Glenn Slater is a lyricist who collaborates with Alan Menken and other musical theatre composers. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Original Score for the Broadway version of The Little Mermaid at the Tony Awards in 2008, and another Tony nomination for Sister Act at the 65th Tony Awards in 2011. His first work with Alan Menken was writing the lyrics for the film Home on the Range and the stage production Sister Act the Musical. He wrote the lyrics for the stage adaptation of Disney's The Little Mermaid. He also worked with Menken on the new musical version of Leap of Faith. He has also composed the lyrics and co-wrote the book for the major Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Love Never Dies. In 2015 he worked again with Andrew Lloyd Webber for the Broadway musical School of Rock. Adding to his career as a lyricist, Slater wrote the lyrics for the songs in Disney's Tangled.
I got to sit down with the lyricist of School of Rock, Little Mermaid, A Bronx Tale and more to learn how he built his career as well as . . .
- Why he stopped trying to compose for the theater and started writing lyrics instead (a great lesson for anyone trying to figure out what they want to do in this biz).
- How working in advertising made him a better writer.
- Just how he got in a room with Alan Menken, before he was anyone.
- Why he never listens to the cast recordings of his shows.
- How he adjusts his style depending on the composer he’s working with, and how he likes to work
Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway