Hercules Dream Cast

[Messytheatregirl]

Have you all heard the news?! Alan Menken is developing/working on a stage musical adaptation of Hercules. I'd love to hear your dream casts. Here are a few of my ideas:

Hercules - Lin Manuel Miranda

Phil - Josh Gad

Meg - Emmy Rossum

Hades - James Corden or Neil Patrick Harris 

The Muses - Cynthia Erivo, Amber Riley, Laura Osnes, Vanessa Hudgens etc...

 

[hork]

It should be a one-woman show with Laura Benanti playing every role.

[smtewks]

I'd love a younger Hercules like Derek Klena.

And on that note Alysha Umphress as Meg.

And I would KILL to see Andrew Rannells be Hades.

And please let Keale Settle be a Muse!!

[Lot666]

Messytheatregirl said: "Hercules - Lin Manuel Miranda"

Wow, I can't see that at all! Why do you feel LMM would be a good choice?

[Theatrefanboy1]

Well I know it would likely be 3-4 years in the works but

 

Hercules- Cheyenne Jackson (years ago I wanted him in it. But it's taken so long get this far), Aaron Tveit (he's been bulking up nicely) or Charlie Williams (though unfortunately I don't know that his vocal chops are up to snuff)

Hades- yes! NPH

Meg  lea michele? (I really don't know on that one)

muses - Cynthia erivo. Amber Riley. Laura osnes. Patina miller and K. Seela. 

Phil - josh gadd!!! 

Hermes  Ryan Steele 

zeus  norm Lewis  haha or Morgan freeman

 

[A0326T]

ANDY KARL ....for Hercules.  He was after all our Rocky.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Andy Karl, duh.

LMM???

[TheSassySam]

What about Anika Noni Rose as Meg? 

[theatregoer3]

TheSassySam said: "What about Anika Noni Rose as Meg? "

LOVE this idea. Would also love Laura Benanti.

Would be rad to get all unknowns for this one considering the show will see fine with the name alone.

 

[darquegk]

I wonder if casting someone too overtly (for lack of a better word) hunky will diminish the role of Hercules in a way. In the film, Herc is a gangly, awkward nerd who has divine strength. His training with Phil makes him look the role of a hero, though he remains the same weird nerd on the inside, struggling to keep up the persona of a hero and beloved sex symbol.

This isn't really a role for Lin, but I get what they meant suggesting him- he's definitely more of a LMM than, say, a more Herculean looking Cheyenne Jackson type.

[leighmiserables]

I second (third?) Andy Karl for Hercules, and put forth Amber Gray as Meg. I mean. C'mon. 

[Valentina3]

The muses are glorified Church Ladies similar to how they were in The Color Purple. Y'all cray if you think performers of the caliber of Cynthia Erivo, Laura Osnes, Amber Riley, and Vanessa Frikkin' Hudgens will agree to be in a Broadway musical to play what will probably be an ensemble track.


Hades will be the real scene stealer of this show. My vote goes to Titus.

[Plannietink08]

Hercules - Emmy Rossum

Phil - Emmy Rossum

Meg - Emmy Rossum

Hades - Emmy Rossum

The Muses - Emmy Rossum, Emmy Rossum, Emmy Rossum

[MaddieBB12]

Valentina3 said: "The muses are glorified Church Ladies similar to how they were in The Color Purple. Y'all cray if you think performers of the caliber of Cynthia Erivo, Laura Osnes, Amber Riley, and Vanessa Frikkin' Hudgens will agree to be in a Broadway musical to play what will probably be an ensemble track.


Hades will be the real scene stealer of this show. My vote goes to Titus.

 

"

^I agree. Much like the Genie in Aladdin, it will be Hades' show, provided he is written a great, juicy villian number. I second the idea of Titus, but I also wouldn't mind Gavin Creel either, depending on whatever direction they take with Hades.

I will also say Derek Klena! That being said, tho, Disney has sort of established a habit of casting their main princes and princesses and the like with actors much older than the characters themselves (more so than a lot of other shows, I feel) Elsa and Anna in Frozen, Aladdin and Jasmine in Aladdin, even Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid and the Beast in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway (not so much Ariel and Belle), so I wonder if we'll see this pattern continue.

