Hercules (musical)

Hercules
215px The Public Theater promotional poster
Music	Alan Menken
Lyrics	David Zippel
Book	Kristoffer Diaz (2019) Kwame Kwei-Armah & Robert Horn (2023)
Setting	Ancient Greece
Basis	Hercules by Walt Disney Animation Studios
Productions	2019 Delacorte Theater 2023 Paper Mill Playhouse 2024 Neue Flora

Hercules is a musical based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios 1997 film of the same name. The music and lyrics were written by Alan Menken and David Zippel, with a book by Kristoffer Diaz and Robert Horn. The production is also loosely based on the legendary hero of the same name, the son of Zeus, in Greek mythology.

Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the musical had a tryout at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in August 2019 and was met with a mixed critical response.

Development

In July 2017, Alan Menken announced that he was 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

Delacorte Theater (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.

Paper Mill Playhouse (2023)

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 would be written by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Robert Horn. Announced cast members include Bradley Gibson as Hercules, Shuler Hensley as Hades, Iglehart reprising his role as Phil, and Isabelle McCalla as Meg. Rounding out the cast is 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.

Neue Flora (2024)

The first international production of Hercules will be staged at the Neue Flora in Hamburg, Germany on March 24, 2024 and will directed by Casey Nicholaw. It is the first Disney stage musical to be developed in Hamburg.

Notable casts

Character	Delacorte Theater	Paper Mill Playhouse
	2019	2023
Hercules	Jelani Alladin	Bradley Gibson
Phil	James Monroe Iglehart
Meg	Krysta Rodriguez	Isabelle McCalla
Hades	Roger Bart	Shuler Hensley
Pain	Nelson Chimilio	Reggie De Leon
Panic	Jeff Hiller	Jeff Blumenkrantz
Thalia	Ramona Keller	Anastacia McCleskey
Calliope	Tamika Lawrence	Tiffany Mann
Terpsichore	Rema Webb	Destinee Rea
Clio	-	Charity Angél Dawson
Melpomene	-	Rashidra Scott
Nessus	Joel Frost	Jesse Nager

Musical numbers

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

Delacorte (2019)

• "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)

Paper Mill (2023)

Act I

• "Prologue" – Company
• "Gospel Truth I" – Muses & Ensemble
• "Gospel Truth II" – Muses & Ensemble
• "The Prophecy" – Fates
• "Gospel Truth III" – Muses
• "Despina's Lullaby (Part One)" – Despina
• "Gospel Truth IV" – Muses & Ensemble
• "Uniquely Greek Town Square" – Ensemble
• "Despina's Lullaby (Part Two)" – Despina
• "Go the Distance" – Hercules
• "Phil's Soul Spot" – Phil & Muses
• "One Last Hope" – Phil
• "Gospel Truth V" – Muses
• "Forget About It" – Meg & Hercules
• "Cool Day in Hell" – Hades, Pain, Panic & Fates
• "Uniquely Greek Tough Town" – Ensemble
• "Zero to Hero" – Muses, Hercules, Phil & Ensemble
• "Act One Finale" – Hercules, Muses & Ensemble

Act II

• "Shooting Star" – Hercules
• "A Muse Bouche" – Muses
• "I'm Back!" – Phil
• "One Last Hope/Go the Distance (Reprises)" – Phil & Hercules
• "Cool Reprise in Hell" – Hades, Pain & Panic
• "Gospel Truth VI" – Muses
• "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" – Meg & Muses
• "Great Bolts of Thunder" – Company
• "To Be Human" – Hercules
• "A Star is Born" – Company
• "Go the Distance (Finale)" – Company

Reception

The world premiere production has garnered mixed 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".