Alan Irwin Menken (born July 22, 1949) is an American composer, best known for his scores and songs for films produced by

Walt Disney Animation Studios Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that creates animated features and short films for The Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a scene fro ...

. His scores and songs for ''

The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...

'' (1989), ''

Beauty and the Beast ''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve, Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' ( ...

'' (1991), ''

Aladdin Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of ...

'' (1992), and ''

Pocahontas Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, known as Matoaka, 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of ...

'' (1995) have each won him two

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. He also composed the scores and songs for '' Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986), '' Newsies'' (1992), ''

The Hunchback of Notre Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story o ...

'' (1996), ''

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

'' (1997), ''

Home on the Range "Home on the Range" is a classic cowboy song, sometimes called the "unofficial anthem" of the American West. Dr. Brewster M. Higley (also spelled Highley) of Smith County, Kansas, wrote the lyrics as the poem "My Western Home" in 1872 or 1873 ...

'' (2004), '' Enchanted'' (2007), ''

Tangled ''Tangled'' is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated musical adventure fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Loosely based on the Grimms' Fairy Tales, German fairy tale ''Rapunzel'' ...

'' (2010), and '' Disenchanted'' (2022), among others. His accolades include eight

, becoming the second most prolific Oscar winner in the music categories after Alfred Newman (who has 9

Oscars The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

) a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

, eleven

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

, seven

Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

, and a

Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...

. Menken is one of seventeen people to have won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony ("an EGOT"). He is the only person to have won a Razzie, an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony ("REGOT"). He is also known for his work in musical theater for

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

and elsewhere. Some of these are based on his Disney films, but other stage hits include '' Little Shop of Horrors'' (1982), ''

A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas C ...

'' (1994), and ''

Sister Act ''Sister Act'' is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Paul Rudnick (as Joseph Howard). It stars Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer forced to join a convent after being placed in a witness protection program. It ...

'' (2009). Menken has collaborated with such lyricists as

Lynn Ahrens Lynn Ahrens (born October 1, 1948) is an American writer and lyricist for the musical theatre, television and film. She has collaborated with Stephen Flaherty for many years. She won the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Awa ...

Howard Ashman Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also probabl ...

, Jack Feldman,

Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English lyricist and author. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ' ...

Glenn Slater Glenn Slater (born January 28, 1968) is an American lyricist for musical theatre. He has collaborated with Alan Menken, Christopher Lennertz, Andrew Lloyd Webber, among other composers. He was nominated for three Tony Awards for Best Original ...

Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin'' (1972), and ''Wicked'' (20 ...

, and

David Zippel David Joel Zippel (born May 17, 1954) is an American musical theatre lyricist, director, and producer. Early life and education Zippel was born and raised in Easton, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Falling in lo ...

Early life

Alan Irwin Menken was born on July 22, 1949, at French Hospital in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

, to Judith and Norman Menken. His father was a boogie-woogie piano-playing dentist, and his mother was an actress, dancer and playwright."Timeline. Official Site"
, Alanmenken.com, accessed February 19, 2016 His family was

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

. Menken developed an interest in music at an early age, taking piano and violin lessons. He began to compose at an early age. At age nine, at the New York Federation of Music Clubs Junior Composers Contest, his original composition "Bouree" was rated Superior and Excellent by the judges. He attended

New Rochelle High School New Rochelle High School (NRHS) is a public high school in New Rochelle, New York. It is part of the City School District of New Rochelle and is the city's sole public high school. Its student body represents 60 countries from around the world. I ...

New Rochelle, New York New Rochelle (; older french: La Nouvelle-Rochelle) is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state. In 2020, the city had a population of 79,726, making it the seventh-largest in the state of ...

, and graduated in 1967. Menken remembers: "I'd make up my own

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

fugues and

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

sonatas because I was bored with the piano and I didn't want to practice; so I'd go off on tangents". He then enrolled at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

. He graduated with a degree in musicology in 1971 from the university's Steinhardt School. Menken recalled: "First, I was pre-med. I thought I'd be a dentist like my dad. Finally, I got a degree in music, but I didn't care about musicology. It wasn't until I joined BMI Workshop ... under

Lehman Engel A. Lehman Engel (born September 14, 1910, Jackson, Mississippi - died August 29, 1982, New York City) was an American composer and conductor of Broadway musicals, television and film. Work in theatre, television and films Engel worked in a variety ...

