Hercules on Stage

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Disney's Divinity
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Re: Hercules on Stage

Post by Disney's Divinity »

How neat that Bart is playing Hades! He was the simultaneously creepy and comedic pharmacist on Desperate Housewives, so I'm sure he could pull off a villain.
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Re: Hercules on Stage

Post by disneyprincess11 »

I WON THE TICKETS FOR SUNDAY! CAN NOT WAIT!!!! :dance: :dance: :dance:
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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:pink: :pink: :pink: :pink:

Have fun!!! tell us all about it please!!!
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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Wow, that's amazing! Congratulations, disneyprincess11!!! I'm really happy for you.

By the way, according to The New York Times, the show will feature five new songs. Here are some details about three of them:
In the new version, audiences can also expect a duet between Hercules and his headstrong love interest, Meg (Krysta Rodriguez), and another “Zero-to-Hero”-esque group number, “Great Bolts of Thunder.”

Mr. Menken’s favorite addition is a song for the villain, a staple in other Disney musicals from the time period. With “A Cool Day in Hell,” Hades at last gets his number.

“Hades is always blowing his top,” Mr. Menken said. “You know —”

Mr. Menken screamed.

“You see the flames come out of his head, and then he takes two deep breaths and goes, ‘O.K. I’m cool.’ It’s a little bit … ‘Walk on the Wild Side.’”
In the same article, Alan Menken says there are no plans to take the show to Broadway:
Tickets for the show, directed by Lear deBessonet, will be distributed through a digital lottery. And unlike “The Lion King,” “Aladdin” and, most recently, “Frozen,” there are no plans for future productions, Mr. Menken said, on Broadway or otherwise.
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Re: Hercules on Stage

Post by Warm Regards »

The lottery was not in my favor. Oh well. Maybe I should try the standbys.

Congrats, disneyprincess11! Let us know all the details!
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Re: Hercules on Stage

Post by disneyprincess11 »

Thank you guys!!! I'm beyond shocked that I won :o God forbid, I couldn't win the lottery for Dear Evan Hansen at my town, but I managed to beat thousands and thousands for this :lol:

About Alan and the producers saying there will be no life for the show after the PT in the NY Times, I don't buy this in the slightest. There is no way Disney would abandon one of their popular demands of a classic Disney film on Broadway, especially if there is this much of a ruckus of no one being able to see it. Plus, look at the huge casting for the leads.

They said the same thing about Prince of Egypt in 2017. Now it’s coming to West End next year and possibly Broadway late 2020/early 2021. Then, Newsies. Instant Broadway transfer over popular demand after “licensing only.” I just read somewhere that Hunchback’s Broadway run was only cancelled due to creative differences with producers about the ending.

I’m going to guess: This is a very rough draft of a Broadway show like Aladdin’s was in Seattle in 2011. They can not and will not abandon Hercules, a huge classic Disney fave, so damn easily. But if Alan’s statement is true, I'm even more grateful to win, but I’m sad and angry for the public because this was long anticipated and Hercules deserves more than a one show thing.
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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You may be right, disneyprincess11. Maybe they don't want to reveal they have hopes of taking it to Broadway to make the current show seem more exclusive.
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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D82 wrote:You may be right, disneyprincess11. Maybe they don't want to reveal they have hopes of taking it to Broadway to make the current show seem more exclusive.
Funny thing: My friend who I took to the show last night knows some people at Disney and yup, they’re really thinking about it. :D There are some hiccups like the three shows possibly taking on a fourth show.

Bless my soul! I loved the hell out of this show! :dance: I haven’t smiled this hard and had so much fun since Spongebob. It is defientely campy, but the style actually works pretty well as the movie was very loose in comedy and pop culture. The show does get cringe-worthy sometimes with the “hipness” (The Muses saying there’s the tea to spill, Hercules doing the wobble), but some of the hipness did get huge laughs from me. The puppets for the Titans were really well done and beautiful to look at. And actually, because Disney isn’t the main producer, Public Theater let some stuff fly like Hades actually flipping off the audience for a mere second as he gets dragged to the Underworld and even a boner joke from Hercules (He gets one when he realizes he likes her during Meg’s intro song.)

