Disney’s Hercules to release London cast recording this month

Hercules will release an official London cast album this month.

Based on Disney’s 1997 animated classic, Hercules follows the titular Greek hero as he battles to claim his birthright and strength, while pitted against the villainous Hades.

It features music by Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast), lyrics by David Zippel (Mulan), and a new book by Robert Horn (Shucked) and Kwame Kwei-Armah (The Visitor). Numbers in the show include “Go the Distance” and “Zero to Hero”.

The West End company is led by Luke Brady (as Hercules), alongside Mae Ann Jorolan (Meg), Trevor Dion Nicholas (Phil), Stephen Carlile (Hades), Craig Gallivan (Bob), Lee Zarrett (Charles), and the Muses – Candace Furbert (Thalia), Sharlene Hector (Clio), Brianna Ogunbawo (Melpomene), Malinda Parris (Calliope), and Robyn Rose-Li (Terpsichore).

The cast also includes Kamilla Fernandes and Kimmy Edwards (as Standby Muses), as well as Rhianne Alleyne, Lana Antoniou, Daisy Barnett, Felipe Bejarano, Sarah Benbelaid, Joel Benjamin, Jack Butcher, Nicole Carlisle, Francessca Daniella-Baker, Marie Finlayson, Ryesha Higgs, Cruz-Troy Hunter, Travis Kerry, Stefan Lagoulis, Jason Leigh Winter, Jordan Livesey, Harriet Millier, Ellie Mitchell, Saffi Needham, Ben Nicholas, Ingrid Olivia, Matt Overfield, Patrick John Robinson, Ope Sowande and Rhys West.

The new album will be released on 10 October for digital download and streaming, 21 November on CD and 5 December on vinyl. We’ve listed the tracks below. 

Menken said today: “This Hercules cast album represents the culmination of a journey that started way back in the mid 90’s in the world of Disney animation. The unique opportunities that came from composing a score filled with stylish pop and gospel influences, combined with David Zippel’s brilliant, sophisticated lyrics, never failed to delight me. I believe audiences connected, both then and now, with that sense of joy we had in our writing process.

“One of my favourite aspects of adapting my own pre-existing material for a stage production is being able to give voice to characters who never sang before, like Hades. Including Hades’ new song, David and I have written seven new songs that bring even more heart and soul into the story.  

“I’m thrilled to share our enthusiasm for this next chapter in our hero’s journey. So, here it is, please enjoy our new, theatrical, Hercules!!”

The track listing is as follows:

•     1 Prologue – Ensemble, Narrator
•     2 Gospel Truth I (Mount Olympus) – Muses, Ensemble
•     3 Gospel Truth II (Underworld) – Muses, Ensemble
•     4 Despina’s Lullaby – Despina, Muses
•     5 Gospel Truth III (Herc was Mortal) – Muses
•     6 Today’s Gonna Be My Day – Hercules
•     7 Go the Distance – Hercules
•     8 Go the Distance Reprise – Hercules, Muses
•     9 One Last Hope – Phil, Hercules
•     10 Forget About It – Meg, Hercules
•     11 Gospel Truth IV (So Not Dead) – Muses
•     12 Getting Even – Hades, Bob, Charles, Ensemble
•     13 Zero to Hero – Hercules, Muses, Phil, Ensemble
•     14 A Muse Bouche — Muses
•     15 I’m Back! – Phil, Ensemble
•     16 Getting Even Reprise – Bob, Charles
•     17 Phil Goes the Distance/Doomed to Be Human – Phil, Hercules
•     18 I Won’t Say (I’m in Love) – Meg, Muses
•     19 I Won’t Say (I’m in Love) Reprise – Hercules, Meg
•     20 Great Bolts of Thunder – Muses, Zeus, Hades, Ensemble
•     21 To Be Human – Hercules
•     22 Gospel Truth V (That’s Our Tale) – Muses, Ensemble
•     23 A Star is Born – Muses, Company
•     24 BONUS TRACK:  To Be Human (Original Alan Menken Demo) – Alan Menken