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Beauty and the Beast on Tour is now in
Schenectady
May 15 - 20, 2012
Proctors Theatre
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Boston
May 29 - June 3, 2012
Opera House
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Philadelphia
June 5 - 10, 2012
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
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Washington
June 12 - 24, 2012
National Theatre
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Creative Team

HOWARD ASHMAN

Lyricist

Howard conceived, wrote and directed Little Shop of Horrors, based on Roger Corman’s 1960-era horror flick and with music by Alan Menken. Little Shop played for five years off-Broadway at the Orpheum Theater. The show continues to be produced to great acclaim in the US as well as internationally. In 2003, Little Shop was revived on Broadway and in 2007 it was revived on the West End. It is currently one of the most produced shows in American High Schools.

In 1986, Ashman wrote and directed the Broadway musical, Smile, music by Marvin Hamlisch. Little appreciated at the time, Smile is now considered a lost gem of musical theater and is performed by high school students around the US.

Turning his talents toward film, Ashman was pivotal in the renaissance of Disney animated musicals and in the development of Disney’s The Little Mermaid (Producer and Lyrics), Beauty and the Beast (Executive Producer and Lyrics) and Aladdin (Lyrics), all with music by Alan Menken. Ashman’s contributions to the revival of classic Disney animated musicals were perhaps best expressed by the dedication to the film Beauty and the Beast: “To our friend Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul. He will be forever missed.”

Ashman’s numerous awards include two Oscars, two Golden Globes, four Grammys, a Drama Desk and a London Evening Standard. He died in 1991 at age 40 from complications arising from AIDS.

Ashman Sings Ashman, a CD of his work, with never-before-heard demos, including those from Smile, is available from PS Classics. Ashman’s papers are in the permanent collection of the Library of Congress.