I saw Jelani in Frozen last year and was one of my favorite parts last year, and he was great here too! He was so adorable and charming. He is also very vulnerable with really strong emotions. Krysta was really a spot-on Meg. She’s not a Susan Egan impression, but she does keep the rough and sarcastic core. The audience went wild as soon as she sang the first two notes of IWSTIL. James was also a great choice for Phil. He is just as heartfelt and sincere as he was in Aladdin. And he loved it when people at the stagedoor mentioned the Genie. And Phil actually isn’t a centaur. He’s a human here. But Roger was the real highlight as Hades. He is as funny, dry and crazy as you ever hoped and more. His entrance is absolutely the best too! He sold the new solo so well! The other standout was the hysterical little girl as a Fate (she was IN it!) and she outshined the two others by far.

I loved the new music. Hades’ “Cool Day in Hell,” Meg’s “Forget About It” and Hercules’s solo at the end were my favorite. I loved the expanded opening Gospel Truth and Go the Distance. I hope we at least get a cast album.

I really hope to God that they’ll transfer to Broadway. Either way, there will be life for this. The book is ready to go for HERCULES Jr., particularly for the final monster fight, which was very very cheesy, but works okay for productions like this. If the transfer is successful, they defientely need to re-write it completely and make Hercules more stronger with the monsters in general. I’m just so damn glad that I saw the show and I hope it gets the life it deserves afterwards. It’s cute and such a fun night out. If Central Park wasn’t such a pain to leave at night, I would try for closing night.

And bonus: Alan Menken sat right by us and we said hi to each other while entering the arena. That was a highlight of the night right there. :D :D :D And he seemed so sweet, hugging and laughing with his friends and one of them was Donna Murphy who walked right pass me at one point.
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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Articles

Photo Flash: In Rehearsal with the Company of Hercules
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/P ... S-20190819

Photo Flash: Bless My Soul! Get a First Look at The Public Theater's Hercules
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/P ... S-20190901

Everything You Need to Know About The Public Theater's Hercules
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/E ... S-20190828

Hercules’s Jelani Alladin on Exploring Black Male Heroism Onstage
https://www.vulture.com/2019/08/jelani- ... sical.html

Jelani Alladin was born to play ‘Hercules’ in Central Park
https://nypost.com/2019/08/29/jelani-al ... tral-park/

Going the Distance: Stage Hero Jelani Alladin On His 10-Word Hercules Bio That Says It All
https://www.broadway.com/buzz/196739/go ... ys-it-all/

Jelani Alladin on Reimagining 'Hercules' for the Stage
https://www.todaytix.com/insider/nyc/po ... -the-stage

Original Hercules voice actor Roger Bart talks going the distance, playing Hades on stage
https://ew.com/theater/2019/08/22/hercu ... e-musical/

Hercules Voice Actor Roger Bart Recalls 'Go the Distance' Audition Ahead of Stage Adaptation
https://people.com/theater/roger-bart-t ... -distance/

Roger Bart Chased Hercules in the '90s, and Now It's Chasing Him
https://www.theatermania.com/off-broadw ... 89625.html

Krysta Rodriguez Inherits the Torch From Susan Egan as Meg in Hercules
https://broadwaydirect.com/krysta-rodri ... -hercules/

In Conversation With Krysta Rodriguez
https://t2conline.com/in-conversation-w ... rodriguez/

Broadway.com #LiveatFive with Krysta Rodriguez
https://www.broadway.com/buzz/196828/br ... rodriguez/

How 'Hercules' choreographer Chase Brock hones the dance skills of 200 NY performers
https://www.amny.com/entertainment/herc ... 1.35598069

Show of strength: ‘Hercules’ musical makes stars of amateur Brooklyn actors
https://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/4 ... 30-bk.html

Sixty-one Brooklyn residents ‘go the distance’ in Public Works’ “Hercules”
https://brooklynreporter.com/2019/08/si ... -hercules/

Disney’s ‘Hercules’ Is Coming to the Stage—With Over 200 Performers
https://www.backstage.com/magazine/arti ... ney-68785/

How Do You Stage Disney’s ‘Hercules’? Invite Everyone
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/23/thea ... isney.html
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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Song list.
"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)"

"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"
Source: https://www.broadwayworld.com/board/rea ... 58#5176767


Program.

