>> ALAN MENKEN SPEAKS... >> IF I KNOW I WANT SOMEONE TO GO AH AND I SIT AT THE PIANO, PROBABLY PLAY... [♪♪♪] >> WITH HIS HANDS.

OR [♪♪♪] >> HE IS THE BRAIN BEHIND LITTLE MUSICALS YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF LIKE [♪♪♪] THE LITTLE MERMAID... [♪♪♪] BEAUTY AND THE BEAST♪ [♪♪♪] AND ALADDIN BOTH THE MOVIE AND NOW THE STAGE MUSICAL PLAYING AT CHICAGO'S CADILLAC PALACE THEATER.

>> THEY CAME TO ME SAYING THEY WANTED TO DO A STAGE VERSION OF ALADDIN AND HAD DONE AN ADAPTATION OF THE MOVIE.

AND I SAID NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

WE HAVE A TREASURE TROUGH OF THE SONGS THAT WE WROTE I WANT TO FIND A WAY TO GET THOSE IN.

>> BACK BEFORE DISNEY RELEASED ALADDIN THE MOVIE IN 1992, ALAN MENKEN AND HIS LATE PARTNER COMPOSED MULTIPLE SONGS FOR THE FILM THAT WERE NOT USED BUT FOR THE STAGE ALAN MENKEN WAS ABLE TO REVIVE THEM.

>> THERE IS A SONG THAT ALADDIN SINGS TO HIS MOTHER WHO IS NOW IN HEAVEN.

♪PROUD OF YOUR BOY♪ ♪I'LL MAKE YOU PROUD OF YOUR BOY♪ [♪♪♪] ♪I'LL MAKE YOU PROUD OF YOUR BOY♪ >> THE HOWARD MATERIAL IS PRECIOUS THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANYMORE OF IT.

HE WAS THE BEST OF OUR GENERATION.

AND HIS DEATH WAS TRAGIC.

TO ME IT'S THE MAIN REASON WHY I WAS EXCITED ABOUT BRINGING ALADDIN TO THE STAGE WAS TO BRING BACK THAT QUALITY.

>> IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME ALAN MENKEN WORKED ON A CLASSIC DISNEY MUSICAL THAT FOUND A NEW LIFE.

ALAN MENKEN COMPOSED NEW MUSIC FOR THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST MOVIE.

>> THE CHALLENGES ARE THAT FOR ME THE ANIMATED MOVIE WAS COMPLETE.

OR WHEN WE DID LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS ON STAGE IT WAS COMPLETE AND THEN THE MOVIE OR WHEN WE BROUGHT THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST ANIMATED AND BRING IT TO BROADWAY AND IT'S COMPLETE.

AND THEN NO, WE HAVE TO DO A LIVE ACTION MOVIE AND WHAT DO I ADD?

>> HE FOUND A WAY TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ARTISTS AND KEEP ADDING.

>> NOW WE ARE DOING ALADDIN FOR FILM AS WELL.

AND GUY RICHIE IS DIRECTING AND THAT IS A WHOLE NEW WORLD.

>> THOUGH THE TALES TEAM AS OLD AS TIME ALAN MENKEN BELIEVES THEY ARE STILL PART OF YOUR WORLD BECAUSE THEY ARE TIMELESS.

>> TO GET TO WORK ON THESE AND TELL THE NEW FAIRY TALES NEW STORIES THROUGH ANIMATION, IS INCREDIBLY A -- IT IS A PRIVILEGE.

AND I THINK IT LIVES ON WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THE KIND OF STORIES THEY ARE.

AND ALSO BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE TOLD THEM.

>> THE MUSICALS THEMSELVES HAVE GARNERED A SPAT OF AWARDS.

EIGHT OSCARS, 11 GRAMMYS AND SEVEN GOLDEN GLOBES.

KEY TO HIS SUCCESS DOES NOT COME FROM A MAGIC CARPET RIDE... >> BASICALLY TO NOT HAVE IT BE ABOUT YOU.

IT'S ABOUT THE PROCESS.

ABOUT THE PROCESS OF WRITING.

IF YOU WRITE A SONG AND SOMEONE GOES I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL FIT.

NO.

NO.

JUST LET IT GO.

AND MOVE ON.

>> KEEP GOING INTO THE NEW.

WITH AN OPEN HEART AND MIND WHAT IS PRECIOUS IS NOT WHAT YOU WRITE WHAT IS PRECIOUS IS YOUR TALENT AND YOUR SOUL AND YOU WILL APPLY IT TO SOMETHING ELSE.

I GUESS THAT IS THE KEY FOR ME.