Alan Menken Talks 3 Brand-New Songs for Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; Audra McDonald 'Showcase'

In an interview posted on today's EW.com, award-winning composer Alan Menken, who co-wrote the music for Disney's original 1991 animated film BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, discusses three new ballads for the highly anticipated live-action adaptation of the film, hitting theaters on March 17th.

First up is a song performed by Emma Watson's Belle along with her father Maurice, voiced by Kevin Kline. "It ends up being a song called 'Our Song Lives On,' and it's done in a number of forms," explains Menken of the ballad. "The first time it's sung, it's BELLE'S father singing as he's completing a music box, and basically it's [about], 'How does a moment live forever? How do you hang on to precious moments?' Then, it's reprised by Belle, and then it's the song that's actually over the end credits at the end of the movie. Disney hasn't announced it yet, but there's going to be some wonderful singer on the end credits song."

Next up, a new tune titled 'For Evermore' performed by Dan Stevens' the Beast. Shares Menken, "'For Evermore' is this moment where the Beast now loves Belle, and he realizes that she misses her father, and he acknowledges she's no longer a prisoner, and when she sees her father's in trouble, he says, 'Go to him, go.' And he voluntarily lets her go." He adds, "He's basically singing about how he now knows what love is, as he watches her leave, and he's climbing up the turret of the castle as she recedes into the distance, just watching her go further and further away."

According to Menken, the final new number titled "Days in the Sun" comes at "a moment when all of the objects in the castle -and Belle - are going to sleep. Basically, everybody in the castle is having memories of what it used to be when they had their days in the sun. It's sort of a combination of a lullaby and a remembrance of happier days for everybody."

In more exciting news, EW exclusively reveals that the film will feature a showcase for six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald, who takes on the role of Madame De Garderobe. Says Menken, "It's a moment within the prologue, just before the spell befalls the castle. We're actually at an event at the Prince's castle, where the Prince is about to be turned into the Beast, and he's in his very selfish and self-indulgent phase of his life, and we see that, and we have the magnificent Audra McDonald singing this number."

Which songs are you most looking forward to?

The film, which brings the story and characters audiences know and love to life in a stunning, cinematic event, is directed by Bill Condon and features an extraordinary ensemble cast which also includes Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Audra McDonald, Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST will be released in U.S. theaters nationwide on March 17, 2017.

Images courtesy of Walt Disney Studios