Breaking: Bless My Soul! Public Theater Will Stage HERCULES at the Delacorte Theatre This Summer

Hercules is about to go from zero to hero of your 2019.

BroadwayWorld has just learned that The Public Theater will present a stage adaptation of the Disney classic this summer at the Delacorte Theatre. The musical, which features music by Alan Menken, lyrics by David Zippel and a book by Kristoffer Diaz, will be directed by Lear deBessonet and choreographed by Chase Brock.

The Public Works production is set to begin performances on August 30 and will run through September 8. A reading is set to take place this April.

According to a casting notice, the role of Hercules will be played by an African American actor.

About the Hercules Animated Film

Hercules is a 1997 American animated musical fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation for Walt Disney Pictures. The 35th Disney animated feature film and the eighth animated film produced during the Disney Renaissance, the film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. The film is loosely based on the legendary hero Heracles (known in the film by his Roman name, Hercules), the son of Zeus, in Greek mythology.

Hercules was released on June 27, 1997 to positive reviews from film reviewers who praised James Woods's portrayal of Hades. Despite the positive critical reception, the film under-performed in its theatrical release notably in comparison to its predecessors before ultimately earning $252.7 million in box office revenue worldwide. Hercules was later followed by the direct-to-video prequel Hercules: Zero to Hero, which served as the pilot to Hercules: The Animated Series, a syndicated Disney TV series focusing on Hercules during his time at the Prometheus academy.

PUBLIC WORKS is a major initiative of The Public Theater that seeks to engage the people of New York by making them creators and not just spectators. Working with community partner organizations in all five boroughs, Public Works invites members of diverse communities to participate in theater workshops, to attend classes, to attend productions, and to become involved in the daily life of The Public. Founded by Resident Director Lear deBessonet, Public Works deliberately blurs the line between professional artists and community members, creating theater that is not only for the people, but by and of the people as well.