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Source: https://twitter.com/Maximinalist/status ... 0734651392
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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disneyprincess11 wrote:Funny thing: My friend who I took to the show last night knows some people at Disney and yup, they’re really thinking about it. :D There are some hiccups like the three shows possibly taking on a fourth show.
I'm glad to know they're thinking about it. I hope it happens.

I'm glad you had such a good time there. And you got to say hi to Alan Menken! I'm so envious. Thanks for sharing your opinion of the show and all those details! I also hope we get a cast album of this.

Thanks Sotiris too for all the articles and the song list! Are all the titles on the list song titles or are some of them score ones? There seems to be more than five new songs there.
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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D82 wrote:Are all the titles on the list song titles or are some of them score ones? There seems to be more than five new songs there.
Music cues aren't listed in stage musicals like they are on soundtracks; just the musical numbers are. I'm assuming "Uniquely Greek Tough Town" is a reprise of "Uniquely Greek Town Square" because of the similarity in the title. Maybe "The Prophecy" is a song based on the music cue of the same name from the soundtrack and that's why it's not considered new. Perhaps disneyprincess11 could clear this up for us. It's admittedly odd of them to say there are only 5 new songs when there are more but those are definitely songs.
In truth, most of the new songs are fine additions but don’t have the same impact. Songs like “The Prophecy” and “Uniquely Greek Tough Town” don’t further the story or provide anything more than what the audience got from the spoken dialogue of the film. Two exceptions are “Forget About It” and “A Cool Day in Hell” which provide more opportunity for characterization of Megara (Krysta Rodriguez) and finally give Hades (Roger Bart) the villain song he deserves respectively.
Source: https://www.laughingplace.com/w/article ... the-crowd/
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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Sotiris wrote:Music cues aren't listed in stage musicals like they are on soundtracks; just the musical numbers are.
OK, thanks for explaining it to me. To be honest, I don't know much about Broadway or musical theatre in general. I only listen to the cast recordings of Disney musicals, and also Alan Menken ones, but not much more. I've never actually seen any Disney stage show. I don't doubt it would be a nice experience, but it's not a priority for me as I much prefer films to theatre. I'm just telling you guys that because maybe you think it's strange that I don't know more about Broadway when I love Disney musical films.
Sotiris wrote:I'm assuming "Uniquely Greek Tough Town" is a reprise of "Uniquely Greek Town Square" because of the similarity in the title. Maybe "The Prophecy" is a song based on the music cue of the same name from the soundtrack and that's why it's not considered new. Perhaps disneyprincess11 could clear this up for us. It's admittedly odd of them to say there are only 5 new songs when there are more but those are definitely songs.
Yes, it's true. "Uniquely Greek Tough Town" must be a reprise of "Uniquely Greek Town Square", and you may be right about "The Prophecy" too. That reminds me of the Beauty and the Beast remake, where they didn't count "Aria" as one of the new songs. I later noticed that the melody of the song was very similar to "How Does a Moment Last Forever". I don't know if it was really based on it or not, but maybe that's why it's not considered a separate song. Perhaps it's also possible that something like that happens to one of the musical numbers here.
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Re: Hercules on Stage

Post by Atlantica »

Ahh I hope this does get to head to Broadway, Hercules is beyond underrated and such a fun and uplifting film. If the talent is there, and everyone wants it, then why not ?!
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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Yeah, I don't know why they said 5 new songs when there's a bunch of new original music like two Greek town numbers, the Prophecy and the new reprises of Go the Distance and three for Gospel Truth (when Hades finds out about Hercules being a threat after the Prophecy, after One Last Hope, and when he has the date with Meg.)

Forget About It is both Meg's new song and the duet with Herc. It's basically "Screw guys" and "Women can save themselves." A Cool Day in Hell is very jazzy meets the Temptations and it takes place after Hades finds out that Herc is alive. The reprise is when Hades offers Meg her freedom for Hercules's weakness. Great Bolts of Thunder is a Gospel song when the Titans take over. It's really fun and a high school marching band came in the middle of the song. Now, if this comes to Broadway, they need to greatly re-adjust the scene. BIG DIFFERENCE FROM THE MOVIE: It isn't Hercules who stops the Titans. It's Meg, Phil and seriously: The townspeople. It works here because it's supposed to be community theater. On a Broadway stage when the story should be taken more seriously, it will not work at all. And "To Be Human" is Hercules's solo as he decides to stay with Meg. It is beautiful and Jelani even cries during it. He's just a darn beautiful Hercules.