, and walked into a room with other composers that I knew this was it." Menken noted that "Before college, I was writing songs to further my dream of being the next

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

. A lot of guitar songs – I was composing on piano before that." After college, he attended the

BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performance rights organization in the United States. It collects blanket license fees from businesses that use music, entitling those businesses to play or sync any songs from BMI's repertoire of over 20.6 mill ...

Career

Early career

After graduating, Menken's plan was to become either a rock star or a recording artist. His interest in writing musicals increased when he joined the Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) Musical Theatre Workshop and was mentored by

. From 1974 to 1978, he showcased various BMI workshop works, such as ''Midnight'', ''Apartment House'' (lyric by Muriel Robinson), ''Conversations with Pierre'','' Harry the Rat'' and ''Messiah on Mott Street'' (lyrics by

). According to Menken, during this period, he "worked as a ballet and modern dance accompanist, a musical director for club acts, a

jingle A jingle is a short song or tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. Jingles are a form of sound branding. A jingle contains one or more hooks and meaning that explicitly promote the product or service being advertised, usually t ...

writer, arranger, a songwriter for ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...

'' and a vocal coach". He performed his material at clubs like The Ballroom, Reno Sweeny and Tramps. In 1976, John Wilson reported for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' that members of Engel's BMI Workshop began performing as part of the "Broadway at the Ballroom" series: "The opening workshop program ... featured Maury Yeston and Alan Menken, both playing their piano accompaniment and singing songs they have written for potential musicals." Wilson reviewed a performance at the Ballroom in 1977 where Menken accompanied a singer: "In the current cabaret world, a piano accompanist is no longer expected to merely play piano for a singer. More and more, pianists can be heard joining in vocally, harmonizing with the singer, creating a background of shouts and exclamations or even doing brief passages of solo singing." Menken contributed material to

revues A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own duri ...

like ''New York's Back in Town'', ''Big Apple Country'', ''The Present Tense'' (1977), ''Real Life Funnies'' (Off-Broadway, 1981), ''

Diamonds Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, b ...

'' (Off-Broadway, 1984), and ''

Personals A personal advertisement, sometimes called a contact ad, is a form of classified advertising in which a person seeks to find another person for friendship, romance, marriage, or sexual activity. In British English, it is commonly known as an adve ...

'' (Off-Off-Broadway, 1985). His revue ''Patch, Patch, Patch'' ran at the West Bank Cafe in New York City in 1979 and featured

Chip Zien Jerome Herbert "Chip" Zien (born March 20, 1947) is an American actor. He is best known for playing the lead role of the Baker in the original Broadway production of ''Into the Woods'' by Stephen Sondheim. He has appeared in all of the "Marvin ...

. The ''New York Times'' reviewer

Mel Gussow Melvyn Hayes "Mel" Gussow (; December 19, 1933 – April 29, 2005) was an American theater critic, movie critic, and author who wrote for ''The New York Times'' for 35 years. Biography Gussow was born in New York City and grew up in Rockville ...

wrote: "The title song ... refers to a life's passage. According to Alan Menken ... after age 30 it is a downhill plunge." Menken wrote several shows that were not produced, including ''Atina, Evil Queen of the Galaxy'' (1980), with lyrics by Steve Brown. He also wrote ''The Thorn'' with lyrics by Brown, which was commissioned by

Divine Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine< ...

in 1980. This was a parody of the film '' The Rose'', but they could not raise the money to have it produced. He collaborated with

in an uncompleted musical called ''Babe'' (), with

Tom Eyen Tom Eyen (August 14, 1940 – May 26, 1991) was an American playwright, lyricist, television writer and director. He received a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for ''Dreamgirls'' in 1981. Eyen is best known for works at opposite e ...

in ''Kicks: The Showgirl Musical'' (1984), and with David Rogers in ''The Dream in Royal Street'' (), which was an adaptation of ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...

''. Menken contributed music for the film ''The Line'' (1980), directed by Robert J. Siegel.

