Roger Bart, who sang the songs of young Hercules in the Disney animated film based on the character, will switch sides this summer as he takes on the role of Hades, the story’s villain, in a stage adaptation set to play New York’s Central Park in August and September. Bart, who is also known for roles on Desperate Housewives and The Producers, will star in the show opposite Jelani Alladin as Hercules; Krysta Rodriguez as Meg; James Monroe Iglehart as Phil; and Tamika Lawrence as the lead muse, Calliope. The musical, an adaptation of the Disney film, will be staged at the Public Theater’s Delacorte Theater in Central Park this summer.
Bart himself saw the irony, tweeting about the surreality of playing Hercules and then Hades years later. You can see the tweet below.
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Not often you get to play the hero and then the villain years later .. #Hercules #hades #icangothedistance https://t.co/C3kVWpQgvT
— Roger Bart (@rogerbartoffic) June 20, 2019
“Many generations of our Public Works families have embraced Disney musicals as a shared American canon,” said Public Works founder and Hercules director Lear deBessonet (via Playbill). “Hercules’ roots in Greek mythology, infused with soulful gospel music, make it a natural extension of Public Works’ radical exploration of humanity through Shakespeare and the classics. We’re excited to see how this Public Works production will uncover the deeper meaning of what it means to be a hero and how true strength is derived, not from the greatness of one person, but the transformative power of community.”
The musical will include Alan Menken and David Zippel’s songs from the 1997 animated film, along with new material and an adapted book by Pulitzer Prize finalist Kristoffer Diaz. Directed by Lear deBessonet with choreography by Chase Brock, Hercules will play a free run August 31–September 8.
