[magic]

Has ALW selected a lyricist yet for Phantom 2. I read a piece in the press that it was going to be Frederick Forstyth the author but that can't be true can it

[emkay]

According to an article from Playbill.com, the lyricist will be Tim Rice. Here's the link:

Phantom 2 News

[jimee1987]

News from Playbill today is that it's Glenn Slater, not Tim Rice.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/116244.html

[Annasette]

And ALW only to apparently be credited with the book! No mention of a Frederick person at all! So it looks as if everything to do with the Phantom of Manhattan tale is now off the agenda! And it would have to be completely different to have him accorded no credit at all.

[divaesqueish]

actually, i've heard its glenn slater (or at least that he's doing some work on it). he's the lyricist who's been working with alan menken for a few years.

[Annasette]

Errr yes! That was why the Playbill article was posted. Glenn Slater is apparently now the lyricist. But he is not apparently being credited with the book. And if the "Phantom in Manhattan" novel is not even a "source", then how much credence can be given to the story as also quoted, as was the most recent apparent information to come out. Isn't that still a little close to Forsyth's book to not have it/him credited at all.

[Orchestrator]

Who cares??????????

Forsyth's lawyers? RUG's lawyers? PR people? Poster designers? IMDB? Heaven forbid people interested in Musical Theatre might care about the source of a new show?

Christopher Bond managed to get a credit for the Sondheim/Wheeler Sweeney Todd on the grounds that it was closely based (probably not the official legal wording) on Bond's play. There might be something similar here, or not. The late Ken Hill was very bitter that ALW used Hill's ideas for his Phantom of the Opera [according to Hill, that is, so don't sue me].