Breakthrough years

Menken finally achieved success as a composer when playwright

chose him and Engel to write the music for his musical adaptation of

Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...

's novel '' God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater''. The musical opened in 1979 at the WPA Theater Gussow, Mel. "Stage: ''God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater'': In Vonnegut Land", ''

'', May 21, 1979, p. C14 to excellent reviews and modest box office. It transferred after several months to the Off-Broadway Entermedia Theater, where it ran for an additional six weeks. Menken and Ashman wrote their next musical, '' Little Shop of Horrors'', for a cast of only 9 performers, including a puppeteer. This musical is based on the 1960 black comedy film ''

The Little Shop of Horrors ''The Little Shop of Horrors'' is a 1960 American horror comedy film directed by Roger Corman. Written by Charles B. Griffith, the film is a farce about an inadequate florist's assistant who cultivates a plant that feeds on human blood. The fi ...

''. It opened at WPA Theater in 1982 to warm reviews. It moved to the Off Broadway Orpheum Theatre in the

East Village, Manhattan The East Village is a neighborhood on the East Side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is roughly defined as the area east of the Bowery and Third Avenue, between 14th Street on the north and Houston Street on the south. The East Villag ...

, where it ran for five years. The musical set the box-office record for highest grossing Off-Broadway show of all time. It toured around the world, won theater awards and was adapted as a 1986 musical film starring

Rick Moranis Frederick Allan Moranis (; born April 18, 1953) is a Canadian actor, comedian, musician, songwriter, writer and producer. He appeared in the sketch comedy series ''Second City Television'' (''SCTV'') in the 1980s and several Hollywood (film indu ...

that earned Menken and Ashman their first

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...

nomination for the song " Mean Green Mother from Outer Space". For his body of work in musical theatre, he was awarded the BMI Career Achievement Award in 1983. In 1987, Menken and lyricist David Spencer's adaptation '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'', based on the 1959 novel of the same name, was produced in Philadelphia. After substantial re-writes, it was produced in 2015 in Montreal. In 1992, the WPA Theatre produced Menken's ''Weird Romance'', also with lyrics by Spencer. Menken's musical based on the

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

novella ''

'', with lyrics by

and book by

Mike Ockrent Michael Robert Ockrent (18 June 1946 – 2 December 1999) was a British stage director, well-known both for his Broadway musicals and smaller niche plays. He was educated at Highgate School. Through directing ''Educating Rita'', '' The Nerd'' an ...

, debuted at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

's Paramount Theater in 1994. The show proved successful and was an annual New York holiday event.

Disney Renaissance and later films

On the strength of the success of ''Little Shop of Horrors'', Menken and Ashman were hired by Walt Disney Studios to write the music for ''

'' (1989). The challenge was to create an animated musical film of this

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fairy tales, consisti ...

fairy tale that could sit alongside the Disney films ''

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as T ...

'' and ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

''. ''The Little Mermaid'' opened to critical and commercial success and signaled a new Disney era called the

Disney Renaissance The Disney Renaissance was the period from 1989 to 1999 during which Walt Disney Feature Animation returned to producing critically and commercially successful animated films that were mostly musical adaptations of well-known stories, much ...

. The film gave them their first Oscar win: Best Song for the song "

Under the Sea "Under the Sea" is a song from The Walt Disney Company, Disney's 1989 animation, animated film ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid'', composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman. It is influenced by the Calypso music, c ...

". Menken also won the 1989 Oscar for Best Score."Menken Academy Awards"
, Awardsdatabase.oscars.org, accessed February 19, 2016 Menken and Ashman's ''

'' garnered them three 1991 Oscar nominations for Best Song, winning for its title song. Menken won another Oscar for Best Score. The two were working on ''

'' at the time of Ashman's death in 1991. Ashman wrote only three songs in the film and Menken collaborated with

, who was then working on ''

The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance, it ...

'', to write the rest of the songs for the film. The film won an Oscar in 1992 for Best Song, "

A Whole New World "A Whole New World" is the signature song from Disney's 1992 animated feature film ''Aladdin'', with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. A duet originally recorded by singers Brad Kane and Lea Salonga in their respective roles as t ...

