Will HERCULES Ever Make It to Broadway?

As BroadwayWorld reported earlier this week, casting has come together for the all-new musical production of Disney's Hercules at Paper Mill Playhouse. The cast will be led by a group of Broadway favorites, including Bradley Gibson, Shuler Hensley, James Monroe Iglehart, and Isabelle McCalla. Disney Theatrical Productions President Thomas Schumacher discussed in a recent episode of D23 Inside Disney that there is speculation about a future life for the show, which has been announced as a title for the licensing market.

Hercules features music by Oscar, Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Alan Menken (Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, Newsies) and lyrics by Tony Award winner David Zippel (City of Angels, Mulan) and a book by Tony Award winner Robert Horn (Tootsie) and Kwame Kwei-Armah (Artistic Director of London's Young Vic), based on the Disney film written by Ron Clements, John Musker, Donald McEnery, Bob Shaw, and Irene Mecchi and directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. The music is supervised and arranged by Michael Kosarin (Aladdin, Broadway and PMP's Newsies, animated film Hercules), with orchestrations by Danny Troob (Broadway and PMP's Newsies, animated films Hercules, Beauty and the Beast) and Joseph Joubert (Caroline, or Change; Motown: the Musical), dance music arrangements by Mark Hummel (Broadway and PMP's Newsies, Sister Act), and music direction by Ted Arthur (Moulin Rouge!, The Prom). Choreography is by Chase Brock (PMP's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Be More Chill) and Tanisha Scott (Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls). Hercules is directed by Obie Award winner Lear deBessonet (Into the Woods).

The production also features scenic design by Dane Laffrey (Once on This Island, PMP's Benny & Joon), costume design by Emilio Sosa (Broadway and PMP's On Your Feet!, Motown the Musical), lighting design by Jeff Croiter (Broadway and PMP's Newsies, Broadway's Cost of Living), sound design by Kai Harada (Kimberly Akimbo, The Band's Visit), puppet design and direction by James Ortiz (Lincoln Center's The Skin of Our Teeth, Into the Woods on Broadway), hair and wig design by Mia M. Neal (Shuffle Along, Ain't No Mo'), and special effects design by Jeremy Chernick (Beetlejuice, Aladdin). Holly Coombs (Aladdin, Mean Girls) is the production stage manager. Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting (PMP's Bandstand, Chasing Rainbows).

Produced by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions.

The show will begin performances at Paper Mill Playhouse on Thursday, February 16, and play through Sunday, March 19, 2023. Opening night is set for Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

It's a terrific twist of fates! The inspired Disney animated film is now a mythical new musical adventure. Hercules is the divinely funny story of an honest-to-Zeus hero on a quest to discover who he is and where he belongs. Is love a possibility too? Oh, Hades, yes! The roof-raising score features all the hits you love from the film, including the Oscar-nominated song "Go the Distance," as well as "Zero to Hero" and "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)," along with new songs written for the stage.