I don't write songs for myself anymore. I only write songs on assignment. It's purely a business, but it is still so important to me emotionally.
Alan MenkenHaving a tradition is a great thing to work within, and maybe today [it] is the only way to really land musically dramatic work.
Alan MenkenI've always juggled a lot of projects because at least half the projects you do get shelved. So you have to do a lot of things in order for things to move forward.
Alan MenkenThe best parts about writing a show are [its] first, second and 10th anniversaries. Everything else is relative levels of hell.
Alan MenkenCollaboration is being open to each other's ideas and benefiting from each other's perspectives in an open way. Collaboration is all about rewriting and rewriting and rewriting and helping each other to constantly improve a piece. And, it's also about spurring each other on to doing really great, hard work - it's easier to do it in a collaboration than on your own.
Alan Menken