". Menken also won the Oscar for Best Score. Menken's live action musical film '' Newsies'', with lyrics by Jack Feldman, was released in 1992. Three more animated musical films followed. Menken collaborated with

for ''

'', for which the two won two Oscars: Best Song and Best Musical or Comedy Score. In 1996, the same musical team created the songs, and Menken, the score, for ''

''. In 1997, Menken reunited with his early collaborator,

, for his last film in the era, ''

''. Menken also wrote the music for the

Michael J. Fox Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian-American retired actor. Beginning his career in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ''Family Ties'' (1 ...

vehicle '' Life with Mikey'' (1993), the holiday film '' Noel'' (2004) and '' Mirror Mirror'' (2012). His other film scores for Disney have included ''

'' (2004), the

Tim Allen Timothy Alan Dick (born June 13, 1953), known professionally as Tim Allen, is an American actor and comedian. He is known for playing Tim "The Toolman" Taylor on the ABC sitcom ''Home Improvement'' (1991–1999) and Mike Baxter on the ABC/Fo ...

remake of '' The Shaggy Dog'' (2006), '' Enchanted'' (2007), and ''

'' (2010). In March 2017, Disney released a live-action adaptation of ''Beauty and the Beast'', directed by

Bill Condon William Condon (born October 22, 1955) is an American director and screenwriter. Condon is known for writing and/or directing numerous successful and acclaimed films including '' Gods and Monsters'', ''Chicago'', '' Kinsey'', ''Dreamgirls'', ' ...

, with the songs from the 1991 film and new material by Menken and Rice. Menken collaborated with Benj Pasek and Justin Paul on writing new songs for the 2019 live-action version of ''Aladdin'', directed by

Guy Ritchie Guy Stuart Ritchie (born 10 September 1968) is an English film director, producer and screenwriter. His work includes British gangster films, and the ''Sherlock Holmes'' films starring Robert Downey Jr. Ritchie left school at age 15 and wor ...

. Menken is also working on new music for a live-action film adaptation of ''The Little Mermaid'', directed by

Rob Marshall Robert Doyle Marshall Jr.http://www.alumni.cmu.edu/s/1410/images/editor_documents/alumnirelations/getinvolved/alumniawards/all_honorees_2018june1.pdf (born October 17, 1960) is an American film and theater director, producer, and choreographer. ...

, with longtime ''The Little Mermaid'' fan

Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, playwright and filmmaker. He is known for creating the Broadway musicals ''Hamilton'' (2015) and ''In the Heights'' (2005), and the soundtracks for the Disney animate ...

, whom Menken knew since the former's childhood, as Miranda went to the same school as Menken's niece. Menken will also once again be working with Stephen Schwartz to write new songs for '' Disenchanted'', the sequel to ''Enchanted'', and for a remake of ''

'', which Menken will score. Menken is also working alongside former Disney chief creative officer

John Lasseter John Alan Lasseter (; born January 12, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, animator, voice actor, and the head of animation at Skydance Animation. He was previously the chief creative officer of Pixar Animation Studios, ...

on a project at

Skydance Animation Skydance Animation, LLC is an American animation studio that is a division of Skydance Media, founded on March 16, 2017. The studio is located in Los Angeles with offices in Connecticut and Madrid, Spain; the Madrid branch was originally Ilion A ...

. On May 20, 2020, the project was revealed to be

Vicky Jenson Victoria "Vicky" Jenson (born March 4, 1960) is an American film director of both live-action and animated films. Retrieved April 9, 2014. She has directed projects for DreamWorks Animation, including ''Shrek'', the first film to win an Academy ...

's '' Spellbound''. Menken will co-write songs for ''Spellbound'' alongside

, with whom he worked on ''Home on the Range'' and ''Tangled''. Menken is also reportedly attached to a sequel to ''Aladdin''. With eight Academy Awards, only composer Alfred Newman (nine wins), art director

Cedric Gibbons Austin Cedric Gibbons (March 23, 1890 – July 26, 1960) was an Irish-American art director for the film industry. He also made a significant contribution to motion picture theater architecture from the 1930s to 1950s. Gibbons designed the ...

