WATCH: Alan Menken, Jodi Benson, and Disney’s Broadway Stars Pay Tribute to Howard Ashman
It is impossible to tell the Disney story without dedicating at least a chapter to Howard Ashman.
In the late 1980s, Disney approached Ashman and Howard Menken to write a film of their choosing. Eventually, Ashman would choose The Little Mermaid.
The resulting soundtrack, which included iconic songs such as “Under the Sea,” “Part of Your World,” and “Kiss the Girl,” would not only deliver numerous hits but also lay the foundation for the kind of Broadway-style animated films that would launch the Disney Renaissance.
Subsequently, Ashman and Menken would go on to write songs for Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. The duo’s canon would thus include iconic songs such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Belle,” “Be Our Guest,” “Friend Like Me,” and “Prince Ali.”
Ashman Tragically Passed Away at 40
While it looked like Ashman and Menken would create Disney magic for decades to come, Ashman tragically died on March 14, 1991, at just 40 years old. Beauty and the Beast was subsequently dedicated to his memory.
Photo: D23
Although Ashman passed away 34 years ago, his legacy continues to loom large.
Disney on Broadway Pays Tribute to Ashman
The songwriter’s lasting impact was felt on Saturday, when Disney Theatrical Group paid tribute to the 4000th performance of Aladdin.
Photo: COURTESY OF DISNEY ENTERPRISES
On Ashman’s 75th birthday, Alan Menken and Jodi Benson paid tribute to the luminary.
Joining the festivities were Little Shop of Horrors cast members Khadija Sanko, Ariana Groover, and Salome Smith, Beauty and the Beast stars Kyra Belle Johnson and Fergie Philippe, and Aladdin’s Caleb B. Barnett.
You can watch highlights from the show below!
Menken’s Tribute
In celebration of Ashman’s birthday, Howard Menken also paid tribute to his longtime partner on X.
“Howard Ashman would have turned 75 today. And I always ponder what we might have shared and the new works we might have created together in those 35 extra year,” he wrote.
Howard Ashman would have turned 75 today. And I always ponder what we might have shared and the new works we might have created together in those 35 extra years. pic.twitter.com/9FzCOpic6G
— Alan Menken (@AIMenken) May 17, 2025
