyboard | Aladdin Disney Ashman Demos 2024-03-17 | Here are the storyboards for the third reprise of Arabian Nights, a cut sequence in the 1992 film Disney animated film Aladdin. This story reel can be dated to early 1991. (Unfortunately, no other materials are available at this time.)This storyboard reel features the demo recorded for the song by lyricist Howard Ashman. (The demo as heard on the release The Music Behind the Magic has been synced up to the footage for this upload.)This reprise, as well as three other reprises for the song Arabian Nights, were originally written for Aladdin's 1988 treatment by Howard and composer Alan Menken. Only the final reprise would survive during the film's lengthy production to be recorded for the film, though it would also be cut and repurposed for the sequel Aladdin and the King of Thieves.
Steamboat Willie | 1928 Disney Cartoons Short | Walt Disney Studio Disney Ashman Demos 2024-01-01 | "It all started with mouse."
Wonderful Ways to Say No (Reprise) | Demo | Howard Ashman & Alan Menken Disney Ashman Demos 2023-12-08 | Here is lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken's demo to the end credits reprise to "Wonderful Ways to Say No," written for the multi-network drug-abuse prevention animated special Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.On Alan Menken's official website, Alan says of the project "Back in the late 60's I would not have been the poster boy for this cause, but when we were asked to write ‘Wonderful Ways to Say No’ how could we say ‘no’?”The special chronicles the exploits of Michael, a teenager who is using marijuana and stealing his father's beer. His younger sister, Corey, is worried about him because he started acting differently. When her piggy bank goes missing, her cartoon tie-in toys come to life to help her find it. After discovering it in Michael's room along with his stash of drugs, the various cartoon characters proceed to work together and take him on a fantasy journey to teach him the risks and consequences a life of drug use can bring.TAGS: #howardashman #alanmenken #animation #tv #saturdaymorningcartoons #muppets #looneytunes #muppetbabies
Wonderful Ways to Say No | Demo | Howard Ashman & Alan Menken Disney Ashman Demos 2023-12-08 | Here is lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken's demo to "Wonderful Ways to Say No," written for the multi-network drug-abuse prevention animated special Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.On Alan Menken's official website, Alan says of the song "Back in the late 60's I would not have been the poster boy for this cause, but when we were asked to write ‘Wonderful Ways to Say No’ how could we say ‘no’?”The special chronicles the exploits of Michael, a teenager who is using marijuana and stealing his father's beer. His younger sister, Corey, is worried about him because he started acting differently. When her piggy bank goes missing, her cartoon tie-in toys come to life to help her find it. After discovering it in Michael's room along with his stash of drugs, the various cartoon characters proceed to work together and take him on a fantasy journey to teach him the risks and consequences a life of drug use can bring.TAGS: #howardashman #alanmenken #animation #tv #saturdaymorningcartoons #muppets #looneytunes #muppetbabies
Beauty and the Beast - Angela Lansbury with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - 2001 Disney Ashman Demos 2022-10-11 | "Into the cupboard with you, Chip. It's past your bedtime. G'night, love."Original description: Angela Lansbury joins The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in a stunning performance of the title song "Beauty and the Beast," from the beloved 1991 Disney movie "Beauty and the Beast," in which she played the character of Mrs. Potts. Angela Lansbury joined the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for their 2001 Christmas program, The Joy of Christmas."Beauty and the Beast" is based on the French fairy tale by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, “La Belle et la Bête” (1740). The Disney classic came out in 1991 and is well-loved for it's music and story. The lyrics to the song "Beauty and the Beast" are by Howard Ashman, the music is by Alan Menken, and the arrangement is by Lex de Azevedo.TAGS: #AngelaLansbury #beautyandthebeast #howardashman #alanmenken #disney
Poor Unfortunate Souls - Pat Carroll - Extended Sequence - The Little Mermaid Disney Ashman Demos 2022-07-31 | In memory of Pat Carroll, here the extended version of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" from The Little Mermaid. The song features lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken.The first Disney production for Alan, and the second for Howard, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" was the duo's second attempt at a villain song for the character of Ursula. The first, "Silence is Golden," was scrapped soon after it was written.TAGS: #PatCarroll #TheLittleMermaid #JodiBenson #Disney #HowardAshman #AlanMenken
Call Me a Princess | Full Scene | Courtney Reed | Aladdin | Toronto | 2003 Disney Ashman Demos 2021-05-21 | Here is the full scene to "Call Me a Princess," along with it's reprise, from the Toronto production of Aladdin, as performed by Courtney Reed on November 3, 2013. The lyrics to the song proper are by Howard Ashman and Chad Beguelin, while the lyrics to the reprise are by Beguelin. The music to both are by Alan Menken"Call Me a Princess" was originally written by Howard and Alan for Howard's original 1988 treatment to Aladdin. Though early outlines feature the character of Princess Jasmine as Aladdin's love interest, by the final draft of the treatment, dated January 12, 1988, Jasmine had become a "purely comic creation," described as "the ultimate in pampered spoiled-brattiness. Think Madeline Kahn or Bernadette Peters in a really bad mood," with the role of Aladdin's love-interest getting filled by Abbi, the tomboy in Aladdin's friend group. ("She's Judy Garland to his Mickey Rooney.") A reflection of this, "Call Me a Princess" was to be sung by Jasmine when she overhears her hand-maidens "gossiping about what a creep she is," as she "pampers herself to the musical disgust of her servants."After the story was passed off from Howard to Erik Tarloff, the song, along with the comedic take on Jasmine, was cut from Tarloff's screenplay draft, as he combined Jasmine and Abbi, showing Jasmine and Aladdin as a couple from the beginning. As the characters and story would evolve, it appears that the spoiled personality and song would never reemerge by the film's final release.Sometime in the 2000s, Steve Fickinger, then head of creative development at Disney Theatrical, would begin work on developing a stage musical adaptation of Aladdin. After at least one attempt was discarded, Fickinger would turn to musical book writer and lyricist Chad Beguelin -- who had previously worked on the book for "Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular" for Disney California Adventure -- to supply a usable adaptation. After a year of work, the two presented it to Alan, who refused to read it, saying "the only reason I can see to do Aladdin on stage would be to get Howard's material back in it." (Steve Fickinger, "5th Ave. Spotlight Night: Aladdin")Chad Beguelin soon began work on combining the final film's story, score, and characters with elements of Howard's original treatment, including "Call Me a Princess," which was reenvisioned as a moment when Princess Jasmine scares away a trio of suitors by taking on a fake, spoiled personality.Though included in the pre-Broadway productions in Seatle and Toronto, with the latter production including a new section written by Beguelin, the song would get replaced by the Menken & Beguelin song "These Palace Walls" partway through the Toronto run, with Alan later noting that he had "shoe-horned [Call Me a Princess] in," and that "it wasn't exactly serving the interest of us liking her." ("Behind the Music: Alan Menken & Chad Beguelin.")
Call Me a Princess (Reprise) | Courtney Reed | Aladdin | Toronto | 2003 Disney Ashman Demos 2021-05-21 | Here is the reprise of "Call Me a Princess" from the Toronto production of Aladdin, as performed by Courtney Reed on November 3, 2013. The lyrics are by Chad Beguelin and the music is by Alan Menken.With lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, the song "Call Me a Princess" was originally written for Howard's original 1988 treatment to Aladdin. Though early outlines feature the character of Princess Jasmine as Aladdin's love interest, by the final draft of the treatment, dated January 12, 1988, Jasmine had become a "purely comic creation," described as "the ultimate in pampered spoiled-brattiness. Think Madeline Kahn or Bernadette Peters in a really bad mood," with the role of Aladdin's love-interest getting filled by Abbi, the tomboy in Aladdin's friend group. ("She's Judy Garland to his Mickey Rooney.") A reflection of this, "Call Me a Princess" was to be sung by Jasmine when she overhears her hand-maidens "gossiping about what a creep she is," as she "pampers herself to the musical disgust of her servants."After the story was passed off from Howard to Erik Tarloff, the song, along with the comedic take on Jasmine, was cut from Tarloff's screenplay draft, as he combined Jasmine and Abbi, showing Jasmine and Aladdin as a couple from the beginning. As the characters and story would evolve, it appears that the spoiled personality and song would never reemerge by the film's final release.Sometime in the 2000s, Steve Fickinger, then head of creative development at Disney Theatrical, would begin work on developing a stage musical adaptation of Aladdin. After at least one attempt was discarded, Fickinger would turn to musical book writer and lyricist Chad Beguelin -- who had previously worked on the book for "Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular" for Disney California Adventure -- to supply a usable adaptation. After a year of work, the two presented it to Alan, who refused to read it, saying "the only reason I can see to do Aladdin on stage would be to get Howard's material back in it." (Steve Fickinger, "5th Ave. Spotlight Night: Aladdin")Chad Beguelin soon began work on combining the final film's story, score, and characters with elements of Howard's original treatment, including "Call Me a Princess," which was reenvisioned as a moment when Princess Jasmine scares away a trio of suitors by taking on a fake, spoiled personality.Though included in the pre-Broadway productions in Seatle and Toronto, with the latter production including a new section written by Beguelin, the song would get replaced by the Menken & Beguelin song "These Palace Walls" partway through the Toronto run, with Alan later noting that he had "shoe-horned [Call Me a Princess] in," and that "it wasn't exactly serving the interest of us liking her." ("Behind the Music: Alan Menken & Chad Beguelin.")