(11 wins) and

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

(22 wins) have received more Oscars than Menken. He is tied for fourth place with late costume designer

Edith Head Edith Head (October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) was an American costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design between 1949 and 1973, making her the most awarded woman in the Academy's history. Head is cons ...

, and currently holds the record for the most wins for a living person.

Return to musical theatre

Menken debuted on Broadway with a musical theatre adaptation of ''

'' that opened in 1994 and ran for 13 years before closing in 2007. In 1997, he collaborated with lyricist

on a musical, ''

King David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

'', based on the biblical character, which was performed in a

concert version A concert performance or concert version is a performance of a musical theater or opera in concert form, without set design or costumes, and mostly without theatrical interaction between singers. Concert performances are commonly presented in c ...

on Broadway at the

New Amsterdam Theatre The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theater on 214 West 42nd Street, at the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District of Manhattan in New York City. One of the oldest surviving Broadway venues, the New Amsterdam was built from ...

. ''Little Shop of Horrors'' played on Broadway from 2003 to 2004."Alan Menken"
Internet Broadway Database, accessed February 17, 2016 He next created the stage version of ''

'', which played on Broadway from 2008 to 2009 and for which he received a nomination for a

Tony Award for Best Score The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the composers and lyricists of the best original score written for a musical or play in that year. The score consists of music and/or lyrics. To be eligible, a score must be writt ...

. Menken's stage adaptation of ''

'' premiered in London in 2009, and opened on Broadway in 2011. He was nominated for another Tony Award for Best Score. Menken received a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

in 2010. In December 2010, he was a guest on the

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

quiz show '' Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!''. In 2012, Menken won a Tony Award for Best Score for his musical adaptation of '' Newsies'', which ran until 2014. He also wrote the music for ''

Leap of Faith A leap of faith, in its most commonly used meaning, is the act of believing in or accepting something outside the boundaries of reason. Overview The phrase is commonly attributed to Søren Kierkegaard; however, he never used the term, as he ...

'', which had a brief run on Broadway in 2012. His stage adaptation of ''

'' opened on Broadway in 2014, earning him another Tony nomination for Best Score. In 2013, he was a guest at the annual Junior Theatre Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, and was honored with the Junior Theater Festival Award. He gave a concert there, including music that was cut from various productions, while talking about his creative process. Menken's stage adaptation of ''

'' played at

La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under ...

, California, in 2014. ''The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' was revived in Montreal in 2015,Viagas, Robert
"Alan Menken-David Spencer Musical ''Duddy Kravitz'' Will Get Another Chance in Montreal"
''Playbill'', March 28, 2014"Cast Set for World Premiere of Alan Menken Musical ''Duddy Kravitz'' in Montreal"
BroadwayWorld.com, March 10, 2015 and '' A Bronx Tale: The Musical'' played at the

Paper Mill Playhouse Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theater with approximately 1200 seats, located in Millburn, New Jersey on the Rahway River. Due to its relatively close location to Manhattan, it draws from the pool of actors (and audience members) who live in ...

in 2016. Menken is currently working on stage musical adaptations of ''

Night at the Museum ''Night at the Museum'' is a 2006 fantasy comedy film directed by Shawn Levy and written by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon. It is based on the 1993 children's book of the same name by Croatian illustrator Milan Trenc. The film had an ensem ...

'' and ''

Animal Farm ''Animal Farm'' is a beast fable, in the form of satirical allegorical novella, by George Orwell, first published in England on 17 August 1945. It tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to crea ...

''. As of 2019, Menken is reuniting with his ''Newsies'' creators Jack Feldman and

Harvey Fierstein Harvey Forbes Fierstein ( ; born June 6, 1952) is an American actor, playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for his theater work in ''Torch Song Trilogy'' and ''Hairspray'' and movie roles in ''Mrs. Doubtfire'', '' Independence Day'', and ...

to develop a new musical called ''Greetings from Niagara Falls''. A reading was held in January 2019; however, there is no word on future plans for the project at this time.

