What's next for HERCULES?

[aces25]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 4:39pm

Surely with how enormously popular the show is and only running for just over a week, what will be the next life for HERCULES?? 

[Hamilfan2]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 5:01pm

For the Public Works production this is all we’ll get. MAYBE a cast recording, but that will be it. There will be no more stagings of this show using this script. This script is very much a Public Work show, in the way it condenses the show down to 90 minutes no intermission, works in an ensemble of over 100 people and adds in a message and community and community engagement.

However that’s not to say we will never see Hercules on stage again. If Disney wants to move forward with their own Hercules adaptation (which they may after seeing the success of this run) they will flesh it out to be a full 2 act show and Disney-fy it. I could definitely see them producing one or two high profile regional productions (a la Hunchback) and then licensing it out. Not sure I see them ever bringing it to Broadway, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility. But again, whatever the next iteration is it will be very different from the Public Works adaptation.

[DrowsyKaye]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 5:10pm

Y’all, they’re barely halfway through the run, can we stop with all the speculating already? Just let them enjoy their success and bask in their wonderful production.

[Jessryn]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 6:40pm

Hercules was on the Muny audience survey this summer in St. Louis. Back when they were putting together Newsies Disney Theatrical asked the Muny to put it on the survey to see if there was any interest in the show (Newsies won the fan survey).

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 7:13pm

Just like initially did with Newsies, I think Disney underestimated the potential popularity of Hercules.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 7:26pm

CATSNYrevival said: "Just like initially did with Newsies, I think Disneyunderestimated the potential popularity of Hercules."

Would be interesting to know what the popularity would've been if every ticket to this run was $200. Methinks it would be a completely different conversation. 

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 7:37pm

VotePeron said: "CATSNYrevival said: "Just like initially did with Newsies, I think Disneyunderestimated the potential popularity of Hercules."

Would be interesting to know what the popularity would've been if every ticket to this run was $200. Methinks it would be a completely different conversation."

Very good point.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 7:52pm

VotePeron said: "Would be interesting to know what the popularity would've been if every ticket to this run was $200. Methinks it would be a completely different conversation."

True but there have been productions in the park that were just as popular when they transferred to Broadway. I know this exact production won’t transfer but hopefully it’s not the end of the road.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 8:12pm

CATSNYrevival said: "VotePeron said: "Would be interesting to know what the popularity would've been if every ticket to this run was $200. Methinks it would be a completely different conversation."

True but there have been productions in the park that were just as popular when they transferred to Broadway. I know this exact production won’t transfer but hopefully it’s not the end of the road."

What are some park productions that have transferred and were successful on Broadway? Genuine question! 

Does the HAIR revival count? 

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 8:12pm

There will be a HERCULES reunion concert at 54 Below in November.

 

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 8:48pm

I feel like we will see now a similar path as we did with Aladdin. Disney will say "oh we are JUST working on this to make the rights available for licensing." But then then you'll only see it at some pretty well known or regarded regional theatres for a few years and then suprise they are bring it to New York instead of full on licensing. I have no doubt that this is heading to Broadway... in time. I think they will give Frozen another maybe two years before they will let it fade into the sunset and replace it with Hercules.

[rg7759]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 8:57pm

Dude. Alan menken is in the Park for this. There's no reason to believe future productions won't at least incorporate some of this. Calm the f down

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 9:49pm

Counterpoint; Alan Menken wrote about half a dozen “new Aladdin songs” in the ten year gestation of the stage version. Some you can only hear in the Disney Parks show, some only in Aladdin Jr, etc.

[sparksatmidnight]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 10:38pm

He composed handfuls of great scores but have to rely on Disney to let them see the light of day outside of their movies: why wouldn't he be in the park for this?

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 11:05pm

GreasedLightning said: "What are some park productions that have transferred and were successful on Broadway? Genuine question!

Does the HAIR revival count?"

Hair would count and then I think the only productions I found that transferred (from quickly looking at Wikipedia, so any corrections/additions are welcome) were the musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona in 1971, Drood in 1985, and On The Town in 1998 (which seemed to do poorly on Broadway).

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 11:23pm

“MERCHANT OF VENICE” with Al Pacino

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 11:36pm

SouthernCakes said: "“MERCHANT OF VENICE” with Al Pacino"

Thank you, I was thinking that would be odd not to transfer, for how much star power was behind it (even as SitP usually has some great stars anyway). That seems like the only play that transferred no? The rest seem to be musicals premiering through SitP.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 9/3/19 at 11:43pm

And into the Woods almost did, right? The cast couldn’t do it or something?

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 9/4/19 at 12:00am

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "And into the Woods almost did, right? The cast couldn’t do it or something?"

Exactly, it is a shame too, that production seemed brilliant. Not to mention the perfect time for a Broadway revival. 

[VotePeron]

Posted: 9/4/19 at 12:04am

DoTheDood said: "disneybroadwayfan22 said: "And into the Woods almost did, right? The cast couldn’t do it or something?"

Exactly, it is a shame too, that production seemed brilliant. Not to mention the perfect time for a Broadway revival."

By "cast", they mean Amy Adams. Josh Lamon's wonderful podcast, Josh Swallows Broadway, just did a mini reunion episode featuring cast members from ITW, and they all spoke about how they were all confident it would transfer but they simply never got the call after it closed.

Productions have a very rare history of moving from the Delacorte to Broadway, one would just assume they do. 

[davp]

Posted: 1/18/20 at 8:12pm

Gavin Lee sang songs from Hercules during his "Disney on Broadway" concert performance this evening at Epcot. Of course that doesn't mean it'll be coming to Broadway, but it was nice that he included it. 

Updated On: 1/18/20 at 08:12 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/19/20 at 5:05pm

DoTheDood said: "Hair would count and then I think the only productions I found that transferred (from quickly looking at Wikipedia, so any corrections/additions are welcome)were the musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona in 1971, Drood in 1985, and On The Town in 1998 (which seemed to do poorly on Broadway)."

Pirates of Penzance was another one.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 8/17/20 at 11:22am

Alan Menken just confirmed that Hercules is aiming for Broadway after all. (14:10)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ctUVvQ_eUA

[sparksatmidnight]

Posted: 8/17/20 at 11:29am

He probably had a good laugh after Frozen closed and his musical was just the one sitting on Disney's lap.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/17/20 at 1:09pm

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "Alan Menken just confirmed that Hercules is aiming for Broadway after all. (14:10)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ctUVvQ_eUA"

If this is true, I hope they use a completely different book, design, cast, and director than they did in the Park last summer. I know I'm in the minority, but I loathed that production.