Disney’s new musical based on its animated film Hercules has a major update. Disney Hercules – The Heroic New Musical will be heading to London’s West End where it will be opening next summer at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. An exact opening date has not been announced yet.
Hercules in musical form first arrived on the stage in New York City in 2019 in an outdoor staging. This was followed by a production in 2023 in New Jersey. In both cases, Lear deBessonet was the director. This was followed by the show opening in Hamburg, Germany. This time it was directed and co-choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. Nicholaw will also be doing both of these things for the West End production.
Along with Nicholaw, the creative team includes Tony Award-winning songwriters Alan Menken (music) and David Zippel (lyrics). Both Menken and Zippel brought the music to life for the animated musical version of the film. They earned an Academy Award nomination for the song Go The Distance, which will be also appearing in the stage version.
Disney Hercules – The Heroic New Musical has Tanisha Scott as the co-choreographer. Tony Award winners Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE wrote the book for it.
The Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where Hercules will be finding its home, is currently where Frozen is being presented. This musical will close on September 8.
Disney Hercules – The Heroic New Musical is a staged version of the Walt Disney Animation Studios Hercules from 1997. The film was inspired by Greek mythology and follows the title character who is a demigod who lives among mortals and tries to become a hero and earn his place back on Mount Olympus. Of course, things are never quite as simple as they should be. Along the way, Hercules falls in love with Megara. She happens to be under the control of Hades who would like nothing more than to use Hercules and his weakness for Megara as a tool to take over Mount Olympus.
What do you think of this musical making its way to London? Are you excited about it? Do you want to see it? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
