There are a great many dentists in the world, but there is only one Alan Menken – and the world is all the better for the Disney legend’s decision to take up a career at the piano rather than the dental chair. Nothing was more… Read More »Alan Menken Enchants with the Stories Behind the Songs in His One-Man Show
The Disney Magic is now home to the newest musical in the Disney repertoire – Tangled The Musical. With original and new music by Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater, it’s about time Disney’s modern classic gets some synergistic love. The… Read More »Tangled The Musical — Behind the new Disney Cruise Line Show
Composer Alan Menken is writing at least two new songs for the “Beauty and the Beast” live action movie. Menken revealed the new additions during a talk with upcoming artists in New York City at the Lincoln Center. According to Menken, the new songs will… Read More »Alan Menken shares new songs for Beauty and the Beast live action film
‘Tangled: The Musical’ is coming to Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic! The show will include three new songs that weren’t in the movie: a new opening number, a new song for Flynn Rider, and a big production number for the festival. In this short video… Read More »Behind the music of ‘Tangled: The Musical’ coming to Disney Cruise Line
Disney hopes to continue its string of successful live-action remakes with a new live action version of Beauty & The Beast. We already learned that Emma Watson and Dan Stevens will star as Belle and the Beast/Prince respectively, and Luke Evans will play the role of Gaston. We now know that Emma Thompson has joined the cast as Mrs. Potts and Kevin Kline as Belle’s father, Maurice.
I love Kevin Kline, who voiced Phoebus in Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Emma Thompson did such a wonderful job as P.L. Travers in Disney’s Saving Mr. Banks and as Queen Elinor in Pixar’s Brave. (Trivia: Without googling it, can you name the other character Thompson voiced for Disney?*)
Eight-time Oscar-winner Alan Menken, who won two Academy Awards for the 1991 animated classic, will score the film, which will feature new recordings of the original songs in addition to several new songs written by Menken and Sir Tim Rice. So this might actually be a live action remake of the stage musical, which itself was an expanded version of the movie. I’m okay with that.
Disney has announced they will release Beauty and the Beast in 3D on March 17, 2017.
The beloved tale will be retold for the big screen with a modern live-action lens and the help of transformative computer generated special effects. Bill Condon will direct from a script by Stephen Chbosky, and the film will be produced by Mandeville Films’ David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. Production begins in May at Shepperton Studios in London.
*Trivia answer below:
Read More »Disney’s Live Action Beauty and the Beast Gets More Cast, Release Date
If you purchased the original cast recording album for Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway, you may have grown fond of the two bonus tracks. One of the special tracks features Adam Jacobs (Aladdin) and James Monroe Iglehart (The Genie) as they team up with Disney legend… Read More »Aladdin on Broadway Cast Recording Bonus Track
I wish I had more good things to say about ABC’s medieval Musical Comedy special Galavant, but I’m going to be frank with you… it was bad, often verging on awful. The best parts were the commercials for ABC’s comedies sung to the tune of… Read More »Galavant, ABC’s Musical Comedy, has few bright spots
Don’t forget tonight on ABC comes something new from Disney, a 4-week comedy extravaganza featuring songs from Oscar winning composer Alan Menken and writing and production talent from Dan Fogelman and Glenn Slater from Disney’s Tangled.
Once upon a time, the dashing hero, Galavant (Joshua Sasse) lost the love of his life, Madalena (Mallory Jansen), to the evil King Richard (Timothy Omundson). Now, our fallen hero is ready to take revenge and restore his “happily ever after.” But it won’t be without a few twists and turns along the way.
There are also some great guest stars showing up along the way:
Read More »Galavant Kicks Off Tonight