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This article is about the musical based on the film. For articles that share the same name, see Hercules.

Hercules is a musical based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios 1997film of the same name which was written by Alan Menken and David Zippel with a book by Kristoffer Diaz. The production is also loosely based on the legendary hero of the same name in Greek mythology and produced by Disney Theatrical Productions. During a tryout at the Delacorte Theater in August 2019, the musical was met with a mixed to positive critical response.

Development[]

In July 2017, Alan Menken announced that he is working on a stage adaptation of the 1997 film, Hercules. On February 6, 2019, it was announced that the theatrical adaptation would premiere later that year.

Productions[]

Original Manhattan Production (2019)[]

The world premiere occurred at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, Manhattan, New York, as part of its Public Works program from August 31 until September 8. Menken and David Zippel returned to compose and write the songs, while Kristoffer Diaz wrote the book, Lear deBessonet directed, and Chase Brock choreographed. The cast included Jelani Alladin (Hercules), Roger Bart (Hades), Jeff Hiller (Panic), Joel Frost (Nessus), Nelson Chimilio (Pain), James Monroe Iglehart (Phil), Ramona Keller (Thalia), Tamika Lawrence (Calliope), Krysta Rodriguez (Meg), and Rema Webb (Terpsichore). Menken wrote new songs for the musical, as well as reusing the film's original works.

Future[]

On March 22, 2020, Alan Menken appeared on Rosie O'Donnell's livestream benefit for the Actors Fund, where he talked about his upcoming projects, saying "I'm working on Disenchanted, the sequel to Enchanted, and I have another Broadway show" and in a separate thought, he added "Hercules is coming to the stage. Of course we did that in Central Park last summer." Disney Theatrical subsequently confirmed that they intend to make the product available for licensing. On May 16, 2020, it was reported that Robert Horn will write a new iteration for the musical, with Lear deBessonet returning as director. On August 18, 2020, Menken confirmed that the musical is indeed being adapted to Broadway.

In April 2022, it was announced that a revised version of the musical would play at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey during the 2022-23 season, from February 16 to March 19, 2023. The revised book will be written by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Robert Horn.[1] Announced cast members include Bradley Gibson as Hercules, Shuler Hensley as Hades, Iglehart reprising his role as Phil, and Isabelle McCalla as Meg.[2] Rounding out the cast will be Charity Angél Dawson (Clio), Tiffany Mann (Calliope), Anastascia McClesky (Thalia), Destinee Rea (Terpischore), and Rashidra Scott (Melpomene) as the Muses, Reggie De Leon and Jeff Blumenkrantz as Pain and Panic, Kathryn Allison as Despina, Allyson Kaye Daniel as Aunt Tithesis/Lachesis, Lucia Giannetta as Atropos, Jesse Nager as Nessus, Dennis Stowe and Kristen Faith Oei as Zeus and Hera, and Anne Fraser Thomas as Clotho.[3]

Musical numbers[]

The music was composed by Alan Menken, with lyrics by David Zippel.

  • "To Be Human (Prologue)"
  • "The Gospel Truth
  • "The Gospel Truth (Reprise 1-He Ran the Underworld)"±
  • "The Prophecy"
  • "The Gospel Truth (Reprise 2-Hades Was Not Amused)"
  • "The Gospel Truth (Reprise 3-Young Herc Was Mortal Now)"±
  • "Uniquely Greek Town Square"
  • "Go the Distance
  • "One Last Hope
  • "The Gospel Truth (Reprise 4-Young Herc Was On His Way)"
  • "Forget About It"
  • "A Cool Day In Hell"
  • "Uniquely Greek Tough Town"
  • "Zero to Hero
  • "A Cool Day In Hell (Reprise)"
  • "Shooting Star
  • "One Last Hope (Reprise)/Go the Distance (Reprise)"
  • "The Gospel Truth (Reprise 5-Herc Jumped the Garden Wall)"
  • "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)
  • "Great Bolts Of Thunder"
  • "To Be Human"
  • "A Star Is Born
  • "Go the Distance (Finale)"±

