Everything you need to know about 'Hercules' so far

Epic news! The Disney favourite with music by Alan Menken arrives at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2025.

Julia Rank12 August, 2024, 14:00

Holding out for a hero? Good news – Hercules, the greatest of them all, will be ascending Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2025. The 1997 Disney animation is the latest of the entertainment titan’s properties to receive the stage musical treatment, following in the cyclops-sized footsteps of The Lion King, Frozen, Aladdin, and others.

It’s sure to be an epic experience, helmed by Casey Nicholaw (Mean Girls, The Book of Mormon), one of Broadway’s most prolific and critically acclaimed directors. Alan Menken and David Zippel have added new numbers to the stage version to supplement the original soundtrack. The show features fantastic roles for both young performers and scene-stealing character actors.

Check back for Hercules tickets on London Theatre.

What is Hercules about?

Hercules is the story of the eponymous legendary Greek hero (actually, it’s Heracles in Greek and Hercules in Latin…). Son of Zeus, king of the gods, Hercules is a (demi) god among mortals who embodies strength, athleticism, and bravery.

His is a real hero’s journey, in which he grapples with his divine and human sides. Being Disney, quite a few liberties from the original classical sources are taken in their rendering of the story! Rather than toiling with the Twelve Labours, Hercules is required to save the soul of his love interest, Meg.

Is Hercules based on the Disney animated film?

Yes, Hercules is based on the much-loved 1997 Disney animation. In the film, Tate Donovan was the speaking voice of Hercules, with Roger Bart as his singing voice. The voice cast also included Danny DeVito, James Woods, and Susan Egan.

The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song (“Go the Distance”). A live action remake with contemporary influences and directed by Guy Ritchie is reportedly in the works.

When can I see Hercules?

Hercules is due to open in summer 2025, with precise dates to be confirmed. Only a year to wait!

Where can I see Hercules?

Hercules will be performed at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The venue has a 2,196-seat capacity.

One of the West End’s most historic theatres, Drury Lane has a long track record of presenting groundbreaking musicals, including the original productions of Oklahoma!, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, A Chorus Line, and Miss Saigon. Most recently, it hosted Frozen’s three-year West End run.

Has Hercules been performed on stage before?

Hercules was first performed at Central Park’s Delacorte Theatre in 2019. A revised production was performed at the Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey, in 2023. The first international production opened in Hamburg, Germany, earlier this year (performed in German).

Who wrote the music for Hercules?

Music for Hercules is written by legendary Disney composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin). Lyrics are by David Zippel (City of Angels, The Woman in White). Menken and Zippel wrote the film soundtrack and have contributed additional songs to the stage musical.

Who are the writers of Hercules?

The stage adaptation of Hercules is written by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Robert Horn. Outgoing Young Vic artistic director Kwei-Armah’s shows include Elmina’s Kitchen, Beneatha’s Place, and One Love: The Bob Marley Musical. Horn won a Tony for Best Book of a Musical for Tootsie and his other work includes Shucked and 13.

Who is the director of Hercules?

Hercules is directed by two-time Tony-winning director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw. You can currently experience Nicholaw’s work with Mean Girls and The Book of Mormon in the West End. He previously directed Aladdin for Disney and other credits include Some Like It Hot, Something Rotten, The Prom, and Spamalot.

Who is in the cast of Hercules?

Casting for Hercules is to be announced.

Who are the characters in Hercules?

Hercules includes the following cast of characters:

Hercules: the hero; a naïve youth who has been raised among mortals, yet of divine parentage and gifted with superhuman strength. Does he have what it takes to be a hero?
Philoctetes (“Phil”): Hercules’s mentor, a grumpy elderly satyr who has become disillusioned with his job of training heroes.
Hades: brother of Zeus and uncle of Hercules. The story’s antagonist.
Megara (“Meg”): Hercules’s independently minded love interest and Hades’s former servant. She's no damsel in distress.
Zeus: king of the gods and Hercules’s birth father.
Hera: queen of the gods and Hercules’s birth mother.
The Muses: a blues-y girl band and the narrators of the story.

What are some fun facts about Hercules?

In the myth, Hercules is the son of Zeus and Alcmene, a mortal. Zeus’s long-suffering wife Hera is the antagonist rather than Hades. And Megara is the wife killed by Hercules (along with their children) in a bout of madness inflicted by Hera – but that would be a bit bleak for a family show!
Screwball comedy was a key influence on the film. Meg’s witty and independent character was based on Barbara Stanwyck in 1941 movie classic The Lady Eve. The role (speaking and singing) was voiced in the animation by Susan Egan, who originated the role of Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.
Roger Bart, who was the singing voice for Hercules in the movie, played Phil in the Delacorte Theatre production.
The Spice Girls were originally approached to voice the Muses!
Greek myths are having a moment in musical theatre. Anais Mitchell’s Hadestown continues to run at the Lyric Theatre and The Lightning Thief, based on the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, about a young New Yorker who learns that he’s the son of sea god Poseidon, plays at The Other Palace from November 2024.