Call Me a Princess | Courtney Reed | Aladdin | Toronto | 2003 Disney Ashman Demos 2021-05-21 | Here is the song "Call Me a Princess" from the Toronto production of Aladdin, as performed by Courtney Reed on November 3, 2013.With lyrics by Howard Ashman, additional lyrics by Chad Beguelin, and music by Alan Menken, "Call Me a Princess" was originally written by Howard and Alan for Howard's original 1988 treatment to Aladdin. Though early outlines feature the character of Princess Jasmine as Aladdin's love interest, by the final draft of the treatment, dated January 12, 1988, Jasmine had become a "purely comic creation," described as "the ultimate in pampered spoiled-brattiness. Think Madeline Kahn or Bernadette Peters in a really bad mood," with the role of Aladdin's love-interest getting filled by Abbi, the tomboy in Aladdin's friend group. ("She's Judy Garland to his Mickey Rooney.") A reflection of this, "Call Me a Princess" was to be sung by Jasmine when she overhears her hand-maidens "gossiping about what a creep she is," as she "pampers herself to the musical disgust of her servants."After the story was passed off from Howard to Erik Tarloff, the song, along with the comedic take on Jasmine, was cut from Tarloff's screenplay draft, as he combined Jasmine and Abbi, showing Jasmine and Aladdin as a couple from the beginning. As the characters and story would evolve, it appears that the spoiled personality and song would never reemerge by the film's final release.Sometime in the 2000s, Steve Fickinger, then head of creative development at Disney Theatrical, would begin work on developing a stage musical adaptation of Aladdin. After at least one attempt was discarded, Fickinger would turn to musical book writer and lyricist Chad Beguelin -- who had previously worked on the book for "Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular" for Disney California Adventure -- to supply a usable adaptation. After a year of work, the two presented it to Alan, who refused to read it, saying "the only reason I can see to do Aladdin on stage would be to get Howard's material back in it." (Steve Fickinger, "5th Ave. Spotlight Night: Aladdin")Chad Beguelin soon began work on combining the final film's story, score, and characters with elements of Howard's original treatment, including "Call Me a Princess," which was reenvisioned as a moment when Princess Jasmine scares away a trio of suitors by taking on a fake, spoiled personality.Though included in the pre-Broadway productions in Seatle and Toronto, with the latter production including a new section written by Beguelin, the song would get replaced by the Menken & Beguelin song "These Palace Walls" partway through the Toronto run, with Alan later noting that he had "shoe-horned [Call Me a Princess] in," and that "it wasn't exactly serving the interest of us liking her." ("Behind the Music: Alan Menken & Chad Beguelin.")
This is Halloween | Demo | Danny Elfman | Nightmare Before Christmas Disney Ashman Demos 2020-10-31 | Here's the demo to "Jack's Lament" from The Nightmare Before Christmas as sung by composer and lyricist Danny Elfman. The final animation has been synced to match the recording.The sixth collaboration between Elfman and the film's producer Tim Burton, Elfman has since described the project as "one of the easiest jobs I've ever had." Working without a screenplay, according to Elfman, “Tim would show me sketches and drawings, and he would tell me the story, describe it in bits of phrases and words. And I would say, ‘Yeah, I got it.’ Three days later, I had a song.” ("Danny Elfman can relate to ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ hero Jack Skellington." LA Times.)The ease may have been due to his own life at the time, with his relationship with Oingo Boingo, the band he had been the frontman of for nearly twenty years, nearing it's end, telling the LA Times in 2015, “It was exactly the time of my life where I was saying to the band that this might be my last year. They didn’t believe me, but I felt like Jack from where I was in life… I was writing from my own feelings of being the king of my own world and from which I wanted out.”TAGS: #DannyElfman #TimBurton #NightmareBeforeChristmas #HenrySelick #Disney #halloween #ThisIsHalloween
Jacks Lament | Demo | Danny Elfman | The Nightmare Before Christmas Disney Ashman Demos 2020-10-31 | Here's the demo to "Jack's Lament" from The Nightmare Before Christmas as sung by composer and lyricist Danny Elfman. The final animation has been synced to match the recording.The sixth collaboration between Elfman and the film's producer Tim Burton, Elfman has since described the project as "one of the easiest jobs I've ever had." Working without a screenplay, according to Elfman, “Tim would show me sketches and drawings, and he would tell me the story, describe it in bits of phrases and words. And I would say, ‘Yeah, I got it.’ Three days later, I had a song.” ("Danny Elfman can relate to ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ hero Jack Skellington." LA Times.)The ease may have been due to his own life at the time, with his relationship with Oingo Boingo, the band he had been the frontman of for nearly twenty years, nearing it's end, telling the LA Times in 2015, “It was exactly the time of my life where I was saying to the band that this might be my last year. They didn’t believe me, but I felt like Jack from where I was in life… I was writing from my own feelings of being the king of my own world and from which I wanted out.”Elfman would go on to provide the singing voice of Jack Skellington in the film, though according to director Henry Selick, "When Danny tried to do the speaking voice of Jack as well as the singing voice, it just wasn’t up to the level of his singing, so we got Chris Sarandon to do Jack’s speaking voice. Tim and Danny have mended fences over the years, but it really upset Danny when I had to replace his speaking voice, and I had to go to Tim to do it." ("Henry Selick on Directing ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’." The Daily Beast.)TAGS: #DannyElfman #TimBurton #NightmareBeforeChristmas #HenrySelick #Disney #halloween #JacksLament
Howard | 2020 | Disney+ Trailer Disney Ashman Demos 2020-07-16 | Caption from Disney UK:Howard streaming on Disney+ August 7.Directed by Don Hahn (“Beauty and the Beast”), “Howard” is the untold story of Howard Ashman, the brilliant lyricist behind Disney classics like “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid” and creator of musicals including “Little Shop of Horrors.” Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, personal films and photographs, as well as interviews with Howard’s friends and family, the film is an intimate look at the Disney Legend’s life, his creative drive, and the process behind the music. Spanning his childhood in Baltimore, to his formative years in New York, and his untimely death from AIDS, “Howard” goes in-depth to explore his journey to become the lyricist behind some of the most beloved and well-known classic family films in the world.“You may not know his name, but you sure know Howard Ashman’s music,” said Director, Writer and Producer Don Hahn. “He’s one of the greatest storytellers of the twentieth century who helped to revitalize the American musical and re-energize Disney Animation. He left us a songbook that still lives on in us today, yet his personal story has never been fully told until now.” The film features interviews with Ashman’s longtime musical collaborator Alan Menken, who also scored the film, Bill Lauch (Ashman’s Partner), Jodie Benson (“The Little Mermaid”), Paige O’Hara (“Beauty and the Beast”), Sarah Gillespie (Ashman’s Sister), and more.TAGS: #HowardAshman #HowardDoc #DisneyPlus #LittleShopOfHorrors #BeautyAndTheBeast #Smile #TheLittleMermaid #Aladdin #LSOH #AlanMenken
Colors of the Wind | Anna Rose & Alan Menken | 2020 IGTV Performance Disney Ashman Demos 2020-04-28 | Here's a performance of "Colors of the Wind" from the film Pocahontas, performed by singer-songwriter Anna Rose and the composer, and her father, Alan Menekn. Pocahontas was the fourth collaboration between Disney and Menken, and Menken's first collaboration with Stephen Schwartz.Anna released on April 28, 2020 on her Instagram, writing, "Grateful for this time with my dad and to revisit these beautiful songs that I truthfully couldn’t appreciate growing up. Little known fact: I sang the original demos for a lot of his projects, but I couldn’t really connect to them, as I was so hungry to find my own artistic voice. We’ve been performing a lot together lately & these moments are so special to me now. I wanted to share this one with you all, as it always rings true for me."To view the original post here: instagram.com/p/B_gwTKPHWKCFollowing his work on the film The Rescuers Down Under, director Mike Gabriel was eager to collaborate with veteran Disney story artist Joe Grant (who's work with the company began on the 1933 short Mickey's Gala Premier) and began brainstorming ideas for a project based on a famous Western legend over Thanksgiving weekend in 1990. After considering legends such as Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill, and Pecos Bill, Gabriel landed on the story of Pocahontas.Using an image of Tiger Lily from the film Peter Pan, Gabriel pitched the idea at a Disney "gong show meeting" as the story of a Native American princess "who is torn between her father's wishes to destroy the English settlers and her wishes to help them — a girl caught between her father and her people, and her love for the enemy." Peter Schneider, president of Walt Disney Feature Animation at the time, was particularly interested in the project after noticing similarities between Gabriel's pitch and an animated adaptation of Romeo and Juliet he was working on. Schneider later recalled "We were particularly interested in exploring the theme of 'If we don't learn to live with one another, we will destroy ourselves." The pitch was quickly accepted, the fastest story turnaround in Disney history. After the unexpected success of Beauty and the Beast -- the first, and so far only, animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture -- studio chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg pushed for the film to be more mature and serious in tone.Intended to be the fourth Ashman & Menken project at Disney, to follow their work on Aladdin, lyricist Howard Ashman died on March 14, 1991 before work could begin. Tim Rice, who had been brought on to finish Aladdin, was soon considered for the job of Pocahontas' lyricist. However, Menken (a New York native) found writing with Rice at his London home to be difficult. As Rice was frequently traveling for other commitments, and it became difficult for he and Menken to collaborate, Menken suggested New York based Stephen Schwartz for the project instead, and Schwartz signed on. (At the time, Schwartz was in the process of leaving the entertainment industry and taking courses on psychology at New York University.)TAGS: #AnnaRose #AlanMenken #ColorsOfTheWind #Pocahontas #StephenSchwartz
