ASCAP’s Musical Theater Fest Will Celebrate the Life and Music of Howard Ashman

Composer Howard Ashman’s body of work will be celebrated at ASCAP’s Musical Theatre Fest.

The conversation, titled “Part of Our World: Celebrating the Life & Lyrics of Howard Ashman,” will feature interviews and performances from “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast, “Aladdin” and more selections across the composer’s career.

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Now in its second year, the ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Fest returns to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts from May 14 to 21.

The festival will focus on music from film and TV animation, featuring award-winning composers and top executives from film and TV animation studios, geared to aspiring musical theatre writers.

Glenn Slater (“Tangled,” “Sister Act: The Musical”), Heitor Pereira (“Despicable Me”), Future Vega (“Fast & Furious Spy Racers”) and Raye Zaragoza (“Spirit Rangers”) are some of the ASCAP composers scheduled to appear.

Panel discussions with studio executives include Alexandra Nickson (SVP of music, DreamWorks), Vivian Buff (director of music, DreamWorks), Joe D’Ambrosia (EVP and general manager, Sony Pictures Television – Kids) and Jay Stutler (SVP of music, Walt Disney Television Animation). Conversations will focus on working with composers and lyricists on their animated projects; the specific steps it takes to bring a project to life, from music cues to final master; and present a mini-workshop with the opportunity for previously selected songwriting teams to write a song based on an assigned brief.

The inaugural ASCAP Foundation Musical Theatre Librettist Workshop will also take place at the Wallis, from May 18 to 21. Applicants who were previously selected for the workshop will present and receive feedback on the musical book and songs from their original musical from a panel of composers, producers and librettists.

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