Photo Coverage: Part Of Your World: The Music Of Alan Menken

On September 26 "Part Of Your World: The Music Of Alan Menken" hosted by Lynn Ahrens played the Merkin Concert Hall with such Broadway notables as Kerry Butler, brian d'Arcy James, Michael McGrath, Jennifer Hope Wills, Judy Kuhn and Mary Bond Davis and Josh Tower. Musical Director for the evening was Michael Kosarin. The entire evening was part of the Kaufman's Center's "Broadway Close Up" series.

With the late Howard Ashman, Menken composed the doo-wopesque score of off-Broadway's Little Shop of Horrors (which received a recent Broadway production), as well as the beloved Disney films The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. He has received eight Academy Awards for his film work as a composer; in addition to those three, he won for Pocahontas, which was co-written with Stephen Schwartz (Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score and Best Music, Original Song). Also the recipient of three ASCAP Awards, his other film credits include Newsies, Hercules and Home on the Range. He is also the composer (with David Spencer) of the cult musical Weird Romance and of God Bless You Mr. Rosewater (with Ashman).

Lynn Ahrens was host for the evening

Lynn and Alan discuss his career

Alan starts off the evening playing two songs from his youth
"Trendell Terry" and "Pink Fish"

Kerry Butler performing "Somewhere That's Green" from
Little Shop of Horrors

Accompanied by Michael Kosarin on piano

Kerry

Next up was "Part Of Your World" from The Little Mermaid

Both songs brought tears to Menken's eyes. Kerry leaves the
stage after an embrace with Alan

Judy Kuhn sang one of her signature songs, "Colors Of The Wind"
from Pocahontas

Followed by "Never Again" from King David

Spamalot's Michael McGrath debuting "Positoovity" - a song
for the upcoming "The Little Mermaid" musical

Singing as Scuttle

and joined by other "gulls"

brian d'Arcy James debuting "If Only/Her Voice" from The Little Mermaid

a lovely duet between Prince Eric and Ariel

Michael then sang "Love Can't Be Denied" from The Ice Queen

Kicking it up in a number called "Rise Up" from Leap Of Faith is Brian

backed by a powerful chorus

"Rise Up!"

Alan and Lynn look on

Jennifer Hope Wills performed "Long Past Dreaming" from
the upcoming Leap Of Faith

Mary Bond Davis led the full cast in the title song, "Leap Of Faith"

Schele Williams, Josh Tower and Mary Bond Davis

Jennifer and Brian

Alan concluded the evening with a medley of songs from his career

brian d'Arcy James, Jennifer Hope Wills, Judy Kuhn, Alan Menken,
Lynn Ahrens, Kerry Butler and Josh Tower

Alan and Lynn