Television work

From 1989 to 1990, Menken and

wrote songs for the popular puppet TV show ''

''.'' Street Gang''. Michael Davis. New York, Penguin Group. 2008. p. 269 In 2008, Menken said that his work on ''Sesame Street'' was "pathetic money, but it still had some prestige to it. It was on the air and ewas getting some royalties". The duo also wrote a song titled "Wonderful Ways to Say No" for the 1990 animated anti-drug special ''

Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue ''Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue'' is a 1990 American animated television film starring many characters from several animated television series at the time of its release. Financed by McDonald's, Ronald McDonald Children's Charities, it was or ...

''. In 2015, Menken co-composed the score for the musical television series ''

Galavant ''Galavant'' is an American Musical film, musical fantasy comedy television series, created and written by Dan Fogelman, with music and lyrics by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. Fogelman, Menken and Slater also serve as executive producers alongs ...

'' alongside

Christopher Lennertz Christopher Joseph Lennertz (born January 2, 1972) is an American composer, songwriter, and conductor of film, television, and video game scores. His musical scores appeared in ''Alvin and the Chipmunks'', '' Hop'', '' Think Like a Man'', and '' ...

, reuniting him with ''

'' screenwriter

Dan Fogelman Dan Fogelman (born February 19, 1976) is an American television producer and screenwriter whose screenplays include ''Cars'', ''Tangled'', and ''Crazy, Stupid, Love''. He also created the 2012 television sitcom '' The Neighbors'', the 2015 fairy ...

. Menken also co-wrote songs for the series alongside

. The series lasted two seasons, first airing on January 4, 2015, and last airing on January 31, 2016. In 2017, Menken and Slater returned to write songs for the animated series ''

Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure ''Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure'' (known as ''Tangled: The Series'' during its first season) is an American animated television series developed by Chris Sonnenburg and Shane Prigmore, and produced by Disney Television Animation. It premiered on D ...

'', which is set after the events of ''Tangled''. The series ended in 2020, after three seasons. On July 26, 2020, Menken and Slater won the

for Original Song in a Children's, Young Adult or Animated Program for the song titled "Waiting in the Wings". Menken wrote songs for a prospective prequel/spin-off series to 2017's ''

'' titled '' Little Town'', which would be centered on

Gaston Gaston is a masculine given name of French origin and a surname. The name "Gaston" may refer to: People First name *Gaston I, Count of Foix (1287–1315) *Gaston II, Count of Foix (1308–1343) *Gaston III, Count of Foix (1331–1391) *Gaston ...

and LeFou. The series would be released on Disney's streaming service,

Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...

, and Menken would also be an executive-producer on the series.'Beauty and the Beast' Prequel Series Greenlighted By Disney+; Briana Middleton Joins Josh Gad & Luke Evans
/ref> In February 2022, it was reported that the series would not go forward for now.

Personal life

Menken was introduced to ballet dancer Janis Roswick while working with the Downtown Ballet Company. They have been married since November 1972 and live in North Salem, New York. They have two daughters, Anna Menken and Nora Menken.

Filmography

Film

Television

Musicals

* '' Dear Worthy Editor'' (Off-Broadway, c.1974) *: Book by Judy Menken *:Based on the letters-to-the-editor of Jewish-American newspaper Daily Jewish Forward * ''

Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater ''Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater'' is a 1979 musical theatre, musical that marked the first collaboration of composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman. Based on Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, 1965 novel of the same ...

'' (Off-Broadway, 1979) *: Lyrics by

*: Based on a 1965 novel by

* '' Little Shop of Horrors'' (Off-Broadway, 1982; West End, 1983; Broadway, 2003) *: Lyrics by Ashman *: Based on the 1960 black comedy film * ''Weird Romance'' (Off-Broadway, 1992)Gussow, Mel
"Review/Theater; Nearby Science Fiction In a Musical of 2 Parts"
''The New York Times'', June 23, 1992 *: Lyrics by David Spencer *: Two one-act musical: Based on "

Her Pilgrim Soul "Her Pilgrim Soul" is the first segment of the twelfth episode from the first season (1985–86) of the television series ''The Twilight Zone''. It is about a scientist named Kevin whose holographic projector manifests a newborn and rapidly aging ...

