Is the Hercules Transfer Dead?
#2
Posted: 6/28/26 at 10:50am
It was never really alive as a possibility.
#3
Posted: 6/28/26 at 11:25am
I haven’t seen it, but the cast recording made me sad. Not a single new song is good, and the old songs are all re-arranged to the point that they no longer sound like the film songs we fell in love with in the first place. As a huge fan of Alan Menken and Hercules, I was very disappointed. And from what I’ve read, it’s not one of those “it works better live” situations. Such a shame, it really is a property that has so much potential, but they just can’t seem to figure it out.
#4
Posted: 6/28/26 at 12:50pm
Having seen it at Papermill and in London, this is a musical that needs to just be 100 minutes straight through and kill some of the new darlings that bloat the show. Unfortunately, Disney would never let that slide since the kiddies who will see it need a pee break and a chance for the parents to buy booze and merch.
Also, it seems to be leaning HARD into making Bradley Gibson the face of any potential Broadway production, considering he started at Papermill and did a bunch of international promo before now going to London to close out their summer. Unfortunately, nothing about him screams Hercules. He is a high tenor with a swimmer’s body. To quote Frank N’ Furter - “he had a certain naive charm, but no muscle”.
Give me Jelani Alladin, Cameron Loyal, or one of the many men on Broadway who look like they could be a Greek god in stature.
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#5
Posted: 6/28/26 at 2:13pm
quizking101 said: "Having seen it at Papermill and in London, this is a musical that needs to just be 100 minutes straight through and kill some of the new darlings that bloat the show. Unfortunately, Disney would never let that slide since the kiddies who will see it need a pee break and a chance for the parents to buy booze and merch.
Also, it seems to be leaning HARD into making Bradley Gibson the face of any potential Broadway production, considering he started at Papermill and did a bunch of international promo before now going to London to close out their summer. Unfortunately, nothing about him screams Hercules. He is a high tenor with a swimmer’s body. To quote Frank N’ Furter - “he had a certain naive charm, but no muscle”.
Give me Jelani Alladin, Cameron Loyal, or one of the many men on Broadway who look like they could be a Greek god in stature."
Feels like this will never hit Broadway. Really has so much potential, but Disney can't get it right.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
#6
Posted: 6/28/26 at 5:09pm
Disney should just revive Aida or Beauty and the Beast already.
#7
Posted: 6/28/26 at 5:46pm
Seems as this point the best thing they can do is just release it for amateurs and watch every theatre group in the world perform it.
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#8
Posted: 6/28/26 at 8:16pm
Melissa25 said: "Disney should just revive Aida or Beauty and the Beast already."
The Beauty and the Beast tour will have a Broadway residency next summer.
Hercules was recently announced as part of the 2026-2027 season for Alabama Shakespeare Festival. This seems to suggest Disney is sending this straight to licensing for the US market.
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#9
Posted: 6/28/26 at 8:21pm
I’m sorry, but as John Adams sang in 1776: “Does anybody care…”
#10
Posted: 6/28/26 at 10:17pm
Melissa25 said: "Disney should just revive Aida or Beauty and the Beast already."
Both will be revived before HERCULES debuts.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
#11
Posted: 6/28/26 at 10:53pm
Call_me_jorge said: "Melissa25 said: "Disney should just revive Aida or Beauty and the Beast already."
The Beauty and the Beast tour will have a Broadway residency next summer.
Hercules was recently announced as part of the 2026-2027 season for Alabama Shakespeare Festival. This seems to suggest Disney is sending thisstraight to licensing for the US market."
The Beauty and the Beast tour will have a Broadway residency next summer.
Hercules was recently announced as part of the 2026-2027 season for Alabama Shakespeare Festival. This seems to suggest Disney is sending thisstraight to licensing for the US market."
Alabama Shakespeare Festival mentioned!!!!!!
