Video: Meet The Monster Puppets of Disney's HERCULES in Hamburg

Watch as puppet designer James Ortiz talks about bringing the monsters of Hercules to life on stage in the Hamburg production, directed by Casey Nicholaw in this all-new video.

"My job on the show is really to create the monsters Hercules must fight in order to succeed to be the hero he was always destined to be. We find a lot of fun ways to do that. The thing we've been having a lot of fun with is finding a way for the puppeteer and puppet to merge as one, so that in a funny way, it still remains theatrical..." said Ortiz.

The cast features Benét Monteiro as Hercules, Hope Maine as the Hercules alternate, Mae Ann Jorolan as Meg, Leslie Beehann as Calliope, Chastity Crisp as Thalia, Venolia as Terpischore, UZOH as Clio, Shekinah McFarlane as Melpomene, Kristopfer Weinsten Storey as Phil, Detlef Leistenschneider as Hades, Mario Saccoccio as Charles, and Andre Haedicke as Heinz. 

The ensemble includes Richard Salvador Wolff, Sophie Mefan, Bathoni Buenorkuor, Marta Di Giulio, Pele Yearwood, Ginevra Campanella, Teya Quarmyne, Thalia Dara, Stefano Francabandiera, Guillermo Martinez Ayala, Salvatore Marchione, Salvo Maione, Marco Ciullo, Jack Butcher, David Negletto, and Gianluca Conversano. Swings are Swen Overman, Flavio Marullo, Christopher Dederichs, Samuel Hoi Ming Chung, Johnny Galeandro, Julia van Kouwen, Indy Luna Correa, Jessica Reese, Virginia Vass, Ingrid Olivia, and Olivia Kate Ward.

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.

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 and Kwame Kwei-Armah.

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.

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.