When Robert Lopez announced that his follow up to the Broadway hit Avenue Q was going to be a team up with South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker for The Book of Mormon, it made perfect sense. The creative mind behind a profane puppet musical combining forces with the duo behind a profane animated television show. The collaboration was practically fate.
But his next move after completing Book of Mormon couldn’t have been more of a 180° turn: writing and composing songs for Winnie the Pooh. Lopez penned five tunes for Disney’s latest animated feature and while they’re colorful (how could the not be? It’s Pooh.) they aren’t colorful. As in, don’t worry about taking your kids to the movie— nothing potentially earth-shattering in this one (unless you’re abhorrently against talking to your growling tummy).
Time recently sat down with Lopez to talk Winnie the Pooh, how it compared to Book of Mormon and the difficulties and ease he found with each. The resulting conversation is equal parts hilarious and insightful (and completely safe for work).