11AM matinees are wild for this production though. Sure I'm not the target demographic but I'm not waking up at 11AM for this show, the 4pm performances are a strong maybe.
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#12
Posted: 6/28/26 at 11:51pm
Why are so many still high on this show transferring? At best, it is an amusement park show.
#13
Posted: 6/29/26 at 1:47am
bwaylyric said: "Why are so many still high on this show transferring? At best, it is an amusement park show."
Because "Go the Distance" and "I Won't Say I'm in Love" are total bangers.
#14
Posted: 6/29/26 at 7:14am
I saw it in London, and disagree that all the new songs are awful. They may not reach the level of the originals, but they are still better than many new musicals.
I maintain Hercules can be a brilliant show. But Disney insist on not putting in the effort and money and dumbing it down to panto/kids show level. They seem to really struggle with their musical comedies (Aladdin has similar issues).
Unnecessary changes (like no Pain and Panic), making Hades more of a joke with no real menace also hurt the show, especially for fans of the movi. Disney please let villains be villains again.
The cast in London were all strong, the set had some great moments but the costumes in some cases were bizarre, and looked cheap. The puppets and monsters all looked a bit naff. Oddly the Disney Cruise Line version seems to have done better on the monsters.
From what I've seen, Luke Brady was an upgrade on the original.
I maintain Hercules can be a brilliant show. But Disney insist on not putting in the effort and money and dumbing it down to panto/kids show level. They seem to really struggle with their musical comedies (Aladdin has similar issues).
Unnecessary changes (like no Pain and Panic), making Hades more of a joke with no real menace also hurt the show, especially for fans of the movi. Disney please let villains be villains again.
The cast in London were all strong, the set had some great moments but the costumes in some cases were bizarre, and looked cheap. The puppets and monsters all looked a bit naff. Oddly the Disney Cruise Line version seems to have done better on the monsters.
From what I've seen, Luke Brady was an upgrade on the original.
#15
Posted: 6/29/26 at 7:50am
Theatrefan2 said: "I saw it in London, and disagree that all the new songs are awful. They may not reach the level of the originals, but they are still better than many new musicals.
I maintain Hercules can be a brilliant show. But Disney insist on not putting in the effort and money and dumbing it down to panto/kids show level. They seem to really struggle with their musical comedies (Aladdin has similar issues).
Unnecessary changes (like no Pain and Panic), making Hades more of a joke with no real menace also hurt the show, especially for fans of the movi. Disney please let villains be villains again.
The cast in London were all strong, the set had some great moments but the costumes in some cases were bizarre, and looked cheap. The puppets and monsters all looked a bit naff. Oddly the Disney Cruise Line version seems to have done better on the monsters.
From what I've seen, Luke Brady was an upgrade on the original."
I maintain Hercules can be a brilliant show. But Disney insist on not putting in the effort and money and dumbing it down to panto/kids show level. They seem to really struggle with their musical comedies (Aladdin has similar issues).
Unnecessary changes (like no Pain and Panic), making Hades more of a joke with no real menace also hurt the show, especially for fans of the movi. Disney please let villains be villains again.
The cast in London were all strong, the set had some great moments but the costumes in some cases were bizarre, and looked cheap. The puppets and monsters all looked a bit naff. Oddly the Disney Cruise Line version seems to have done better on the monsters.
From what I've seen, Luke Brady was an upgrade on the original."
What? No Pain and Panic??? Jeff Blumenkrantz as Pain at Papermill was my favorite part. Along with the Muses and a terrific Isabelle McCalla as Meg. It was the Phil part that should have been cut. I want more villains. In fact, I’d pay to see a Disney Villain jukebox musical.
#16
Posted: 6/29/26 at 8:57am
If they want to go to Broadway, they have to start from scratch. Casey Nicholaw has really lost his touch...
Why is Phil no longer a satyr (half-man, half-goat)?
Why are Pain and Panic just ordinary people, and no longer important to the plot?
