If anyone wants to add to this, go ahead. Here's what I know...
Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden attended USC together, I believe, where they started collaborating. "Jekyll & Hyde" was their first major collaboration, started in 1980, abandoned for few years (in which they explored other projects which were never staged) before they returned to it in 1986. The Wildhorn/Cuden "Jekyll & Hyde" came close to being staged on Broadway in 1987/88. Unfortunately, due to a stock-market crash, the production was canceled and producers seem to have labelled it "damaged goods". Frank, ever Mr. perseverance, pursued another opening. Bricusse entered the picture, probably because he was a name, and Cuden was asked to step aside. The rest is history...
During the time "Jekyll & Hyde" almost got to Broadway, Frank and Steve began work on an adaptation of the life of Crown Prince Rudolf of Vienna. That version was known as "Vienna!" (which was the title of the work for some years.) "Someone Like You", from "Jekyll & Hyde", was originally written as a love song for this show. Then, of course, Cuden was off "Jekyll & Hyde" and the collaboration disappeared from that time.
Frank met Nan Knighton in the 1990s when he was looking for a lyricist on "The Scarlet Pimpernel". Nan got involved with "Vienna!" and remained on the project until her duties on "Camille Claudel" disabled her from writing a new draft of "Vienna!" Jack Murphy was called in, (I don't know how Phoebe Hwang entered the picture) and the rest is history.
"Only Love" was not recyled from "The Scarlet Pimpernel". It was originally written for this show.
I believe "Vienna!" was also commissioned by the United Stages of Vienna but I don't know the story with that one. That's why other members can add...