[Messytheatregirl]

thank you. lol

[OKBroadwayFan]

Hercules:  Nick Adams

[JennH]

theatregoer3 said: "TheSassySam said: "What about Anika Noni Rose as Meg? "

LOVE this idea. Would also love Laura Benanti.

Would be rad to get all unknowns for this one considering the show will see fine with the name alone.

 

 

"

I think we all can admit if they didn't do it with Frozen when they 1000% could have, then it isn't gonna happen with Hercules...however...I'm dream casting myself as Meg because DAMMIT, I adore her, I'm her and she is me, and she's the one Mouse heroine I don't have to be so "Disney princess mold-ey" with. She's the only one I fit what inherently exists, I don't have to think so hard...however, I know this has next to nil chance of happening LOLZ. 

Anyway, my gushing aside, all of you suggesting Emmy can't-act-or-sing Rossum, I REALLY hope you're all kidding...she's way too uninteresting anyway, aside from Herc, Meg is the most interesting character in this thing.

As for our beloved Herc...this is a role for any of our well known Broadway cookie cutter princes (this isn't a knock in this case really), Ala Corey Cott, Derek Klena (who basically has said this is a dream role), etc. We know who these are. But yes he does need to be that gangly nerd, at the VERY least to begin with, because he comes into his hunky self later as darquegk says, but still retains his adorable, weird, awkward self. That NEEDS to stay, if only because it still makes him relatable and likable but also, I've ALWAYS believed this is why Meg falls for him in the first place. He's this sweet, goofy nerd who couldn't hurt a fly even if he wanted to, but she's been jaded to the point where she believes everyone is "petty and dishonest", and just by saying this in response to him wanting to be like everyone else, she already believes he's not those things. Herc absolutely must have a goofy and comic quirk to him as well. Neither Meg or Herc are cookie cutter Disney leads in terms of personality, they're pretty subversive when you think about it. The hunky but adorable sweetheart who decides everything via "feelings" and the snarky, dry humored, whip smart girl who decides everything by "logic". I love when romantic pairings are like this, there's something about this dichotomy that I'm a sucker for. 

As for Hades and the Muses, I think we all knew YEARS ago that these will 100% be the crowd pleasing showstoppers. Heck, this is a rare bird in which not many people would want to be a lead, because let's be honest, we'd all want to be a sassy black woman just so we can me a muse! Myself included!

[10086Sundays]

As much as a fan of Andy Karl as I am, I actually hope he doesn't end up in this. After GHD, I'd like to see him do something that's not another movie turned musical.  Either an original musical or a play.  

[JennH]

10086Sundays said: "As much as a fan of Andy Karl as I am, I actually hope he doesn't end up in this. After GHD, I'd like to see him do something that's not another movie turned musical.  Either a original musical or play.  

 

"

I'd say this would be PERFECT for him if he were younger or if this was brought to the stage years ago when he WAS younger. He's aged pretty well and is still damn good looking but he's 43 and reads it. 

[PatrickDC]

Hercules = Kyle Dean Massey? 

Someone earlier suggested Charlie Williams...my longtime chorus boy crush. He could play goofy stud perfectly! 

And if Andrew K-B was taller he'd be great. 

[HeyMrMusic]

I think Devin Ilaw is hunky but can appear gangly. If it's the same actor for younger and older Hercules, I think he could be great.

I'd also take the hunky Joshua Henry. He'd look and sound great flying Pegasus during "Go the Distance."

[leighmiserables]

HeyMrMusic said: "I think Devin Ilaw is hunky but can appear gangly. If it's the same actor for younger and older Hercules, I think he could be great."

Wait. Yes. This. He was by far the standout for me in Miss Saigon and he definitely could pull it off. 

[NOWaWarning]

Do you think they might cast two guys to play Hercules since he undergoes such a major physical transformation? 

[Valentina3]

You mean kinda like The Lion King? Would they have 2 Megs too, then? I don't know how I'd feel about seeing the same actress fall for 2 different actors on stage, even if it's the same 'character'.

[little_sally]

If only Tony Yazbeck were about ten years younger.