Roger just said on IG that he doesn't think a cast album is happening, but I'm betting it 100% will. Freaky Friday and Hunchback got cast albums for schools and regional theaters, so...
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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^Thanks for the details about the musical numbers, disneyprincess11! I hope you're right about the cast album.

Alan Menken sings part of "A Cool Day In Hell" and "To Be Human" in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR96tDJ3PRE
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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D82 wrote:Alan Menken sings part of "A Cool Day In Hell" and "To Be Human" in this video.
Thanks! "To Be Human" seems really emotional. Ah, I need a cast recording so bad!

I hope the production's commercial (an extra performance was added due to high demand) and critical (it's getting rave reviews) success finally convinces Disney to take Hercules all the way to Broadway! It would be such a waste if they didn't seize this golden opportunity. This seems to indicate Disney's at least thinking about it.
Hercules was on the Muny audience survey this summer in St. Louis. Back when they were putting together Newsies, Disney Theatrical asked the Muny to put it on the survey to see if there was any interest in the show (Newsies won the fan survey).
Source: https://www.broadwayworld.com/board/rea ... 03#5177251
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Re: Hercules on Stage

Post by Atlantica »

Are they taking is really low and slow because it isn't one of their MASSIVE IP properties ? No Princess, no Marvel . . . Disney seems to think twice these days if those sorts of things aren't involved.
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Re: Hercules on Stage

Post by ChrisLyne »

Really love seeing that this is going so well! I need to hear the new songs (and this cast singing the old songs TBH)

As for the future - if Disney are seriously thinking about Broadway we won't get a cast album from this. They'll wait and do a Broadway cast recording. Hunchback and Freaky Friday got recordings as there were no Broadway plans for them. From what I recall Hunchback nearly made it but the mixed reviews combined with the cost of a full choir on Broadway meant it didn't quite get there, but the demand was there enough for a cast recording (that's probably really over simplifying things but kind of the gist of it). If they don't plan to take it further, then we may get one due to the popularity of the production and the great reviews.
Atlantica wrote:Are they taking is really low and slow because it isn't one of their MASSIVE IP properties ? No Princess, no Marvel . . . Disney seems to think twice these days if those sorts of things aren't involved.
It's been Disney Theatrical's MO since Tarzan and Mermaid weren't successful to be honest. With the exception of Frozen, all of their stage adaptations since then have started as pilot/regional projects rather than being announced straight for Broadway. If they go exceptionally well then they get some tweaks/improvements and brought to Broadway. If not then they were only ever announced as "pilot then straight to licensing" anyway. It's actually a really safe and clever way of testing the waters and not losing face (or money) if something doesn't work. And of doing productions of shows that might not otherwise get a chance at a stage adaptation (like Newsies and Hercules).

I'm positive that Disney do want to take Hercules further, especially after this success. So that makes the big question do they want to run 4 shows simultaneously on Broadway? Or do you close Aladdin or Frozen to make way for it? (because we all know Lion King is going no where). Which then makes it a question of potential new success vs current safe revenue, or wait until Aladdin or Frozen start to decline at which point you're no longer striking whilst the iron is hot.

Disney have done 4 shows on Broadway before, but only for a few months. From November 06 - July 07, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, Tarzan, and Mary Poppins were all running. Beauty was already planned to close that July to make way for TLM, and Tarzan closed in July because it wasn't doing well. As much as I'm loathe to say it, the most likely option would be to close Aladdin for Herc as (like B&TB and TLM) those two are the most similar and most likely to cannibalize each others audience. But then Disney wouldn't want to risk repeating the mistake of closing a successful long running show for one that isn't as successful. And if you look at the grosses on Broadway World, Aladdin is doing better than Frozen. Could Aladdin and Herc co-exist if they closed Frozen? And would they want to close Frozen so soon? I think those are all the questions they're talking about right now at Disney Theatrical.

Feel I need to add I have no insider knowledge on this, this is all just me speculating (if I knew anything I'd not post either way).
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Re: Hercules on Stage

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Trailer for the production.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9x8argQR3EE

Jelani singing "Go the Distance".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXsDe21ZyPI

Learn the Choreography From Hercules’ ‘Zero to Hero’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJCXAg6mqro
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