Howard Ashman and Alan Menken were planning to write songs for this film once they were finished working on "Aladdin", but Ashman died in 1991. Following the death of his longtime collaborator, Menken wrote the remaining songs for "Aladdin" with Tim Rice at his home in London, which the New York-based composer found to be difficult. When work on "Aladdin" was finished, Menken was planning to write songs for the film with Rice. Kevin Bannerman, the film's director of development, stated Rice "was always gallivanting around the world and it was difficult to get him and Alan together ... And so here was Stephen , who had written scores that we all loved and we were huge fans of, and he lived in the New York area." Disney immediately contacted Stephen Schwartz, who, after working on "Working", "Rags", and "Children of Eden", had quit theater and was taking psychology courses at New York University; he was brought on board to write the lyrics. This would mark the first time Menken had collaborated without Ashman for a Disney animated film. Menken commented that their work included moments of tension because Schwartz was also capable of writing music and Menken had experience with lyrics.