Act II | God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater | 7/28/2016 | Encores! Off-Center Disney Ashman Demos 2020-04-28 | Donate to The Actor's Fund: secure2.convio.net/afa/site/Donation2?idb=907912349&DONATION_LEVEL_ID_SELECTED=1&df_id=2857&2857.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T&idb=[[S76:idb]]Stay safe, be kind and understanding to cashiers and grocery staff, wash your hands, and (if you can) #StayTheFuckHome.#HowardAshman #AlanMenken #GodBlessYouMrRosewater #SkylarAstin #SantinoFontana #KurtVonnegut
Act I | God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater | 7/28/2016 | Encores! Off-Center Disney Ashman Demos 2020-04-28 | Donate to The Actor's Fund: secure2.convio.net/afa/site/Donation2?idb=907912349&DONATION_LEVEL_ID_SELECTED=1&df_id=2857&2857.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T&idb=[[S76:idb]]Stay safe, be kind and understanding to cashiers and grocery staff, wash your hands, and (if you can) #StayTheFuckHome.#HowardAshman #AlanMenken #GodBlessYouMrRosewater #SkylarAstin #SantinoFontana #KurtVonnegut
Howard Ashman on The Little Mermaid | 1989 Interview | Matt & Greg Used to Interview Movie Stars Disney Ashman Demos 2018-05-07 | Here is a brief clip from a recently unearthed interview with Howard Ashman, in which the lyricist mentions his thoughts on the then-upcoming feature film The Little Mermaid, as well as the collaboration of working in animation.Taking place on November 4, 1989, this roundtable interview was done as to promote The Little Mermaid, and would likely serve as Howard's only press-junket. He would pass away on March 14, 1991, before the release of his next project Beauty and the Beast.This interview would be uncovered by accident by Matt Levitz when he noticed Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's names on the cassette tapes for the Little Mermaid press-junket interviews. (Their names had been left off the index cards for filling.) He soon got in contact with producer and director Don Hahn, who was in the final stages of editing the documentary "Howard" and who had been desperately searching for this interview for three years.Levitz has since released the full interview with Ashman and Menken, as well as interviews with Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Roy Disney, and Buddy Hacket (among others), as a part of his podcast "Matt and Greg Used to Interview Movie Stars." Part one can be found here: soundcloud.com/mattandgregpodcast/episode-004-the-little-mermaid-part-1More info on "Matt and Greg Used to Interview Movie Stars" can be found on the show's website, http://mattandgregpodcast.comLevitz's Reddit post, detailing the story behind finding the interview, can be found here: reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/8gl7xe/roundtable_interviews_for_disneys_the_little
Mine, Mine, Mine | Final Film / Workprint Comparison | David Ogden Stiers & Mel Gibson | Pocahontas Disney Ashman Demos 2018-03-04 | Here's "Mine, Mine, Mine" as it appears on a workprint of Pocahontas, synced up to the final film animation. The film audio has been replaced with the soundtrack recording, performed by David Ogden Stiers and Mel Gibson. Pocahontas was the fourth collaboration between Disney and composer Alan Menken, and Menken's first collaboration with Stephen Schwartz.Following his work on the film The Rescuers Down Under, director Mike Gabriel was eager to collaborate with veteran Disney story artist Joe Grant (who's work with the company began on the 1933 short Mickey's Gala Premier) and began brainstorming ideas for a project based on a famous Western legend over Thanksgiving weekend in 1990. After considering legends such as Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill, and Pecos Bill, Gabriel landed on the story of Pocahontas.Using an image of Tiger Lily from the film Peter Pan, Gabriel pitched the idea at a Disney "gong show meeting" as the story of a Native American princess "who is torn between her father's wishes to destroy the English settlers and her wishes to help them — a girl caught between her father and her people, and her love for the enemy." Peter Schneider, president of Walt Disney Feature Animation at the time, was particularly interested in the project after noticing similarities between Gabriel's pitch and an animated adaptation of Romeo and Juliet he was working on. Schneider later recalled "We were particularly interested in exploring the theme of 'If we don't learn to live with one another, we will destroy ourselves." The pitch was quickly accepted, the fastest story turnaround in Disney history. After the unexpected success of Beauty and the Beast -- the first, and so far only, animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture -- studio chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg pushed for the film to be more mature and serious in tone.Intended to be the fourth Ashman & Menken project at Disney, to follow their work on Aladdin, lyricist Howard Ashman died on March 14, 1991 before work could begin. Tim Rice, who had been brought on to finish Aladdin, was soon considered for the job of Pocahontas' lyricist. However, Menken (a New York native) found writing with Rice at his London home to be difficult. As Rice was frequently traveling for other commitments, and it became difficult for he and Menken to collaborate, Menken suggested New York based Stephen Schwartz for the project instead, and Schwartz signed on. (At the time, Schwartz was in the process of leaving the entertainment industry and taking courses on psychology at New York University.)Originally cast as the film's antagonist Ratcliffe was Richard White, who had supplied the voice of Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. However, worried he would make the character sound too much like Gaston, White was replaced by his Beauty and the Beast co-star David Ogden Stiers.
Beauty and the Beast | Emma Thompson | Table-Read Performance Disney Ashman Demos 2017-05-26 | Here is a section of the impromptu performance of the title song to Beauty and the Beast, sung by Emma Thompson during the cast table-read for Disney's 2017 live-action remake. The song was written for the original 1991 animated film by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman.This clip comes from the Enchanted Table-Read featurette present on the film's upcoming Blu-Ray release.A way for the cast, director, and creatives, as well as financiers and executives, to get a feel for how the script reads and how the film is coming together, a table-read (also known as a read-through) is usually treated as a simple cold reading of the script, with no staging and with the cast reading their lines with no rehearsal or preparation. However, because of the musical nature of the project, as well as the inexperience of stars Emma Watson and Dan Stevens in the genre, the decision was made to hire an ensemble of dancers and singers to perform the large set pieces of the score, including "Be Our Guest," "Gaston," and the title song, to better illustrate what the creatives had in mind. (Rehearsal had already begun on the choreography of the numbers, with cast member Luke Evans taking part in "Gaston.") Though unusual, the technique has been used for film musical table-reads in the past, namely by Adam Shankman for the table-read for his 2007 film musical adaptation of Hairspray. (Coincidentally, the two films share the same music supervisor, Matthew Rush Sullivan.)Though a pair of dancers had been assigned to perform the Beast and Belle's waltz during the title song, Emma Watson surprised the rest of the cast and crew by standing up to perform Belle's part in the waltz herself. Similarly, though a professional singer had been hired to make sure the song's presentation went off without a hitch, Emma Thompson unexpectedly rose and walked over to the microphone to sing herself.The moment has been described as a career highlight by various members of the cast and crew, with producer Todd Lieberman stating in an interview with Variety that the resulting performance caused composer Alan Menken to break into tears.
How Does a Moment Last Forever | Celine Dion in Concert | Beauty and the Beast Disney Ashman Demos 2017-05-25 | Here is "How Does a Moment Last Forever," written for Disney's 2017 remake of Beauty and the Beast by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice, as sung by Celine Dion.This live performance, Dion's first live performance of the song, comes from the May 24, 2017 performance of her residency show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. The video was first shared on the official Beauty and the Beast Facebook page.Rice and Menken had previously worked together on the Broadway adaptation of the piece (due to death of original lyricist Howard Ashman). Dion had also worked on the piece, singing the end credits / single version of the title song of the original animated film, earning a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal with duet partner Peabo Bryson.When first approached by Walt Disney Studios' president of music and soundtracks, Mitchell Leib, to perform the track, Dion was reluctant to revisit the material after the death of her husband René Angélil, saying in the "Making a Moment" featurette on the film's Blu-Ray, "Emotionally, I was not ready for that. I did not want to. [...] It's very difficult for me to make decisions with the things I've done with him."To help convince her, Lieb took a cut of the film out to Las Vegas to show Dion. In an interview with Billboard, Lieb said that, after he showed the film to her, "We had this great philosophical conversation until 2:00 in the morning. Celine has such a tie to the original, she was working out in her head right then and there, as to if she should do it or leave well enough alone.”The singer states on Making a Moment, "I watched the movie, and it was amazing. I listened to the song, 'How Does a Moment Last Forever.' I lived with the song. I had to give an answer, and I'm very proud that I decided to go ahead."Dion agreed to record the song, working with producer Humberto Gatica, and singing to a pre-recorded music track, featuring a 100-piece orchestra cut when the rest of the score was recorded.
