The latest narrative from “Hercules” will feature high fashion, Hydra puppet shows, The Maube scaffolding and new songs when it was performed on a new Disney Destiny cruise ship later this year.
“We’ll be able to bring this show to the 21st century in a way we’ve never seen before,” creative director Michael Cerna said at the showcase of the ship’s spotlight elements.
The panel on “Hercules” also included co-directors Kevin Wilson and Marcel Wilson, as well as Jeff Conover, creative director of puppet shows and articulation at Walt Disney Imagineering.
“We really wanted to think about set design. We really wanted to be modern. We thought about costumes. We wanted to be luxurious. And we wanted to do the choreography we have now,” Kevin Wilson said.
“So we really wanted to make sure that these elements of the show felt fresh and new, but we had the heart and soul of the show that everyone knows,” he said.
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Brother Wilson wanted to bring realism to the show, Marcel Wilson said.
“When our show starts, we’re in the museum. There’s a Greek artifact and a god and a goddess on top of the statue,” he said. “I wanted to feel like a Hercules exhibition where people from all over the world come and visit and see it.”
The set includes moving scaffolding and stairs, Kevin Wilson said.
“They can move, move on stage, move on stage, change to different scenes on the set, because of our modern aesthetics. They also bring Greek aesthetics to the gazebo on the pillar,” Marcel Wilson said. “We like the juxtaposition between modern aesthetics and having a Greek vibe.”
Her costume will also be Greek.
“We wanted to be more couture fashion for costume development, especially for Gods and Goddesses, so we have a beautiful, huge headpiece with gorgeous, dramatic drapes,” Marcel Wilson said.
“Even our Greek townspeople…it’s not couture fashion, but it still gives the runway feel,” he said.
The show is based on the 1997 Disney animated film Hercules. It includes familiar songs such as “Zero to Hero,” “Go The Distance,” and “I Don’t Say I’m In Love.” It also features the song “Shooting Star,” written but not used for the film, Kevin Wilson said.
Also look for villains such as Hades and Multi-Head Hydra presented via a giant puppet show.
“There’s something persuasive about playing puppet shows and scales. You can only present it in a theatrical environment, bringing emotion to another level,” Conover said.
“We’re doing something really interesting, not just Hydra, but also in part of Titan in the film,” he said. “We use technology never before used to bring these Titans to life and live on the stage at the Walt Disney Theatre.
The old and new mix will pay off, Cerna told the Wilsons.
“What ended in the finale is completely fresh and new,” he said. “It’s so exciting to see you get up and cheer, dance and make sure you’re always saying Hallelujah at the same time.”
“Frozen, A Musical Spectacular” and “Disney Seas The Adventure” will also be performing at Disney’s Destiny, which will begin sailing from Fort Lauderdale in November. The ship has a “villain and hero” theme in shows, restaurants and other interactions.
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