Glenn Slater
Encyclopedia
Glenn Slater is an American lyricist
who collabrates with Alan Menken
and other musical theatre
composers. He was nominated for the Tony Award
, Best Original Score for The Little Mermaid
and received his second Tony nomination for Sister Act.
, New York
, but raised in East Brunswick, New Jersey
. In 1990, he graduated at Harvard University
and received the ASCAP Foundation's Richard Rodgers New Horizon Award with composer Stephen Weiner.
stage revue Newyorkers produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club
in 2001. He has written lyrics for six editions of Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus.
His first work with Alan Menken was writing the lyrics for the film Home on the Range in 2004 and the stage production Sister Act the Musical
(2006).
He wrote the lyrics for the stage adaptation of Disney's The Little Mermaid
(2008), replacing the animated film's original lyricist Howard Ashman
, who died in 1991. He is working 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, which is a sequel to Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical The Phantom of the Opera
. The show premiered in the West End
in March 2010. After widespread criticism of Slater's lyrics on the show's opening, Charles Hart was brought in to substantially rewrite parts of the libretto.
Slater and his wife, Wendy Leigh Wilf, wrote the book, music and lyrics to a new musical Beatsville that received a production at the 2008 NAMT Festival of New Musicals, in New York.
Slater attended the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop and was a resident writer with Musical Theatreworks.
Adding to his career as a lyricist, Slater wrote the lyrics for the songs in Disney's 50th animated feature Tangled.
He was nominated for the 2008 Tony Award for Best Original Score
for The Little Mermaid and received his second nomination for this award in 2011 for Sister Act.
with his wife Wendy Leigh Wilf and two sons, Benjamin and Daniel.
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
who collabrates with Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
and other musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
composers. He was nominated for the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
, Best Original Score for The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid (musical)
The Little Mermaid is a stage musical produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen...
and received his second Tony nomination for Sister Act.
Biography
Slater was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, but raised in East Brunswick, New Jersey
East Brunswick Township, New Jersey
The town is located southwest of New York City and 48 miles northeast of Philadelphia.Lawrence Brook, a tributary of the Raritan River, runs along the western border of the township...
. In 1990, he graduated at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and received the ASCAP Foundation's Richard Rodgers New Horizon Award with composer Stephen Weiner.
Career
Slater wrote the lyrics for the Off-BroadwayOff-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
stage revue Newyorkers produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club is a theater company located in New York City. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has grown since its founding in 1970 from an Off-Off Broadway showcase into one of the country’s most acclaimed...
in 2001. He has written lyrics for six editions of Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus.
His first work with Alan Menken was writing the lyrics for the film Home on the Range in 2004 and the stage production Sister Act the Musical
Sister Act the Musical
Sister Act is a musical written by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner with additional book material by Douglas Carter Beane, with lyrics by Glenn Slater and music by Alan Menken. It is based on the hit 1992 film comedy of the same name...
(2006).
He wrote the lyrics for the stage adaptation of Disney's The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid (musical)
The Little Mermaid is a stage musical produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen...
(2008), replacing the animated film's original lyricist Howard Ashman
Howard Ashman
Howard Elliott Ashman was an American playwright and lyricist. Ashman first studied at Boston University and Goddard College and then went on to achieve his master's degree from Indiana University in 1974...
, who died in 1991. He is working 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
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
musical Love Never Dies, which is a sequel to Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux.The music was composed by Lloyd Webber, and most lyrics were written by Charles Hart, with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Alan Jay Lerner was an early collaborator,...
. The show premiered in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
in March 2010. After widespread criticism of Slater's lyrics on the show's opening, Charles Hart was brought in to substantially rewrite parts of the libretto.
Slater and his wife, Wendy Leigh Wilf, wrote the book, music and lyrics to a new musical Beatsville that received a production at the 2008 NAMT Festival of New Musicals, in New York.
Slater attended the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop and was a resident writer with Musical Theatreworks.
Adding to his career as a lyricist, Slater wrote the lyrics for the songs in Disney's 50th animated feature Tangled.
Awards and honors
Slater has received the Kleban Award for Lyrics, the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award and the Jonathan Larson Award.He was nominated for the 2008 Tony Award for Best Original Score
Tony Award for Best Original Score
The Tony Award for Best Original Score is the Tony Award given to the composers and lyricists of the best original score written for a musical in that year. The score consists of music and lyrics...
for The Little Mermaid and received his second nomination for this award in 2011 for Sister Act.
Personal
Slater lives in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with his wife Wendy Leigh Wilf and two sons, Benjamin and Daniel.