The Straw Boater Rag (Hundreds of Hats) | Demo | Howard Ashman & Jonathan Sheffer | Diamonds Disney Ashman Demos 2017-05-18 | Here is the demo to "The Straw Boater Rag (Hundreds of Hats)" from Hal Prince's musical revue Diamonds, written and performed by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Jonathan Sheffer.This demo track comes from the PS Classics release "Howard Sings Ashman." For more information about the release and to order your own copy, go to http://www.psclassics.com/cd_ashman.htmlRunning Off-Broadway at the Circle in the Square Downtown theater, Diamonds premiered on December 16, 1984 and closed on March 31, 1985, after 122 performances. A musical revue, a plethora of lyricists and composers contributed to the score, including but not limited to Larry Grossman, Comden and Green, Cy Coleman, Kander and Ebb, David Zippel, and Alan Menken.Howard Ashman and Jonathan Sheffer contributed one other song to the score, "Song For a Hunter College Graduate." As far as I know, no public recording of it exists. In the late eighties, the two would also begin work on the musical Fat Kid From Philly, based on the story of Albert Innaurato. However, after the two wrote at least one song ("A Day in the Life of a Fat Kid in Philly"), the project was later abandoned .********LYRICS********Start of the summer, a guy bought a boaterTo wear to all of the games so he’d beSmart and in fashion when flashin’ a smileAt the ladies in white. And at the last game of summer, last moments of play, He’d toss it up in the air, yes he’d throw it away.There’d be hundreds of hats,And I’ve never forgotten the sight. Hundreds of hats, thousands of hats’d come sailingDown on the green of the park, out of the bleachers above.There would be thousands of hats floating like birds.Lord, what a sight, I can’t put it in words, it meantSummer, excitement and baseball and magic and love.Lemonade, ices in August, paper fans, beads of sweat,Warm and wet on your brow. Park vendorsBarking, hawking, "Peanuts! Popcorn! Red hots!" I hear them even now. Out of my window, I watch the crowds gatherTo go to all of the games. The park getsPacked as can be, but I don’t seem to seeAny ladies in white. I know my last game of summer, last moment of playStands and waits at the corner not too far away, So I sit at my window, stare into the stadium lightAnd still see Hundreds of hats, thousands of hats, they come sailingDown on the green of the park, out of the bleachers above. I still see thousands of hats floating like birds.Lord, what a sight, I can’t put it in words, it meansSummer, excitement and baseball and magic and love.(simultaneously with below)Lemonade, ices in August, paper fans, beads of sweat,Warm and wet on your brow. Park vendorsBarking, hawking, "Peanuts! Popcorn! Red hots!" I hear them even now. (simultaneously with above)They come sailingDown on the green of the park, out of the bleachers above. I still see hundreds of hats floating like birds.Lord, what a sight, I can’t put it in words, it meansSummer, excitement and baseball and magic and love.Summer, excitement and baseball and magicAnd ladies and lemonade, August and icesAnd boys in their boaters And baseball and magic and love.
The Straw Boater Rag (Hundreds of Hats) | Partial Demo | Howard Ashman & Jonathan Sheffer | Diamonds Disney Ashman Demos 2017-05-18 | Here is an incomplete demo to "The Straw Boater Rag (Hundreds of Hats)" from Hal Prince's musical revue Diamonds, written and performed by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Jonathan Sheffer.This two-minute clip comes from the official Howard Ashman website run by his sister, Sarah Ashman Gillespie. For more information about Howard and his work, and to join the discussion on his legacy, go to http://howardashman.comRunning Off-Broadway at the Circle in the Square Downtown theater, Diamonds premiered on December 16, 1984 and closed on March 31, 1985, after 122 performances. A musical revue, a plethora of lyricists and composers contributed to the score, including but not limited to Larry Grossman, Comden and Green, Cy Coleman, Kander and Ebb, David Zippel, and Alan Menken.Howard Ashman and Jonathan Sheffer contributed one other song to the score, "Song For a Hunter College Graduate." As far as I know, no public recording of it exists. In the late eighties, the two would also begin work on the musical Fat Kid From Philly, based on the story of Albert Innaurato. However, after the two wrote at least one song ("A Day in the Life of a Fat Kid in Philly"), the project was later abandoned .********LYRICS********Start of the summer, a guy bought a boaterTo wear to all of the games so he’d beSmart and in fashion when flashin’ a smileAt the ladies in white. And at the last game of summer, last moments of play, He’d toss it up in the air, yes he’d throw it away.There’d be hundreds of hats,And I’ve never forgotten the sight. Hundreds of hats, thousands of hats’d come sailingDown on the green of the park, out of the bleachers above.There would be thousands of hats floating like birds.Lord, what a sight, I can’t put it in words, it meantSummer, excitement and baseball and magic and love.Lemonade, ices in August, paper fans, beads of sweat,Beads of sweat on your brow. I hear the voicesCalling, "peanuts, popcorn, red hots." I hear them even now.Out of my window I watch the crowds gatherTo go to all of the games. The park getsPacked as can be, but I don’t seem to seeAny ladies in white. I know my last game of summer, last moment of playStands and waits at the corner not too far away, So I sit at my window, stare into the stadium lightHundreds of hats...
The Honeymooners | Demo | Alan Menken | The Honeymooners Disney Ashman Demos 2017-04-24 | I'm currently working on a documentary on the development of Little Shop of Horrors! To see how you can help, check out the GoFundMe: http://bit.ly/LittleShopResearchHere is the demo of the title song to an unproduced musical adaptation of "The Honeymooners." The book to the musical was written by David Spencer, while the score was written solely by Alan Menken. The two would later go on to collaborate on the score to "Weird Romance" and "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz." (Spencer would later go on to rewrite the book to the latter.)Though work was started on it with the rights seemingly secured, the adaptation was abandoned once the rights to the property fell through.A 1987 demo tape of the show, presumably this one, as well as a January 2, 1988 draft of the libretto can be found in The Howard Ashman Archives at the Library of Congress. Both were likely given to Howard by Alan as either a gift or for review.
Baby, Youre The Greatest | Demo | Alan Menken | The Honeymooners Disney Ashman Demos 2017-04-24 | I'm currently working on a documentary on the development of Little Shop of Horrors! To see how you can help, check out the GoFundMe: http://bit.ly/LittleShopResearchHere is the demo of "Baby, You're The Greatest" from an unproduced musical adaptation of "The Honeymooners." The book to the musical was written by David Spencer, while the score was written solely by Alan Menken. The two would later go on to collaborate on the score to "Weird Romance" and "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz." (Spencer would later go on to rewrite the book to the latter.)Though work was started on it with the rights seemingly secured, the adaptation was abandoned once the rights to the property fell through.A 1987 demo tape of the show, presumably this one, as well as a January 2, 1988 draft of the libretto can be found in The Howard Ashman Archives at the Library of Congress. Both were likely given to Howard by Alan as either a gift or for review.
Thats All You Need to Know | Demo | Alan Menken | The Honeymooners Disney Ashman Demos 2017-04-24 | I'm currently working on a documentary on the development of Little Shop of Horrors! To see how you can help, check out the GoFundMe: http://bit.ly/LittleShopResearchHere is the demo of "That's All You Need to Know" from an unproduced musical adaptation of "The Honeymooners." The book to the musical was written by David Spencer, while the score was written solely by Alan Menken. The two would later go on to collaborate on the score to "Weird Romance" and "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz." (Spencer would later go on to rewrite the book to the latter.)Though work was started on it with the rights seemingly secured, the adaptation was abandoned once the rights to the property fell through.A 1987 demo tape of the show, presumably this one, as well as a January 2, 1988 draft of the libretto can be found in The Howard Ashman Archives at the Library of Congress. Both were likely given to Howard by Alan as either a gift or for review.
Alice | Demo | Alan Menken | The Honeymooners Disney Ashman Demos 2017-04-24 | I'm currently working on a documentary on the development of Little Shop of Horrors! To see how you can help, check out the GoFundMe: http://bit.ly/LittleShopResearchHere is the demo to "Alice" from an unproduced musical adaptation of "The Honeymooners." The book to the musical was written by David Spencer, while the score was written solely by Alan Menken. The two would later go on to collaborate on the score to "Weird Romance" and "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz." (Spencer would later go on to rewrite the book to the latter.)Though work was started on it with the rights seemingly secured, the adaptation was abandoned once the rights to the property fell through.A 1987 demo tape of the show, presumably this one, as well as a January 2, 1988 draft of the libretto can be found in The Howard Ashman Archives at the Library of Congress. Both were likely given to Howard by Alan as either a gift or for review.
Theres Always Been A Norton in the Sewer | Demo | Alan Menken | The Honeymooners Disney Ashman Demos 2017-04-24 | I'm currently working on a documentary on the development of Little Shop of Horrors! To see how you can help, check out the GoFundMe: http://bit.ly/LittleShopResearchHere is the demo to "There's Always Been A Norton in the Sewer" from an unproduced musical adaptation of "The Honeymooners." The book to the musical was written by David Spencer, while the score was written solely by Alan Menken. The two would later go on to collaborate on the score to "Weird Romance" and "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz." (Spencer would later go on to rewrite the book to the latter.)Though work was started on it with the rights seemingly secured, the adaptation was abandoned once the rights to the property fell through.A 1987 demo tape of the show, presumably this one, as well as a January 2, 1988 draft of the libretto can be found in The Howard Ashman Archives at the Library of Congress. Both were likely given to Howard by Alan as either a gift or for review.
To the Moon | Demo | Alan Menken | The Honeymooners Disney Ashman Demos 2017-04-24 | I'm currently working on a documentary on the development of Little Shop of Horrors! To see how you can help, check out the GoFundMe: http://bit.ly/LittleShopResearchHere is the demo to "To the Moon" from an unproduced musical adaptation of "The Honeymooners." The book to the musical was written by David Spencer, while the score was written solely by Alan Menken. The two would later go on to collaborate on the score to "Weird Romance" and "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz." (Spencer would later go on to rewrite the book to the latter.)Though work was started on it with the rights seemingly secured, the adaptation was abandoned once the rights to the property fell through.A 1987 demo tape of the show, presumably this one, as well as a January 2, 1988 draft of the libretto can be found in The Howard Ashman Archives at the Library of Congress. Both were likely given to Howard by Alan as either a gift or for review.
