Sometimes, a good composer needs a good lyricist. Alan Menken is a talented musician in his own right, but even he would agree that some of his best work came from working alongside Howard Ashman. The two musical theater artists would pen some of Disney’s most beloved songs, like “Part Of Your World,” “Be Our Guest,” and “Friend Like Me.”
Amidst all of their success, Ashman was struggling behind the scenes. He had been diagnosed with AIDS while working on “The Little Mermaid” in 1988, unbeknownst to his Disney colleagues. By the time production began on “Beauty and the Beast,” his health had visibly deteriorated. In response, the film’s artists moved part of their operations to Ashman’s home in upstate New York and, eventually, St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan. In 1991, not long after completing his work on “Beauty and the Beast,” Ashman passed away at age 40.
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“Howard’s [death], for me, is the most personally difficult and his spirit remains very, very present still,” Menken told NPR. The composer still frequently revisits Ashman’s lyrics, whether it be through Disney’s live-action remakes or lively stage adaptations. He wrote the score for “Howard,” a 2020 documentary focused on Ashman’s life and legacy. “Oh my god, was it a labor of love,” Menken continued. “I wanted music that, if he was directing it, he would have wanted to put in there.”