Reception[]

The world premiere production has garnered mixed to positive reviews from critics, with many praising the cast, music, story, and production value. Thom Geier, of TheWrap, praised the production, saying it "works better than bigger-budgeted recent efforts like Frozen". Jessica Derschowits, of Entertainment Weekly, welcomed the "lively but low-key production that feels in many ways like the polar opposite of Disney's string of megawatt Broadway hits — which is a big part of its charm". Jesse Green, of The New York Times, gave a positive review by commenting on the "shrewd casting and amateur performers joining professionals onstage, a middling 1997 animated Disney musical becomes a pageant of civic engagement". Matt Windman, of AM New York Metro, gave a mixed review by commenting on "the lighthearted tone of the film, Kristoffer Diaz's new book features countless zingers and inside jokes. Diaz also tries to deliver an underlying moral on the difference between being a hero and a celebrity. However, Diaz may have gone too far in changing around some of the original sequencing, which has made the second half of the show very messy".

References[]

Wikipedia
This page uses content from the English Wikipedia page Hercules (musical). The list of authors can be seen in the page history. Text from Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.


v - e - d
Hercules logo
Media
Films: Hercules (video/soundtrack) • Hercules: Zero to HeroHercules (live-action film)

Shows: TV seriesHouse of MouseChibi Tiny Tales
Video games: Hercules Action GameAnimated Storybook: HerculesHades ChallengeKingdom HeartsKingdom Hearts: Chain of MemoriesKingdom Hearts IIKingdom Hearts 358/2 DaysKingdom Hearts Birth by SleepKingdom Hearts coded Kingdom Hearts χ Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ/Union χKingdom Hearts IIIDisney Emoji BlitzDisney Heroes: Battle ModeDisney Sorcerer's ArenaDisney Speedstorm

Disney Parks
Disney Animation BuildingIt's a Small WorldSorcerers of the Magic KingdomHercules in the Underworld

Entertainment: Animazment: The MusicalDisney Dreams: An Enchanted ClassicDisney's WishesFantasmic!Hercules: The Muse-icalMickey's Gift of DreamsOnce Upon a MouseVillains Tonight!
Parades: Disney Stars and Motor Cars ParadeHercules Victory ParadeThe Hercules Electrical ParadeThe Wonderful World of Disney Parade
Fireworks: Happily Ever AfterHarmoniousMomentousWishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney DreamsWonderful World of AnimationIlluminate! A Nighttime CelebrationWondrous Journeys
Summer: Stitch and Friends Summer Surprise
Halloween: Disney's Not So Spooky SpectacularDisney Villains Wicked GatheringFrightfully Fun ParadeHocus Pocus Villain SpelltacularHouse of De Vil-lainsMaze of Madness: The Nightmare Experiment ContinuesMickey's Boo-to-You Halloween ParadeRe-Villains! Halloween ParadeRock on With The Disney VillainsScream and Shout Halloween ParadeThe Villains WorldVillains Night Out!World of Color: Villainous!
Christmas: A Christmas Fantasy Parade

Characters
Original: HerculesHadesPegasusPhiloctetesMegaraPain and PanicFatesMusesZeusHeraHermesHephaestusAthenaAresPoseidonAphroditeArtemisApolloOlympian GodsThebansDionysusTitansCerberusHydraMinotaurSthenoNemean LionNessusNymphsAmphitryon and AlcmeneHarpiesCetusCaledonian BoarCharonBob the NarratorGriffinsCupidDemeter