Where is Pegasus?
Why doesn't Hadse have flaming hair anymore?
The set felt very plastic. It relied far too heavily on video screens.
This is getting panned on Broadway.
Why is Phil no longer a satyr (half-man, half-goat)?
Why are Pain and Panic just ordinary people, and no longer important to the plot?
Where is Pegasus?
Why doesn't Hadse have flaming hair anymore?
The set felt very plastic. It relied far too heavily on video screens.
This is getting panned on Broadway.
#17
Posted: 6/29/26 at 9:14am
I think the best version was the Public Works version at the Delacorte. It was a quick 90 minutes. The hundreds of Public Works members made the ensemble work. And it was a little bit more scrappy in nature that made it fit the animated Hercules vibe. Yes, there was no Pegasus, but we did get Roger Bart as Hades.
I feel like a resemblance of that version would do very well for regional community theaters.
I feel like a resemblance of that version would do very well for regional community theaters.
#18
Posted: 6/29/26 at 9:44am
KevinKlawitter said: "bwaylyric said: "Why are so many still high on this show transferring? At best, it is an amusement park show."
Because "Go the Distance" and "I Won't Say I'm in Love" are total bangers."
Because "Go the Distance" and "I Won't Say I'm in Love" are total bangers."
Not to mention literally EVERY SONG the Muses sing. (If only the stage production would bring back the original tempo instead of slowing it down by 10%)
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#19
Posted: 6/29/26 at 11:06am
There are some directors that get thrown everything because they're "a sure thing" like Nicholaw. When in reality, that approach just keeps giving us more and more disappointing, cold, uninspired slop. And with shows that have such potential already built in.
Updated On: 6/29/26 at 11:06 AM
#20
Posted: 6/30/26 at 4:27pm
Just listened to the album for the first time and wow, it really is...not good.
Everything fun that was new for Central Park is gone, replaced with worse stuff. Even less of what was fun from the movie remains.
So many lyrics from remaining songs rewritten for the much worse.
Even the thrilling Muse harmony when we go up to Mt. Olympus in "Gospel Truth" gone.
A grating, tinny sound to everything.
Bewildering.
Updated On: 6/30/26 at 04:27 PM
#21
Posted: 6/30/26 at 4:48pm
It’s also weirdly sincere. The film is tongue in cheek start to finish, telling a Hollywood showbiz fable in Greek myth clothing. The musical seems like it didn’t get the joke and took it seriously.
#22
Posted: 6/30/26 at 5:05pm
OhHiii said: "There are some directors that get thrown everything because they're "a sure thing" like Nicholaw. When in reality, that approach just keeps giving us more and more disappointing, cold, uninspired slop. And with shows that have such potential already built in."
I haven't seen HERCULES, but I can't blame him too much. It was a director-for-hire job. Tom Schumacher called in a favor and threw a bunch of money at him to fix a show that already had international dates lined up after Paper Mill.
Casey has a much better track record than most directors of new musicals, imho, and sometimes he strikes creative gold (like SOME LIKE IT HOT and DROWSY) and can navigate tonally varied shows (like THE PROM). Of all his other shows, MEAN GIRLS is the only one I really hated and that I felt he phoned in.
There was less than one year between the closing of the Paper Mill production and the opening of the German production, and about a year between the German and London productions. Much of his "usual" creative team is not with him, he's got a co-choreographer, and he was trying to make sense of scraps put together by a different director and multiple different bookwriters.
The show might have never been great, but had he been given more time and carte blanche to reinvent from the ground up, this might have had a better outcome.
#23
Posted: 6/30/26 at 5:04pm
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Updated On: 6/30/26 at 05:04 PM
#24
Posted: 6/30/26 at 5:06pm
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Updated On: 6/30/26 at 05:06 PM
#25
Posted: 7/1/26 at 1:23pm
Nicolaw only agreed to do Hercules if he was given Greatest Showman.
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