" and "

The Girl Who Was Plugged In "The Girl Who Was Plugged In" is a science fiction novella by American writer James Tiptree, Jr. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novella in 1974. Plot summary The story takes place in a dystopian future where the world is controlled by a capitalis ...

" * ''

'' (Broadway, 1994; West End, 1997) *: Lyrics by Ashman and

*: Based on the 1991 Disney film * ''

'' (Madison Square Garden, 1994–2003) *: Lyrics by

*: Based on 1843 novella by

* ''

'' (Broadway, 1997) *: Lyrics by Rice *: Based on the Biblical books of

Samuel Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bibl ...

, 1 Chronicles and

Psalm The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

s * ''

Der Glöckner von Notre Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' is a musical play based on the 1831 novel of the same name written by Victor Hugo with songs from the 1996 Walt Disney Animation Studios film adaptation. The original musical premiered in 1999 in Berlin, German ...

'' (Berlin, 1999) *: Lyrics by

*: Based on the Disney film and the 1831 novel by

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

* ''

'' (Broadway, 2008) *: Lyrics by Ashman and

*: Based on the Disney film *''

'' (West End, 2009; Broadway, 2011) *: Lyrics by Slater *: Based on the 1992 comedy film * ''

'' (Broadway, 2012) *: Lyrics by Slater *: Based on the 1992 film * '' Newsies'' (Paper Mill Playhouse, 2011; Broadway, 2012) *: Lyrics by Jack Feldman *: Based on the 1992 film * ''

'' (Seattle, 2011; Broadway, 2014) *: Lyric by Ashman, Rice and

Chad Beguelin Chad Beguelin (born September 24, 1969) is an American playwright and lyricist. He wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the book for '' The Prom''. He also wrote the book for Disney's '' Aladdin'', as well as additional lyrics for the score. He was n ...

*: Based on the 1992 film * ''

''(La Jolla Playhouse, 2014) *: Lyrics by Schwartz *: Based on the 1996 film and the 1831 novel by

* '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (Montreal, 2015) *: Lyrics by Spencer *: Based on the 1959 novel by

Mordecai Richler Mordecai Richler (January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001) was a Canadian writer. His best known works are ''The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (novel), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1959) and ''Barney's Version (novel), Barney's Versi ...

* '' A Bronx Tale: The Musical'' (Broadway, 2016) *: Lyrics by Slater *: Based on the 1990 autobiographical one-man play by

Chazz Palminteri Calogero Lorenzo "Chazz" Palminteri (born May 15, 1952)
Chazzpalminteri.net. Retrieved on November 19, 2013. is an American ...

* ''

'' (Central Park, 2019) *: Lyrics by David Zippel *: Based on the 1997 Disney film

Other

* '' Aladdin, Jr.'' – 1-act, 7-scene musical adapted from the animated film ''Aladdin'' 1992 * '' Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage'' – Theatrical show at

Disney's Hollywood Studios Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Based on a concept by Ma ...

Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...

* '' Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular'' – Theatrical show at

Disney California Adventure Disney California Adventure Park, commonly referred to as California Adventure or by its acronym DCA, is a theme park located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Park ...

* ''

'' – Theatrical show at Disney's MGM Studios,

* '' The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure'' – Attraction at

* '' Sindbad's Storybook Voyage'' featuring "Compass of Your Heart" – Attraction at

Tokyo DisneySea is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, just next to Tokyo. It opened on 4 September 2001, at a cost of 335 billion yen. The Oriental Land Company owns the park, and licenses intellectual prope ...

Tokyo Disney Resort The (local nickname ''TDR'') is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. The resort is fully owned and operated by The Oriental Land Company under a licence from The Walt Disney Company, who constru ...

Dramatists Guild of America The Dramatists Guild of America is a professional organization for playwrights, composers, and lyricists working in the U.S. theatre market. Membership as an Associate Member is open to any person having written at least one stage play. Active Mem ...

YouTube Channel music video featuring "Someone Wrote That Song" * ''Tangled: The Musical'' – Theatrical show on the

Disney Cruise Line Disney Cruise Line is a cruise line operation that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The company was incorporated in 1996 as Magical Cruise Company Limited, through the first vessel, ''Disney Magic'' and is domiciled in London, England ...