Were Gonna Make It Big | Demo | Alan Menken | The Honeymooners Disney Ashman Demos 2017-04-23 | I'm currently working on a documentary on the development of Little Shop of Horrors! To see how you can help, check out the GoFundMe: http://bit.ly/LittleShopResearchHere is the demo to "We're Gonna Make It Big" from an unproduced musical adaptation of "The Honeymooners." The book to the musical was written by David Spencer, while the score was written solely by Alan Menken. The two would later go on to collaborate on the score to "Weird Romance" and "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz." (Spencer would later go on to rewrite the book to the latter.)Though work was started on it with the rights seemingly secured, the adaptation was abandoned once the rights to the property fell through.A 1987 demo tape of the show, presumably this one, as well as a January 2, 1988 draft of the libretto can be found in The Howard Ashman Archives at the Library of Congress. Both were likely given to Howard by Alan as either a gift or for review.
Stand Out | Demo | Alan Menken | The Honeymooners Disney Ashman Demos 2017-04-23 | I'm currently working on a video series on the development of Little Shop of Horrors! To see how you can help, check out the GoFundMe: http://bit.ly/LittleShopResearchHere is the demo to "Stand Out" from an unproduced musical adaptation of "The Honeymooners." The book to the musical was written by David Spencer, while the score was written solely by Alan Menken. The two would later go on to collaborate on the score to "Weird Romance" and "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz." (Spencer would later go on to rewrite the book to the latter.)Though work was started on it with the rights seemingly secured, the adaptation was abandoned once the rights to the property fell through.A 1987 demo tape of the show, presumably this one, as well as a January 2, 1988 draft of the libretto can be found in The Howard Ashman Archives at the Library of Congress. Both were likely given to Howard by Alan as either a gift or for review.
Part of Your World | Howard Ashman Directs Jodi Benson | The Little Mermaid | Recording Session Disney Ashman Demos 2017-03-14 | Here is video footage of Jodi Benson's recording session for "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. The project was lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken's first collaboration with Disney, and Jodi and Howard's second collaboration. (The actress had previously been cast in Howard's short-lived Broadway musical, Smile.)This footage comes from the special features of the 2010 DVD release of the documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty, Though the on-screen credit gives the date for this recording as August 16, 1989, that's possibly a mistake, as the final film would be released three months later on November 17.Though totally done from scratch, this video was partially inspired by a similar video by RPGTancasis09. To view their video, click here: youtu.be/O7fHbF-xmBwAccording to Jodi in a 2011 interview with Howard's sister Sarah, no one expected much to come from the project, saying, "You get a paycheck to show up at work for seven days, you’ll disappear into oblivion, no one will ever know, there’ll be no publicity and you’ll get your residual check every seven years. I thought it was really cool that we weren’t going to be revealed. They were just going to run our names at the end of the credits. That was it."Fondly remembering Howard's directing style, she stated, "He directed me all the time in the booth. Now that’s unheard of. You never have anybody inside the booth with you because they make too much noise. But he stayed with me the whole time inside. I mean all of my lines, all of my vocals he was right on my left side. Whenever I’m crying and I’m doing my scene it’s because he’s looking at me, playing Triton. And then he’d get me to that point and he’d slip out and go behind the glass so that his motion wouldn’t be heard. So he’d get me to that pivotal point of the emotion and he’d slip out and he’d come back and we’d keep going.”Still singing the song in almost every concert she performs at, Jodi makes sure to remind her audiences of where her performance comes from. "I give Howard all the credit and I’m very plain about that. I’m very clear, you know, every nuance, everything you hear, everything you like about Ariel is because of one man. [...] If you like the giggle or you like this or you like that – that’s Howard. That’s his interpretation that he gave me to read and then translate. So I don’t take that performance of Ariel as mine. It’s not mine, I just got to embody it as an actress but it was handed to me, spoon-fed on a platter by my director.“I never get tired of singing Part Of Your World. I’m honored to sing it. I’m truly blessed. And I look back to that day with Howard Ashman standing at my left hand side in the studio whispering every line to me as I’m singing it. That’s where I go every time I hear the overture of that song starting so it’s a real wonderful memory that I get to relive every time I get to sing it with a symphony.“So for me, Howard is alive and well and in my heart and in my performance. I feel very thankful that I get that. I can hear him, I can hear that going on in my head. It’s wonderful. It’s really neat for me, I’m very thankful.”Talking With Jodi Benson – Part Two - HowardAshman.comhttp://howardashman.com/blog/talking-with-jodi-benson-part-two
Beauty and the Beast (2017) | Soundtrack Clips | B-Roll Footage Disney Ashman Demos 2017-03-03 | Here are various bits and pieces of the score for the upcoming live-action remake of "Beauty and the Beast." These bits and pieces come from b-roll footage released by Disney, to be used by press outlets for segments about the production. The score was composed by Alan Menken and features lyrics by the late Howard Ashman (taken from the original score) and Tim Rice.Included in the footage are performances by Emma Watson as Belle, Luke Evans as Gaston, Josh Gad as LeFou, Audra McDonald as Madame de Garderobe, Dan Stevens as the Prince, Stanley Tucci as Cadenza, and Ian McKellen recording a line for Cogsworth.To view the unedited b-roll footage, click here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRERT83TDlSQVLjsIFYjA6jETvyCIcY-oEdited to be in song and production order, this montage includes pieces of "Aria," (a new Menken and Rice piece sung by Audra McDonald as Madame de Garderobe, the world-renowned opera singer, and soon to be wardrobe, performing at a party thrown by the Prince during that fateful night), "Belle," "Belle (Reprise)," "Gaston," "Be Our Guest," "Days in the Sun" (a new Menken and Rice piece, to be sung by Belle and the objects), "Something There," and "The Mob Song."Newly restored lyrics written by Howard Ashman for "Gaston," as well as the song's original reprise, but cut from the original film can be heard. Though most can be heard on the demo recordings, released as a part of the collections "The Music Behind the Magic" and "Howard Sings Ashman," the lyric "...no one as easy to bolster as you!" is newly released to the public. According to Alan, "We had a treasure trove of lyrics that Howard had written that we did not put in the movie. In many cases they were a little bit risqué — not risqué sexually, but risqué in terms of sensibility. We all felt ready to have these lyrics. When Bill found out about those lyrics, he said, ‘Oh my god, can we please look at that, because it would be a wonderful way to add an extra freshness to the movie.’"Though the rest of the Ashman and Menken score is included in the film, due to story changes, the reprise to "Gaston" has likely been cut, as has the song "Human Again" (cut from the original film but restored in a 2002 re-release). A reprise of the title song has also been added to the film, possibly including other previously unreleased lyrics written by Howard. According to director Bill Condon, “It’s a surprise at the end. I don’t want to give that away, but it’s a really gorgeous lyric that we found.” "Beauty and the Beast remake to feature unused lyrics from original film" - Entertainment Weekly - Nov. 8, 2016: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/08/beauty-and-the-beast-gaston-lyrics-howard-ashmanThe film will also feature three newly written by Menken and lyricist Tim Rice, who had previously worked with the composer on the musical adaptation: "How Does a Moment Last Forever" ("basically it’s [about], ‘How does a moment live forever? How do you hang on to precious moments?’") , "Evermore" ("[The Beast is] basically singing about how he now knows what love is, as he watches her leave, and he’s climbing up the turret of the castle as she recedes into the distance, just watching her go further and further away") and "Days in the Sun" ("a moment when all of the objects in the castle —and Belle — are going to sleep. Basically, everybody in the castle is having memories of what it used to be when they had their days in the sun. It’s sort of a combination of a lullaby and a remembrance of happier days for everybody")."Beauty and the Beast: A guide to the Disney film's brand-new songs" - Entertainment Weekly - Nov. 7, 2016: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/07/beauty-and-beast-songs-alan-menken
Michael Eisner on a Beauty and the Beast Remake | 2002 | The Making of Beauty and the Beast Disney Ashman Demos 2017-02-07 | Here is Michael Eisner musing about a theoretical live-action remake of "Beauty and the Beast," during the end credits of the "Making Of Beauty and the Beast" special feature on the animated film's 2002 Platinum Edition DVD.Proposed by Eisner during his time at Disney, early talks for a live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast began, possibly as either a television film or as a full-blown theatrical release. The film would likely draw inspiration from both the original and material added to the musical adaptation. (It's possible that the release date was also intended to be in 2011, in order to celebrate the original film's 20th anniversary.) Despite Eisner's departure from the Walt Disney Company in 2006, the idea stayed with the studio.In a May 2009 interview with Adriana Marmiroli for “La Stampa" (an Italian newspaper), composer Alan Menken mentioned his upcoming projects at Disney, stating, "I am preparing the scores for the animated features, Rapunzel' and Snow Queen, and a live film musical adapted from Beauty and the Beast." ("Rapunzel," later re-titled Tangled, would be released in November 2010. "Snow Queen," a traditionally animated feature in production at the time, would later be shelved. When production resumed, Robert Lopez would be hired in place of Menken, and the resulting film, Frozen, would be released in November 2013. Menken's lyricist for both productions was Glenn Slater.)However, in a January 2011 interview with Simon Brew for the website Den of Geek, when asked, Menken noted that the live-action remake "was canned," seemingly putting an end to the idea.In August 2014, Disney announced a live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast was in development, though it was not yet stated at the time whether it would be a musical film or be more of a straight fantasy film, in line with the then-upcoming "Cinderella" remake. Bill Condon was soon announced as the film's director, and Menken was soon confirmed as being back on board with the project. Though Condon originally planned to include material from the Broadway musical, it was determined that new songs would have to be written instead, with lyricist Tim Rice (who worked with Menken on the musical adaptation) returning as well. The film is set to be released on March 17, 2017.
