Feature
MUSIC
LYRICS
Kristen Anderson-Lopez ’90 and her husband
strike a melodious note
By Jonsie Evans ’95, Director of Alumni Relations
On a typical day in Park Slope, Brooklyn, you’ll find Kristen AndersonLopez ’90 and her husband, Robert Lopez, singing with their two children,
accompanied by the piano, in their home recording studio. But what looks like
play is really the passion behind the work of two very talented artists, writers,
and performers. Kristen and Robert are the dynamic duo behind the music and
lyrics of various feature films and theater productions, including Disney’s new
animated film Frozen. Their song “Let It Go” from Frozen was nominated
for both a Golden Globe and an Oscar for “Best Original Song.”
Photo by Talisman Brolin
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From Gorelick Family
Theater to Broadway
Kristen’s interest in music and theater
started early. From performing with
the Children’s Theater of Charlotte to
playing Mary Magdalene in the Upper
School production of Jesus Christ
Superstar her senior year, she was
drawn to the creative process. After
graduating from Williams College,
thinking she wasn’t seasoned enough
to audition in New York City, Kristen
headed to Jupiter, Florida, to work with
a small musical theater group. “We
were basically indentured servants, 10
of us working as both cast and crew and
putting on 13 productions per year,”
she says.
It wasn’t too long before Kristen found
her way to NYC, where she spent most of
her twenties temping and playing minor
roles in small productions. “These are
what I refer to as my ‘lost years.’ The
performance highlight was playing nuns
(yes, plural!) in New Hampshire, but
really I was mostly learning how to be
an adult,” she shared.
Even though she was pursuing a career
as an actress, Kristen was constantly
rewriting lyrics to songs and coming up
with spoofs to musicals. When Mark
Hollmann, a Broadway composer and
lyricist, said “You’re a lyricist,” it clicked
for her. Yes, she was a lyricist, but she
didn’t really know what to do next.
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The success of their work-life partnership was
unmistakable, and major players in the industry took
notice. Since Finding Nemo, Kristen and Robert
were brought on by Disney to co-write songs for
Winnie the Pooh, released in 2011, and Frozen, the
animated hit of the 2013 holiday season.
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage
Kristen, Robert, and their daughters Katie and Annie walking the “white carpet”
at the Frozen world premiere in Hollywood last November.
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Kristen’s Country Day Experience
Kristen entered Country Day as an
Upper School student when her
family moved to North Carolina.
She vividly remembers the great
teachers who influenced her
development as a student and
engaged her as an artist.
Thanks to Mary Allen Todd,
Kristen’s obsession with
Shakespeare began in junior
English. She fondly recalls how
passionate she was writing from the
perspective of a lawyer defending
Portia, the heroine of The Merchant
of Venice.
Rob Williams directed the play
Jesus Christ Superstar, in which
Kristen played Mary Magdalene her
senior year, and inspired her love of
the stage (pictured left).
Luckily, Kristen found the perfect
program for her to develop her
passion and skills through the BMI
Foundation—an opportunity that she
looks back on as a “one-stop shop”
for her personal and professional life.
During the three-year program, Kristen
was introduced to talented industry
professionals who she still collaborates
with today, including her husband.
Life, Love, and Work
Kristen and Robert’s relationship began
in 1999 at a New York forum for writers
and musical theater. Robert performed
a song from Avenue Q, the musical
which later earned him a Tony Award
for Best Original Score, and it was love
at first sight. In 2002, the couple first
collaborated professionally on several
songs for Disney/Jim Henson’s Bear
in the Big Blue House television series.
Kristen and Robert were married the
following year, and in 2006 they began
working as writer and composer on
the Walt Disney World production of
Finding Nemo–The Musical.
The success of their work-life
partnership was unmistakable, and
major players in the industry took
notice. Since Finding Nemo, Kristen
and Robert were brought on by Disney
to co-write songs for Winnie the Pooh,
released in 2011, and Frozen, the
animated hit of the 2013 holiday season.
Working on Frozen was truly a family
affair, both in inspiration and creation.
In addition to Kristen and Robert
composing eight original songs for
the film, their daughters Katie (8) and
Annie (4) also have voice parts. It was a
dream come true for the Lopez family—
to have the opportunity to collaborate
with the master storytellers at Disney
and work with incredible talent like
Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell, two of
the featured voices in Frozen.
Scan the code to watch a video of Kristen and
her husband discussing what it was like to work
with stars Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel on the
film Frozen. http://bit.ly/anderson-lopez
Stephanie Wilder (formerly
Felder) was a role model for
Kristen and taught her that
“literature is cool.”
Gary Forbis played a large
part in developing her musical
talents. “Mr. Forbis was incredibly
dedicated. He gave us really
challenging stuff, like Benjamin
Britten and Handel.” She added
that the choir trips to perform in
Florida were a highlight.
Math teacher Tim Timson really
helped Kristen understand her
own “out-of-the-box” approach
to math. “He would always give a
problem during class that would
allow me to shine.”
“Listening to a 72-piece orchestra
play our songs, walking the ‘white
carpet,’ and seeing our work realized
on a giant movie screen was incredibly
transcendent,” says Kristen. Of course,
being nominated for an Oscar and a
Golden Globe definitely adds icing to
the cake.
Back in Brooklyn…
Currently, Kristen and Robert are back
in their Brooklyn studio focused on
several upcoming projects. In a recent
USA Today interview, Kristen said, “I
get to play all day with my best friend,
and he also happens to be my favorite
Broadway composer. We’re both very,
very grateful.” The duo is working on
a yet-to-be announced Disney project
and a stage production called Up Here.