(starting November 2015) *

Dubai Parks and Resorts Dubai Parks and Resorts is the Middle East's largest integrated leisure and theme park destination located on Sheikh Zayed road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Spread over 25 million square feet, it features more than 100 rides and attractions, a ...

's official theme song "All the Wonders of the Universe" (opening October 2016) * Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular 2017 celebration featuring the world premiere of "The Sum of Us" (lyrics by Jack Feldman) for soloist, chorus, and orchestra (

Brian Stokes Mitchell Brian Stokes Mitchell (born October 31, 1957) is an American actor and singer. A powerful baritone, he has been one of the central leading men of the Broadway theater since the 1990s. He won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2000 for ...

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

Soldier's Chorus and the

Boston Pops Orchestra The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart. Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Symp ...

)

Awards

Alan Menken has received eight Academy Awards (and nineteen nominations), eleven Grammy Awards (and twenty-four nominations), one Tony Award (and four nominations), and one Daytime Emmy Award. He has also received seven Golden Globe Awards (and sixteen nominations), one Drama Desk Award (and five nominations), and three Outer Critics Awards. He was made a Disney Legend in 2002 and was the recipient of a Richard Kirk Career Achievement Award in 1998, a Freddie G. Award for Musical Excellence in 2013, and The Oscar Hammerstein Award in 2013, among others. The

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...

included the title song from the film ''

'', in the AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs. Five other songs from his Disney films were nominated: * "

" from ''

'' (1989) * "

Be Our Guest "Be Our Guest" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for Walt Disney Pictures' 30th animated feature film ''Beauty and the Beast'' (1991). Recorded by American actor Jerry Orbach and English actress Angela Lansbury ...

" from ''

'' (1991) * " Belle" from ''

'' (1991) * "

" from ''

'' (1992) * "

Friend Like Me "Friend Like Me" is a song from the 1992 Disney film ''Aladdin''. It was performed by Robin Williams in his role as the Genie. The song is also performed by Will Smith in the remake. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song a ...

" from ''

'' (1992) In 2006, AFI listed its 25 greatest movie musicals, with ''

'' (1991) ranked 22nd. It is the only animated musical film on the list. Four of his other film musicals were also nominated: * '' Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986) * ''

'' (1989) * ''

'' (1992) * ''

'' (1996) In 2019, Menken finally accepted the

Razzie Award The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic under-achievements. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, ...

for "Worst Original Song" he won at the 13th Golden Raspberry Awards (1993) for "High Times, Hard Times" from '' Newsies'' (1992), becoming the first person to win a Razzie and Oscar in the same year. Menken wrote the music for the song, and shared the award with lyricist Jack Feldman. In 2020, Menken reached EGOT status when he won the

for Outstanding Original Song in a Children's, Young Adult or Animated Program for co-writing the song "Waiting in the Wings" for ''

''.

References

External links

*
Internet Off-Broadway database Listing
with Alan Menken *
The Whole New World of Alan Menken

Alan Menken: "Beauty and the Beast captures the magic of Disney animations and brings it to the stage"
Alan Menken in Barcelona's Beauty and the Beast {{DEFAULTSORT:Menken, Alan 1949 births 20th-century American composers 20th-century American Jews 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American composers 21st-century American Jews 21st-century American male musicians American film score composers American male film score composers American musical theatre composers American television composers Animated film score composers Annie Award winners Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners Best Original Song Academy Award-winning songwriters Broadway composers and lyricists Daytime Emmy Award winners Golden Globe Award-winning musicians Grammy Award winners Jewish American film score composers Jewish American songwriters Jewish American television composers Living people Male musical theatre composers Male television composers Musicians from New Rochelle, New York People from North Salem, New York Rocky (film series) music Songwriters from New York (state) Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development alumni Tony Award winners Walt Disney Animation Studios people New Rochelle High School alumni

Early life

Career

Early career

Breakthrough years

Disney Renaissance and later films

Return to musical theatre

Television work

Personal life

Filmography

Film

Television

Musicals

Other

Awards

References

Further reading

External links