Beauty and the Beast (2017) | Golden Globes TV Spot | Animation Sync | Beauty and the Beast Disney Ashman Demos 2017-01-09 | Here is trailer for the upcoming remake of Beauty and the Beast, highlighting a portion of Emma Watson's recording of the reprise to "Belle." Written for the original animated film, the song features lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken.Animation from the original 1991 film has been synced to Emma's vocals.Premiering during the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards on January 8, 2017, the trailer also features what appear to be glimpses of "Something There," "Be Our Guest," "The Mob Song," and the title song, "Beauty and the Beast," as well as a possible glimpse at the newly penned "Forever More." About 3 seconds has been edited out of the trailer to better match the original film's animation. Click here to view the full, unedited trailer: youtu.be/S7ENUYTXlJgFeaturing songs from the original score by Ashman and Menken, the film will also feature three newly written songs by Menken and lyricist Tim Rice: "Our Song Lives On" ("basically it’s [about], ‘How does a moment live forever? How do you hang on to precious moments?’"), "Forever More" ("[The Beast is] basically singing about how he now knows what love is, as he watches her leave, and he’s climbing up the turret of the castle as she recedes into the distance, just watching her go further and further away") and "Days in the Sun" ("a moment when all of the objects in the castle —and Belle — are going to sleep. Basically, everybody in the castle is having memories of what it used to be when they had their days in the sun. It’s sort of a combination of a lullaby and a remembrance of happier days for everybody"). ("Beauty and the Beast: A guide to the Disney film's brand-new songs" - Entertainment Weekly - Nov. 7, 2016: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/07/beauty-and-beast-songs-alan-menken)Also, according to Menken, cut Howard Ashman lyrics to the song "Gaston" will be restored: "We had a treasure trove of lyrics that Howard had written that we did not put in the movie. In many cases they were a little bit risqué — not risqué sexually, but risqué in terms of sensibility. We all felt ready to have these lyrics. When Bill found out about those lyrics, he said, ‘Oh my god, can we please look at that, because it would be a wonderful way to add an extra freshness to the movie.’ So, yes, you’re going to hear some unheard Howard Ashman lyrics.”According to Condon, another unused Ashman lyric will be used. For what? “It’s a surprise at the end. I don’t want to give that away, but it’s a really gorgeous lyric that we found.” ("Beauty and the Beast remake to feature unused lyrics from original film" - Entertainment Weekly - Nov. 8, 2016: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/08/beauty-and-the-beast-gaston-lyrics-howard-ashman)
Be Our Guest | Original Version Reconstruction | Beauty and the Beast Disney Ashman Demos 2017-01-07 | Here is the original version of "Be Our Guest," as performed by Jerry Orbach and Angela Lansbury, from Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's second collaboration with Disney, and final, complete work together, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. The lyrics are by Howard, while the music is by Alan.This is a re-edited version of a previous upload. View the original upload here: youtu.be/zbXhBCmTOboThis reconstruction was edited by replacing every shot of Belle in the final film footage with the corresponding shot of Maurice from the unfinished animatic, featured on the film's recent home media releases.Originally, "Be Our Guest" was written as a song for the objects sing to Maurice when he first arrives at the castle. One day, after a viewing of the scene, Bruce Woodside asked, “Shouldn’t this be sung to Belle?” After a few dirty looks and various objects being thrown in his general direction, the lyrics were changed, the song was re-recorded, and the scene was re-animated.As Alan has mentioned in various places, most notably in the Disney featurette "Composing a Classic," when asked by Howard for a melody to write the lyrics to, Alan sat down at the piano and played Howard a silly, dumb throw-away melody, with an intent on composing real music for it after Howard finished the lyrics. After Howard did come back with the lyrics, Alan set at the piano for hours, banging his head against the wall and trying to compose actual music for it, before realizing, "You know, I think it's gonna have to be that silly, throw-away music."
Beauty and the Beast - Angela Lansbury - 2016 - 25th Anniversary Performance Disney Ashman Demos 2016-11-25 | Here is the unedited footage of Angela Lansbury's performance of the title song from "Beauty and the Beast" at the film's 25th anniversary screening at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall on September 18, 2016. (The film originally debuted, in unfinished form, at Alice Tully Hall in September 1991.)Accompanying Lansbury on the piano is composer Alan Menken. The film was his second collaboration with Disney, and would end up being his final (complete) collaboration with lyricist Howard Ashman.After originally getting sent Alan's demo (recorded to demonstrate the crossover potential of the song into pop music), Angela originally declined to sing it, fearing her voice wasn't strong enough and that she would be unable to do the song justice. It was only after being sent Howard's demo (recorded to demonstrate the character), and sitting down and talking it through with Howard that she agreed to record it.After arriving at the recording studio exhausted after being up almost the entire previous night traveling, according to Paige O'Hara (the voice of Belle) at a 2014 Animate Miami Q&A, when it finally came time to step behind the microphone, Angela "gets up there in front of the orchestra, the music starts, she sings the song in one take, and people were crying in the entire room. She was that good."
How Does a Moment Last Forever | Beauty and the Beast | 2016 | Alan Menken | Live Performance Disney Ashman Demos 2016-11-19 | Here is the first public performance of "How Does a Moment Last Forever," originally titled "Our Song Lives On," during the premiere of Alan Menken's one-man show, "A Whole New World of Alan Menken," which took place September 30, 2016 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, in Costa Mesa, CA.Special thanks to Andi for this recording!Due to the recent nature of this concert, only a select number of songs will be released at this time.With music by Menken, and lyrics by Tim Rice, this song was written for the upcoming 2017 live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, directed by Bill Condon and staring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, and Emma Thompson.In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Alan said of the song, "The first time it’s sung, it’s Belle’s father singing as he’s completing a music box, and basically it’s [about], ‘How does a moment live forever? How do you hang on to precious moments?’ Then, it’s reprised by Belle, and then it’s the song that’s actually over the end credits at the end of the movie. Disney hasn’t announced it yet, but there’s going to be some wonderful singer on the end credits song."On January 19, 2017, it was announced that Céline Dion would be recording the song for the end credits. The French Canadian singer previously sang the end credits and single version of the title song of the original animated film, earning a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal with duet partner Peabo Bryson.The film will also feature two more newly composed Menken and Rice songs, "Forever More" ("[The Beast is] basically singing about how he now knows what love is, as he watches her leave, and he’s climbing up the turret of the castle as she recedes into the distance, just watching her go further and further away") and "Days in the Sun" ("a moment when all of the objects in the castle —and Belle — are going to sleep. Basically, everybody in the castle is having memories of what it used to be when they had their days in the sun. It’s sort of a combination of a lullaby and a remembrance of happier days for everybody")."Beauty and the Beast: A guide to the Disney film's brand-new songs" - Entertainment Weekly - Nov. 7, 2016: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/07/beauty-and-beast-songs-alan-menkenAlso, according to Menken, cut Howard Ashman lyrics to the song "Gaston" will be restored. As he stated in a recent interview, "We had a treasure trove of lyrics that Howard had written that we did not put in the movie. In many cases they were a little bit risqué — not risqué sexually, but risqué in terms of sensibility. We all felt ready to have these lyrics. When Bill found out about those lyrics, he said, ‘Oh my god, can we please look at that, because it would be a wonderful way to add an extra freshness to the movie.’ So, yes, you’re going to hear some unheard Howard Ashman lyrics.”According to Condon, another unused Ashman lyric will be used. For what? “It’s a surprise at the end. I don’t want to give that away, but it’s a really gorgeous lyric that we found.” "Beauty and the Beast remake to feature unused lyrics from original film" - Entertainment Weekly - Nov. 8, 2016: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/08/beauty-and-the-beast-gaston-lyrics-howard-ashman*********LYRICS*********How does a moment last forever?How can a story never die?It is love we must hold ontoNever easy, but we trySometimes our happiness is capturedSomehow, our time and place stand stillLove lives on inside our hearts, and always willMinutes turn to hours, days to years and goneThus, when all else has been forgottenStill, our song lives onHow does a moment last forever?How does our happiness endure?Through the darkest of our troubles,Love is beauty, love is pureLove pays no mind to desolationIt flows like a river through the soulProtects, prevails, and perseveres And makes us wholeMinutes turn to hours, days to years and goneAh, when all else has been forgottenStill, our song lives onThat's how a moment lasts forever,When our song lives on...
Sheridan Square - A Whole New World of Alan Menken - 2016 Live Performance Disney Ashman Demos 2016-11-19 | Here is a recording from the premiere performance of Alan Menken's one-man show, "A Whole New World of Alan Menken," which took place September 30, 2016 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, in Costa Mesa, CA.Here, Alan talks about an important talk with lyricist Howard Ashman after their first Oscar win. He then plays a song the two them wrote together, "Sheridan Square." One of the only "trunk songs" in the Ashman and Menken catalog, it's perhaps the only song the duo wrote that was not written for any score and written soley as a standalone piece.According to Paul Holmes, the original stage manager for Little Shop of Horrors, at Howard Ashman's memorial service in May 1991, the song was written by the duo sometime between the fall of 1982 and spring of 1983, when they were out in California with Little Shop. Written near the beginning of the AIDS crisis, before anyone really knew what was going on, Howard, Alan, and the rest of the theatre community had already been deeply affected by it.In 1988, Howard himself would be diagnosed, passing away on March 4, 1991 from AIDS related complications.Special thanks to Andi for this recording. Due to the recent nature of this concert, only a select number of songs will be released at this time.
