HERCULES to Open Dingbat Theatre Project 2025-26 Season

Dingbat Theatre Project will present their new, comedic retelling of the world's first superhero, Hercules, opening their 2025-2026 6th MainStage Season. This marks their second season in their new permanent home, a storefront in Gulf Gate.

Dingbat's Hercules is a fast-paced and chaotic "Greek Mythology for Dummies" seminar turned comedy of god-like proportions. Playwrights, Austin Howeth and Luke Manual, also appear in the two-person show as themselves. They hilariously retell the Greek myth of "Heracles" by portraying all the gods, goddesses, and monsters along the way. The plot follows Heracles as he completes twelve impossible labors including defeating the Hydra, capturing the three-headed guard dog of the Underworld, and battling the Amazons. However, tensions rise between the performers as creative differences seep into their performance in an increasingly embarrassing fashion.

The world-premiere is written and performed by Austin Howeth and Luke Manual, who met in college, studying theatre at Mississippi State University. They've developed the play over the last six years, receiving a grant from Gulfcoast Community Foundation in 2024 to further workshop and present the new work as part of the "Dingbat Originals" program. Howeth has appeared onstage in many shows locally, including at Florida Studio Theatre and Dingbat Theatre Project. Manual is the Producing Artistic Director and founder of Dingbat Theatre Project.

"We are so excited to finally bring this adaptation to life on stage," says Manual. " Austin and I have been developing this script throughout our twenties, and, obviously, we've changed a lot throughout the years. It's been a blast looking back on what we wrote when we were younger (and pre-COVID), and making it relevant to who we are as people today. Our version of Hercules is fully intended to make audiences cackle. We hope we can bring joy to our community and provide respite in an increasingly difficult time, because laughter is the best medicine."

Hercules is performed in Dingbat's immersive 70-seat playhouse. Dingbat's Lounge opens 40-minutes prior to showtime. The play is directed by Gretchen Beaumier with musical sequences choreographed by Brian F. Finnerty. Dingbat's 2025-2026 MainStage Season sponsors include Dr. Jeffrey Hamblin & Mark-Alan, Jeff Cima, & Osprey Consulting.