TV Series: ChipaclesHestiaIcarusCassandraAdonisHelen of TroyTempestCirceTritonGalateaPandoraMedusaEchidnaTyphonEchidna's ChildrenFuriesHecateCanis and LupusNemesisMr. ParenthesesHomerFear and TerrorIbidAntaeusPrometheusDaedelusMorpheusKronosGaiaAmphitriteAchillesTheseusOrionNestor & MeleagerKing MidasMelampusLavinaAndromedaSyrinxMr. GriffTiviusOrthosQueen HippolyteMomalusArachneCaucasian EagleSphinx MartindaleGegeneisOtus

Episodes
Season One: "Hercules and the Apollo Mission" • "Hercules and the King of Thessaly" • "Hercules and the Secret Weapon" • "Hercules and the Assassin" • "Hercules and the Big Kiss" • "Hercules and the River Styx" • "Hercules and the Techno Greeks" • "Hercules and the World's First Doctor" • "Hercules and the Pool Party" • "Hercules and the Prince of Thrace" • "Hercules and the Tapestry of Fate" • "Hercules and the Living Legend" • "Hercules and the Return of Typhon" • "Hercules and the Owl of Athena" • "Hercules and the Girdle of Hippolyte" • "Hercules and the Bacchanal" • "Hercules and the Underworld Takeover" • "Hercules and the Comedy of Arrows" • "Hercules and the Hostage Crisis" • "Hercules and the Disappearing Heroes" • "Hercules and the Argonauts" • "Hercules and the Drama Festival" • "Hercules and the Phil Factor" • "Hercules and the All Nighter" • "Hercules and the Song of Circe" • "Hercules and the Trojan War" • "Hercules and the Dream Date" • "Hercules and the Big Games" • "Hercules and the Jilt Trip" • "Hercules and the Falling Stars" • "Hercules and the Golden Touch" • "Hercules and the Minotaur" • "Hercules and the Son of Poseidon" • "Hercules and the Twilight of the Gods" • "Hercules and the Griffin" • "Hercules and the King For a Day" • "Hercules and the Pegasus Incident" • "Hercules and the Big Sink" • "Hercules and the Big Lie" • "Hercules and the Prom" • "Hercules and the Spartan Experience" • "Hercules and the Complex Electra" • "Hercules and the Long Nightmare" • "Hercules and the Arabian Night" • "Hercules and the Aetolian Amphora" • "Hercules and the Romans" • "Hercules and the Yearbook" • "Hercules and the Odyssey Experience" • "Hercules and the Grim Avenger" • "Hercules and the Spring of Canathus" • "Hercules and the Big Show" • "Hercules and the Tiff on Olympus"

Season Two: "Hercules and the First Day of School"" • "Hercules and the Visit from Zeus" • "Hercules and the Driving Test" • "Hercules and the Parent's Weekend" • "Hercules and the Prometheus Affair" • "Hercules and the Hero of Athens" • "Hercules and the Caledonian Boar" • "Hercules and the Epic Adventure" • "Hercules and the Poseidon's Cup Adventure" • "Hercules and the Muse of Dance" • "Hercules and the Kids" • "Hercules and the Gorgon" • "Hercules and the Green-Eyed Monster"

Songs
Original: The Gospel TruthGo the DistanceOne Last HopeZero to HeroI Won't Say (I'm in Love)A Star is BornShooting StarI Can't Believe My Heart

TV series songs: Send My Boy to SchoolMy TownPericles of AthensPromethean DittyThe AgoraThe BacchanalThe Man That I LovePucker Up or Let Him SnoozeThat's How the Story GoesAphrodesia DanceLove Is In The AirSince the Light Went AwayAin't Life a BeachCan-Do KingKronos StoneWhat's a Mother to Do?Sreamin' Grecian Teenage BluesLethe Water on the Brain!One Good ManYou're My Hero

Locations
Ancient GreeceMount OlympusUnderworldPhil's IslandThebesPrometheus AcademyAtlantis City
Objects
Skull PacifierArmageddon BowLightning BoltsMortal PotionTrident
Miscellaneous
Disney Sing Along Songs: From HerculesMusical
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