Video: Dane Laffrey Shares Set Design Secrets from Disney's HERCULES in Hamburg

Experience the magic firsthand as Set Designer Dane Laffrey invites you into the design studio for an exclusive behind-the-scenes sneak peek at the stunning set creations for Disney's Hercules in Hamburg, Germany. Watch the video now!

Inspired by the 1997 animated film of the same name from Walt Disney Studios, viewers can expect a brand new musical adventure. An immortal hero, incomparably staged: Disney's HERCULES is the story of a demigod who embarks on a quest for his place in the world. The musical guarantees great feelings, rousing music, powerful voices, spectacular stage sets, and elaborate costumes - divine musical fun for young and old.

Laffrey shares that this particular production will be unlike any other. "We're really excited for this version of Hercules to be adding a video element to the show...using LED instead of projections." 

The score, written by Academy Award, Golden Globe and Grammy winners Alan Menken and David Zippel, includes all the R&B and gospel hits known from the film, including the Oscar-nominated song Go the Distance. The duo also wrote some new songs for the stage version.

Disney's HERCULES is a musical adventure at its finest, with songs and lyrics by eight-time Academy Award® winners Alan Menken and David Zippel, and based on the book by Tony Award® winners Robert Horn (Tootsie) and Kwame Kwei-Armah (Artistic Director of The Londoner Young Vic).

This new production, which features set design and additional video design by Dane Laffrey and lighting design by Jeff Croiter, is directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Casey Nicholaw (Aladdin) and co-choreographer Tanisha Scott; sound design by Kai Harada and costume design by Gregg Barnes and Sky Switser.

"We've found a really amazing, collaborative way to work together where we're taking physical elements of the scenery in digital form and integrating them into the video design," Laffrey went on to explain. 

The production team also includes video designer George Reeve, puppet designer James Oritz, hairstyles and wigs by Mia M. Neal, makeup by Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche, and special effects by Jeremy Chernick. The music team is led by music supervisor and arranger Michael Kosarin, orchestration by Danny Troob and Joseph Joubert, dance arrangements by David Chase. First stage versions were performed at The Public Theater in New Jersey in 2019 and at the Paper Mill Playhouse earlier this year.

Disney's HERCULES was written as a 1997 animated film by Ron Clements, John Musker, Donald McEnery, Bob Shaw and Irene Mecchi; It was directed by The Little Mermaid filmmakers John Musker and Ron Clements. HERCULES was the eighth of 10 animated films from the Disney film renaissance, which began in 1989. These include the greatest classics, such as "Aladdin", "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King", which made Disney the leading producer of animated films in Hollywood.