Bradley Gibson, photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
All of my life, people have compared me to the mythical character Hercules, the strongest man on earth. They all said I had the massive, muscular body, incredibly strong arms, bravery beyond a doubt and the remarkable ability to defeat dinosaurs and other menacing monsters in battle.
So, last weekend I went to see the musical Hercules that just opened at the Paper Mill Playhouse, in Millburn. Was it all true? Was I as big and strong as Hercules, the hero in the play Hercules based in the 1997 film that starred Dwayne Johnson (the Rock), who is as strong and menacing as they get.
I wondered about Hercules. To me, the Hercules tale is pretty unexciting, really dull stuff. Big strong guy pushes around weak guys. But, to my surprise, Hercules is an absolute delight, a swashbuckling adventure of the first order, a theatrical delight for the whole family.
Destinee Rea, Tiffany Mann, Rashidra Scott, Charity Angél Dawson, Anastacia McCleskey, and Isabelle McCalla in Disney’s Hercules, photographed by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
In Hercules, as in the movie, the story is much different than all the other Hercules movies and television shows (5,678 of them, at least).
First and foremost, this Hercules at the Paper Mill is no Rock, or any big, strong guy. He is another ordinary guy without the power to scare anybody. He’s the mainstay of the play, though, and some wonderful characters are in the story with him.
In this Hercules, the big guy’s legendary travels and feats of strength and bravery have ended (Euripides wrote that story) and he is in the city of Thebes trying to become a hero for all the Greeks to worship. How does one become a hero in ancient Thebes? Its like trying to become a hero today – real tricky.
Fortunately for Hercules, he makes friends who help him. There is Phil, the owner of a Thebes “night club” who is also a “hero trainer” sought by Hercules. Phil is not sure if he can make more heroes, but he gives the goal his best effort. Phil is a funny, raucous, loud, boisterous character, a gem of a playwright’s efforts, portrayed with majesty by a bold and delightful James Monroe Iglehart. There is the girlfriend. She loves Hercules. She does not. She admires Hercules, She does not. Very iffy and very laudable. You can see why the Big H falls for her. There is Hades, from Hades, a bad, bad, bad guy who is determined to stop Hercules from becoming a hero. He sings, he dances, he whoops up a storm in a marvelous, unforgettable portrayal by Shuler Hensley.
Best of all, oh yeah best of all, are five girl singers/dancers who prance on to the stage in dazzling costumes from time to time. Each time they get on stage to sing some sweet little songs, the audience roars. You could hear the roar in Los Angeles. They are the “Supremes” of the ancient world.
Anastacia McCleskey as Thalia, Destinee Rea as Terpsichore, Charity Angél Dawson as Clio, Rashidra Scott as Melpomene, Tiffany Mann as Calliope, in Disney’s Hercules, photographed by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
These people, and others, partner with Hercules, played with great flair and a lot of fun by Bradley Gibson (watch him battle the three monsters and a fourth later on. You’ll bite you fingernails off!). He and others in Hercules’ “Hero climb” make the show so very enjoyable. Kids will love all the battles and monsters, but so will adults. I can’t tell you how many adults oohed and aahed their way through the play.
Hercules’ Mom and Dad send him off on his hero climb, warning him that it is difficult. It is. He battles monsters and evildoer characters at the same time and falls in love with a woman and has to swim magical and fatal sea to save her.
Oh, the trauma in his musical!
Isabelle McCalla as Meg and Bradley Gibson as Hercules in Disney's Hercules, photographed by Jeremy Daniel
The plot is simple and many of the characters are one dimensional. The music in the show is bouncy but at times a little boring.
Let’s put the dull music on a shelf, though, and watch Hercules in his quest. There are huge monsters in the play, and I mean monsters who would make King Kong appear as a filmland shrimp. There are battles that would make ancient movie battles tedious and uninteresting. And, above all, there is the charming love story.
This is a big, big play. I think there are 6,787 characters in the show, most of them on stage all of the time.
Bradley Gibson as Hercules and Ensemble in Disney's Hercules, photographed by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
This is a magical production, a heart warmer, a wonderful re-creation of the movie (many plays are dreadful recreations of a movie, but not this gem). The play was written by Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Arman. Jeremy Charnick put together the special effects, that are dynamic and at times mind-boggling. The music is by Alan Menken and lyrics by David Zippel The luscious choreography is by Chase Brock and Tanisha Scott. The entire production is deftly, no – brilliantly - directed by Lear Debessonet.
How did Hercules become a “Hero”? Was it by killing dragons, battling thousands of bad guys? Holding up huge buildings?
No, became a hero in the most unusual way, and you will love that way.
You will love the entire production of Hercules, too.
Bradley Gibson as Hercules for Disney's Hercules, photographed by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
PS: The beginning of this review, where I wrote that all of my life people had mistaken my physical appearance as that of Hercules? I made that up. I do not look like Hercules = no no, no! A six year old kid could beat me up…
Hercules runs now through March 19, 2023. Paper Mill Playhouse is located at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, New Jersey. For tickets and more information, click here.
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