Howard Ashman followed a distinguished career as a musical comedy librettist, lyricist, playwright, and director with his animated feature film debut, Disney's critically and popularly celebrated The Little Mermaid. Ashman received the 1989 Academy Award® for Best Song for "Under the Sea," written with his longtime collaborator, Alan Menken. Ashman and Menken garnered a total of six awards for The Little Mermaid, including two Academy Awards®, two Golden Globe Awards®, and two Grammy Awards®.
Born in Baltimore, Ashman received his education at Goddard College and Boston University, and earned an MFA from Indiana University. He moved to New York in 1974 ... read more
Alan Menken is a Disney legend who has won more Academy Awards than any other living individual, including eight Oscars with 4 for Best Score and 4 for Best Song; 11 Grammy Awards (including Song of the Year for "A Whole New World"); and 7 Golden Globes. He is best known for his work on Disney films including The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, Pocahontas, Enchanted, and Tangled, as well as the onstage musicals Newsies, Little Shop of Horrors, A Christmas Carol and Sister Act. He is currently working with Lin-Manuel Miranda ... read more
Broadway: Disney's The Little Mermaid (2008 Tony Award Nomination - Best Score, Grammy Nomination - Best Cast Album). West End: Sister Act the Musical (2009), Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies (2010, Olivier Nomination - Best Musical). Regional: Leap of Faith (Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 2010). Off-Broadway: Newyorkers (Manhattan Theatre Club, 2001, Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations). Film: Disney's Home On The Range (2004), Disney's Tangled (2010, Oscar and Golden Globe Nominations - Best Song). ... read more
Widely hailed as the UK's most popular and successful choreographer/director, Matthew is the creator of the world's longest-running ballet production, a five-time Olivier Award winner and the only British director to have won the Tony® Award for both choreographer and director of a musical. He is artistic director of New Adventures, which has created an enormous new audience for dance with its groundbreaking dance/theatre productions Nutcracker!, Highland Fling, Swan Lake, Cinderella, The Car Manand Play Without Words. Musical theatre includes Oliver!, My Fair Lady (Olivier Award), South Pacific and Mary Poppins (Olivier Award). Matthew's latest production, Edward Scissorhands, based on ... read more
