Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 15 March 2017
Alan Menken on cuts, adds and intimidating Emma Watson

LINDSEY BAHR song. But it is unique to the
AP Film Writer structure of a stage musi-
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) cal,” Menken said recently.
— Composer Alan Menken “I made a few attempts
really wanted to include to go, ‘well could it just be
the song “If I Can’t Love right there’ and (lyricist) Tim
Her” in the new live-action Rice said to me, ‘it would
“Beauty and the Beast.” be like writing ‘Don’t Cry for
The soaring ballad, sung by Me Brazil.’”
the Beast, was written for So, on the cutting room
the Broadway musical as floor it went, along with
the closing number before some of the other Broad-
intermission. way additions, like “Home”
“It’s a monumentally good (although some of the mu-

In this March 5, 2017 photo, composer Alan Menken appears at the press junket for “Beauty and
the Beast,” at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Associated Press
sic from that song does moments,” Menken said of acknowledges that leads
make it into the new film). the new songs. There’s one Emma Watson and Dan
Menken, who won Oscars for the household objects, Stevens were a bit green in
for his “Beauty” score and “Days in the Sun,” and one that area.
also the song “Beauty and for Belle’s father Maurice “They both were a little
the Beast,” knew that this (Kevin Kline), “How Does a deer-in-headlights,” Men-
ship was in the hands of di- Moment Last Forever.” ken said.
rector Bill Condon. Menken loves different in- Watson, in particular need-
“I have to balance being terpretations of his work. ed space to find her own
the keeper of the flame of In his over 30-year career voice as Belle.
the original and the Broad- scoring some of the most “I’m not used to being an
way show and being an iconic Disney soundtracks intimidating presence, but
enthusiastic and supportive of all time, Menken has I think the composer was
team member in bringing it seen much of his work live a little scary to her so we
into new territory,” Menken on beyond the screen. He’s made sure she had her
said. “With ‘Beauty’ I was had many of his projects own vocal coach,” Men-
blessed to have Bill Condon adapted into Broadway ken said. “I stepped back,
... He’s smart, he loves mu- musicals, including “The which was fine. The songs
sical theater and he loves Little Mermaid” and “Alad- speak for themselves. I
‘Beauty and the Beast.’” din,” which are also on the could always give my notes
“Beauty” fans need not docket for future live-ac- from a distance.”
despair about too many tion renderings. For what it’s worth, Watson
changes, either — all of “I think of myself as an ar- is now comfortable around
the songs written by Men- chitect,” he said. “I design Menken.
ken and Howard Ashman a structure and other peo- Menken might have a doz-
for the 1991 animated film ple live in it.” en things going on at any
are in this new version (out It’s one of the qualities that given time, but he can still
Friday), with a few tweaks makes him such a skilled sit down at a piano and
and some newly unearthed composer and songwriter. launch into anything from
Ashman lyrics, as well, that “His music, I find, is very easy his catalogue. You name a
attentive listeners might no- to sing because he’s done lyric and he’ll finish it with-
tice in the songs “Gaston” all the work for you. You out pause. The impact of his
and the closing version of don’t have to put anything work on generations of chil-
“Beauty and the Beast.” on it. It’s all there,” Broad- dren is not lost on him. Now,
(Ashman died of compli- way vet Audra McDonald in addition to a handful of
cations from AIDS before said. “He’s one of those ongoing projects, including
the animated film was re- composers who can grab international runs of many
leased.) your heart with a melody, of his stage productions,
The cuts also made room so much so that you don’t Menken is gearing up to do
for three new songs from even realize it because it all over again and work
Menken and Rice, includ- he’s so simple about it. on the live action “Little
ing a more fitting ballad You don’t realize that he’s Mermaid” with Lin-Manuel
for the Beast, “Evermore,” reaching in and taking your Miranda (who he’s known
sung after he lets Belle go. heart and ripping it out —or since Miranda was a child).
“We had these up num- massaging it.” As for “Beauty”? “People
bers and the one ballad While much of the support- are very grateful that we
so we felt we could afford ing cast had some Broad- didn’t screw it up,” he
gentler or more anthem-ic way experience, Menken laughs.q