Aladdin Composer Alan Menken Working on Two New Musical Projects

Alan Menkin has quite the full plate. The Oscar and Tony-winning composer of Newsies, Leap of Faith and the upcoming Aladdin musical is working on two new musical projects, according to his Twitter page. Menken will contribute material to a musical episode of the ABC sitcom The Neighbors and Dreamworks' animated film adaptation of the 1970s TV series Lidsville.

The Neighbors episode will follow Larry (Simon Templeman) and Jackie (Toks Olagundoy) as they discover Broadway musicals. No word yet on when the musical episode will air. The Neighbors is a new sitcom in which a family moves into a gated New Jersey community inhabited entirely by aliens.

Menken’s other project, Lidsville, is an upcoming film adaptation of the Sid and Marty Krofft TV series of the same name. The children’s show, which aired on Saturday mornings from 1971-1973, follows one boy’s adventures in a magical world populated by living hats. Of the project, Menken tweeted, “Lidsville is underway...FINALLY. Peace, love and psychedelia! And DreamWorks is pretty great. So many old friends there.”

Menken earned the 2012 Tony Award for Best Original Score for Newsies. In addition to Newsies, Menken’s Broadway scores include The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast,  Little Shop of Horrors and Sister Act. His additional Disney film scores include Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Home on the Range, Enchanted, Tangled and Hercules. Menken has been awarded eight Academy Awards, ten Grammys and seven Golden Globes. His newest musical, Aladdin, will play a pre-Broadway engagement in November. He's also eyeing bringing and The Hunchback of Notre Dame to Broadway. 

For a feel of the TV show Lidsville, check out the show’s theme song below.