Be Our Guest - A Whole New World of Alan Menken - 2016 Live Performance Disney Ashman Demos 2016-11-19 | Here is a recording from the premiere performance of Alan Menken's one-man show, "A Whole New World of Alan Menken," which took place September 30, 2016 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, in Costa Mesa, CA.Here, Alan talks about the creation of a song for his fourth collaboration with lyricist, Howard Ashman, who asked Alan for a piece of quick throwaway music to write lyrics to. After trying in vain to compose real music for the song, Alan gives in and admits that it just has to be that dumb piece of throwaway music.He then plays the result; Be Our Guest.Special thanks to Andi for this recording!Due to the recent nature of this concert, only a select number of songs will be released at this time.
Beauty and the Beast - Best Score Performance and Award Acceptance - 64th Academy Awards Disney Ashman Demos 2016-10-14 | Presented on March 30, 1992 here is Alan Menken's Academy Award acceptance speech for the Best Original Score Academy Award, presented for Beauty and the Beast. The award is presented by actor Patrick Swayze.Also presented is a dance number, set to (I believe) "To the Fair," choreographed by Debbie Allen.That night, Beauty and the Beast was also nominated for Best Sound Mixing, as well as three Best Song nominations for "Belle," "Be Our Guest," and the title song "Beauty and the Beast," winning for "Beauty and the Beast." (Howard Ashman's partner, William P. "Bill" Lauch, accepted the award on Howard's behalf.) Notably, the film was also nominated for Best Picture, the first animated film, and the only hand-drawn animated film, to receive the honor. (The film lost the award to The Silence of the Lambs.)The characters Beast, Belle, and Chip (voiced by Robby Benson, Paige O'Hara, and Bradley Pierce respectively) also presented the award for Best Animated Short that evening.
Beauty and the Beast - Angela Lansbury - Rehearsal Demo Disney Ashman Demos 2016-09-26 | Here is (most of) Angela Lansbury's early recording to "Beauty and the Beast," written for the film of the same name by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken. The film would be the duo's second collaboration with Disney, and final (complete) collaboration together.Available in full as a part of the audio cassette collection of the Howard Ashman Archive housed in the Library of Congress, the recording is labeled as a rehearsal recording and was possibly recorded immediately before the final film recording was made.This track was originally shared to the Ashman & Menken Fans Facebook group by member Brody Pole. In his original post, Brody said, "I ripped this track from an extra from the [Diamond Edition] Blu-ray release of 'Beauty and the Beast'. It's the piano demo of 'Beauty and the Beast' with Angela Lansbury. I then attempted to remove the dialogue that was playing over it, which is why the quality is quite bad (and part of the song is missing). Since the actual track hasn't surfaced, I figured I'd share it here!"To join the Facebook group, and view Brody's original post, click here: facebook.com/groups/disneyashmandemos/permalink/1003914706352698After originally getting sent Alan's demo (recorded to demonstrate the crossover potential of the song into pop music), Angela originally declined to sing it, fearing her voice wasn't strong enough and that she would be unable to do the song justice. It was only after being sent Howard's demo (recorded to demonstrate the character), and sitting down and talking it through with Howard that she agreed to record it.After arriving at the recording studio exhausted after being up almost the entire previous night traveling, according to Paige O'Hara (the voice of Belle) at a 2014 Animate Miami Q&A, when it finally came time to step behind the microphone, Angela "gets up there in front of the orchestra, the music starts, she sings the song in one take, and people were crying in the entire room. She was that good."
Beauty and the Beast - Angela Lansbury - 2016 - 25th Anniversary Performance / Animation Sync Disney Ashman Demos 2016-09-21 | Here is Angela Lansbury's performance of the title song from "Beauty and the Beast" at the film's 25th anniversary screening at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall on September 18, 2016. (The film originally debuted, in unfinished form, at Alice Tully Hall in September 1991.)Accompanying Lansbury on the piano is composer Alan Menken. The film was his second collaboration with Disney, and would end up being his final (complete) collaboration with lyricist Howard Ashman.The performance has been synced up to the film's final animation.After originally getting sent Alan's demo (recorded to demonstrate the crossover potential of the song into pop music), Angela originally declined to sing it, fearing her voice wasn't strong enough and that she would be unable to do the song justice. It was only after being sent Howard's demo (recorded to demonstrate the character), and sitting down and talking it through with Howard that she agreed to record it.After arriving at the recording studio exhausted after being up almost the entire previous night traveling, according to Paige O'Hara (the voice of Belle) at a 2014 Animate Miami Q&A, when it finally came time to step behind the microphone, Angela "gets up there in front of the orchestra, the music starts, she sings the song in one take, and people were crying in the entire room. She was that good."
All Gone | Alan Menken | Little Shop of Horrors | CUT FINALE Disney Ashman Demos 2016-09-10 | Here is "All Gone," a previously unheard song by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken. The original finale for "Little Shop of Horrors," the song was cut in favor of "Don't Feed the Plants."This performance by Alan comes from the June 27, 2016 "Little Shop of Horrors Reunion: Off-Broadway, Broadway, and Beyond!" concert, held at Feinstein's/54 Below.Sung as a part of a medley of cut songs, the full medley was recorded and released by Broadway World and can be found here: http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-TV-Exclusive-For-the-First-Time-the-Great-Alan-Menken-Performs-Cut-Songs-from-LITTLE-SHOP-OF-HORRORS-20160628*********************************LYRICS:*********************************On the day that it started,All our sources agree,Everybody loved Lucy.She was the queen of TV.No one told little Ricky,No nor Ethel and Fred,That as Earth did its usual business,Plant life was marching ahead.On the day that it started, All our sources confirm,Ike was out on the golf-course,Mamie was having a perm.No one knows where they came from,And explain it we can’t.For it seems no one came here to warn us, We’d soon be at war with a…Plant from beyond the cosmos!Greens from outer space!Come to meet us and eat us like junk food,Devouring the whole human race…
Lin-Manuel Miranda - #linstagram Compilation Disney Ashman Demos 2016-08-09 | On August 7, 2016, to promote the upcoming film Moana, Lin-Manuel Miranda took over DisneyAnimation Instagram account. With this newfound power, he began posting impromptu Disney song covers.For fun, here is a compilation of those covers.Follow Miranda on twitter: @Lin_ManuelFollow Walt Disney Animation Studios on Instagram: @disneyanimation
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater - 2016 - Encores! Off-Center Highlights Disney Ashman Demos 2016-07-31 | Here is a highlight reel, featuring footage from the recent Encores! Off-Center revival of "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater," the first collaboration between composer Alan Menken and writer, director, and lyricist Howard Ashman. The musical also features additional lyrics by lyricist Dennis Green.This revival features Santino Fontana (as Eliot Rosewater), Skylar Astin (as Norman Mushari), Derrick Baskin, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Nick Choksi, Eddie Cooper, Kevin Del Aguila, Clark Johnson, James Earl Jones, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Kevin Ligon, Marla Louissaint, Liz McCartney, Bonnie Milligan, Brynn O’Malley, and Kate Wetherhead, with direction by Michael Mayer, choreography by Lorin Latarro, and music direction by Chris Fenwick.This video is a composite of the following:NYCityCenter's highlights video: youtu.be/70BIxij92eEPlaybill's highlights video: youtu.be/RPROg0ai1Q0TheaterMania's highlights video: youtu.be/e8PavqlhO9UBroadwayWorld's highlights video: http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-TV-Watch-Highlights-from-Encores-GOD-BLESS-YOU-MR-ROSEWATER-20160727Having heard of Howard's show "Dreamstuff" (which Howard only supplied the book for), Alan, a composer and lyricist at the time, was introduced to Howard through Maury Yeston. (Howard had recently directed a workshop of Maury's musical "Nine," while Alan and Maury knew each other through the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop.) Alan, a fan of Kurt Vonnegut, agreed to meet Howard, who was looking for a composer, after learning that the project he was working on was a musical based off of "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater." Coming to Alan's apartment, Alan's recalls that his first impression of Howard was that "he seemed edgy and guarded. He wore torn jeans and a bomber jacket. He talked with a tight, intense energy, chain-smoking the entire time. And he was clearly very smart." ("Interview with Alan Menken, part one" http://howardashman.com/blog/interview-with-alan-menken-part-one)Alan soon began work with the show's original lyricist, Dennis Green, before Howard decided to take over as lyricist. According to Green, " I wrote two songs with Alan: 'Thank God for the Volunteer Fire Brigade' and 'Since You Came to This Town,' which was then a solo for Diana Moon Glampers. Then Howard called and said, 'Why don’t we work on this together.' I took that as a signal that he wanted to write all the lyrics. And that’s basically what happened. He kept the two songs I had written, and tweaked them to make them work within his concept of the show." ("The Making of God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater," Playbill Online; http://www.playbill.com/article/the-making-of-god-bless-you-mr-rosewater)Howard soon gave Alan his first set of lyrics, "I, Eliot Rosewater." According to Alan, "If I ever had any thoughts about auditioning Howard’s work as a possible songwriting partner, he put that to rest fast. He knew what he wanted and fully intended to keep the pressure on me to prove myself to him. [...] And after making the mistake of commenting on one lyric, I followed his explicit instructions about how he imagined the song working dramatically; the style, scan, build etc. Very quickly we [wrote] our first song together." ("Before Ariel, Belle, and Audrey II, There Was Mr. Rosewater"; tdf.org/articles/1486/Before-Ariel-Belle-and-Audrey-II-There-Was-Mr-Rosewater)Having the rights to the novel to just an Equity showcase, Vonnegut was supportive, though hands off, with the cast and crew not knowing if the show would be able to continue after it's run at the WPA Theatre. During one of the show's rehearsals, Vonnegut showed up to watch. According to Dennis Green, "My memory is he sat there expressionless through the whole thing, barely cracking a smile. I kept thinking, Oh, Jesus. (laughs) At the end, he just shook everyone’s hand and said 'Good work, nice job'—not 'I loved it,' or anything like that. But just as he was going out the door, he did what I can only describe as a caper. He sort of jumped up and clicked his heels together. [...] We all looked at each other and said, 'Well, I guess he liked it.' Very quickly he gave his blessing to the whole project. And, of course, insisted that it be called 'Kurt Vonnegut’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater.'"Alan later joked "We were very young, so god knows we would have taken anything. He could’ve titled it 'Who the Fuck Are These Composers?'" ("The Making of God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater," Playbill Online)
Disneyland - Jodi Benson - 6/6/16 - The Little Mermaid Live in Concert Disney Ashman Demos 2016-06-23 | Here is "Disneyland," sung by Jodi Benson, from Howard's first, and unfortunately only, Broadway musical Smile, with music composed by Marvin Hamlisch. Performed by Jodi as the encore of the July 6, 2016 performance of "The Little Mermaid Live in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl", the majority of this recording was recorded by the Benson family from the audience and released on her official Facebook page, where she called the performance "a dream that came true!" To view the original video, click here: facebook.com/JodiBensonOfficial/videos/138899473183597Fan shot videos by YouTube users betty29 (youtu.be/8lbG5glLaxQ) and disneyexaminer (youtu.be/2iqQhmaVI9k) have also been used to fill out the intro, firework display, and ending.Based on the 1975 film of the same name (directed by Michael Ritchie with a screenplay by Jerry Belson), Marvin Hamlisch began work on a musical adaptation of "Smile" sometime in the late-seventies or early-eighties with lyricist Carolyn Leigh. (Coincidentally, Leigh supplied lyrics for the 1954 musical Peter Pan, one of Howard's favorite musicals.) Though a fair amount of work was done on the score, Leigh passed way before the show could be completed. After her death, the project was shelved.Sometime later, Howard looked into getting the rights for a musical adaptation of the film. Upon finding out that the rights were owned by Hamlisch, who also wanted to adapt the work, the two decided to team up and bring the musical to fruition. In the end, all of Leigh's work was scraped, with only the tune for the title song surviving the transition.
