Alan Menken is the musical mastermind behind so many of our favorite Disney musicals, including “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin” and of course “Beauty and the Beast.”
Today, the Disney Legend visited Shanghai Disney Resort to check out the progress of the future production of “Beauty and the Beast” coming to the Walt Disney Grand Theatre. Menken met with the cast of the show and even performed some of his hits, including a duet of his Oscar-winning song “Beauty and the Beast,” with Chinese actress Xu Meng, who will play Mrs. Potts.
Menken expressed his excitement for the new production of one of the longest-running and highest-grossing Broadway shows of all time.
“This is my first visit to China, and I am thrilled to be here to support the newest Mandarin production of the musical recreated from the original Broadway show, and to meet the gifted local cast and crew,” Menken said. “There are some special new elements for this exciting production, which, combined with the talented local performers, will make it a truly one-of-a-kind entertainment experience for the Chinese audience.”
No date has been announced yet for the premiere of the new production of “Beauty and the Beast,” but it is planned to debut in 2018.
Source: Disney