Oughta Build a Statue - CUT SONG - 1979 WPA Cast - God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Disney Ashman Demos 2016-05-17 | Here is a cut song from "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater," the first collaboration between lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken. Titles "Oughta Build a Statue" (known as both "I'll Build a Statue" and just simply "Statue"), this recording is of the original WPA production of the musical, staring Fred Coffin.Set between "Elliot...Sylvia" and "A Firestorm Consuming Indianapolis," the song is sung by the residents of Rosewater County as Elliot is preparing to leave.Having heard of Howard's show "Dreamstuff" (which Howard only supplied the book for), Alan, a composer and lyricist at the time, was introduced to Howard through Maury Yeston. (Howard had recently directed a workshop of Maury's musical "Nine," while Alan and Maury knew each other through the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop.) Though reluctant to work solely as a composer with a relatively new lyricist, Alan (a fan of Kurt Vonnegut) agreed to meet Howard, who was looking for a composer, after learning that the project he was working on was a musical based off of "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater." Coming to Alan's apartment, Alan's recalls that his first impression of Howard was that "he seemed edgy and guarded. He wore torn jeans and a bomber jacket. He talked with a tight, intense energy, chain-smoking the entire time. And he was clearly very smart." ("Interview with Alan Menken, part one" http://howardashman.com/blog/interview-with-alan-menken-part-one)Thinking he would help out this new lyricist, the first few times Howard would give Alan a set of lyrics to work with, Alan would go through and lightly criticize them, saying "This is great, but maybe we can adjust this and this," before Howard would would grip his shoulder as if to say "Just set it."Having the rights to the novel to just an Equity showcase, Vonnegut was supportive, though hands off, with the cast and crew not knowing if the show would be able to continue after it's run at the WPA Theatre. During one of the show's rehearsals, Vonnegut showed up to watch and, after seeing the work first hand for the first time, Alan recalls him almost dancing out. The show would go on to run just over a month at the Entermedia Theater.
Dear Ophelia - Alan Menken - Demo - God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Disney Ashman Demos 2016-03-22 | Here is the demo to "Dear Ophelia" from God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, as sung by lyricist Howard Ashman. This would be his first collaboration with composer Alan Menken. Additional lyrics for this song were supplied by Dennis Green.Having heard of Howard's show "Dreamstuff" (which Howard only supplied the book for), Alan, a composer and lyricist at the time, was introduced to Howard through Maury Yeston. (Howard had recently directed a workshop of Maury's musical "Nine," while Alan and Maury knew each other through the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop.) Though reluctant to work solely as a composer with a relatively new lyricist, Alan (a fan of Kurt Vonnegut) agreed to meet Howard, who was looking for a composer, after learning that the project he was working on was a musical based off of "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater." Coming to Alan's apartment, Alan's recalls that his first impression of Howard was that "he seemed edgy and guarded. He wore torn jeans and a bomber jacket. He talked with a tight, intense energy, chain-smoking the entire time. And he was clearly very smart." ("Interview with Alan Menken, part one" http://howardashman.com/blog/interview-with-alan-menken-part-one)Thinking he would help out this new lyricist, the first few times Howard would give Alan a set of lyrics to work with, Alan would go through and lightly criticize them, saying "This is great, but maybe we can adjust this and this," before Howard would would grip his shoulder as if to say "Just set it."Having the rights to the novel to just an Equity showcase, Vonnegut was supportive, though hands off, with the cast and crew not knowing if the show would be able to continue after it's run at the WPA Theatre. During one of the show's rehearsals, Vonnegut showed up to watch and, after seeing the work first hand for the first time, Alan recalls him almost dancing out. The show would go on to run four months at the Entermedia Theater.
Mushari’s Waltz - Demo #2 - Howard Ashman - God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Disney Ashman Demos 2016-03-22 | Here is a demo to "Mushari’s Waltz" from God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, as sung by lyricist Howard Ashman. This was the lyricist's first collaboration with composer Alan Menken.Having heard of Howard's show "Dreamstuff" (which Howard only supplied the book for), Alan, a composer and lyricist at the time, was introduced to Howard through Maury Yeston. (Howard had recently directed a workshop of Maury's musical "Nine," while Alan and Maury knew each other through the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop.) Though reluctant to work solely as a composer with a relatively new lyricist, Alan (a fan of Kurt Vonnegut) agreed to meet Howard, who was looking for a composer, after learning that the project he was working on was a musical based off of "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater." Coming to Alan's apartment, Alan's recalls that his first impression of Howard was that "he seemed edgy and guarded. He wore torn jeans and a bomber jacket. He talked with a tight, intense energy, chain-smoking the entire time. And he was clearly very smart." ("Interview with Alan Menken, part one" http://howardashman.com/blog/interview-with-alan-menken-part-one)Thinking he would help out this new lyricist, the first few times Howard would give Alan a set of lyrics to work with, Alan would go through and lightly criticize them, saying "This is great, but maybe we can adjust this and this," before Howard would would grip his shoulder as if to say "Just set it."Having the rights to the novel to just an Equity showcase, Vonnegut was supportive, though hands off, with the cast and crew not knowing if the show would be able to continue after it's run at the WPA Theatre. During one of the show's rehearsals, Vonnegut showed up to watch and, after seeing the work first hand for the first time, Alan recalls him almost dancing out. The show would go on to run four months at the Entermedia Theater.
Alan Menken and Paige OHara on Howard Ashman - 1991 - Good Morning, America Disney Ashman Demos 2016-03-20 | Here is Paige O'Hara and composer Alan Menken discussing lyricist Howard Ashman during a promotional interview for "Beauty and the Beast," Menken's second collaboration with Disney, and final (complete) collaboration with Howard, on the November 22, 1991 broadcast of "Good Morning, America." Alan also briefly discusses Disney's songwriting legacy.To view the original video, uploaded by "Videos of artists", click here: youtu.be/dXDvCRa7rds
Beauty and the Beast - Paige OHara & Alan Menken - 1991 - Good Morning, America Disney Ashman Demos 2016-03-20 | Here is Paige O'Hara and composer Alan Menken's performance of the title song from "Beauty and the Beast," Menken's second collaboration with Disney, and final (complete) collaboration with lyricist Howard Ashman, on the November 22, 1991 broadcast of "Good Morning, America." The performance has been synced up to the film's final animation.Originally sung by Angela Lansbury in the film, it was only after some convincing. After originally getting sent Alan's demo (recorded to demonstrate the crossover potential of the song into pop music), she declined to sing it fearing her voice wasn't strong enough and that she would be unable to do the song justice. It was only after being sent Howard's demo (recorded to demonstrate the character), and sitting down and talking it through with Howard that she agreed to record it. According to Paige at a 2014 Animate Miami Q&A, nervous to record the song, when it finally came time to step behind the microphone, Angela "gets up there in front of the orchestra, the music starts, she sings the song in one take, and people were crying in the entire room. She was that good."Joking at Animate Miami, "Angela Lansbury didn't want to sing the song in- I told you, one time in the studio!," Paige was asked to sing the song for the press before the premiere of the film, and subsequently for other promotional appearances. Going over to Alan's house one evening so the two could work on it together, Alan decided to call Howard, who was near the end of his life, so he could hear Paige's version of the song. According to Paige, it was the last time she had a chance to speak with Howard.To view the original video, uploaded by "Videos of artists", click here: youtu.be/dXDvCRa7rds
