A new casting call posted on the Disney Auditions website suggests a new show may finally be coming to the Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure. And not just any show — the roles describe almost perfectly line up with “Hercules,” the beloved 1997 Walt Disney Animated Studios film!
This would be the first new show since since “Frozen – Live at the Hyperion” closed at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The Hyperion has remained dark since. No details are out other than this casting call, of course. But with a live-action adaptation of “Hercules” on the way and the original film likely to see a resurgence in popularity as a result, the idea isn’t too farfetched.
The audition call has since been pulled from the Disney Auditions website.
The audition call asks for “SINGER/ACTORS who move” for a “new limited run musical at the Hyperion Theatre at Disneyland Resort”
The listing goes on “This new musical project will come to life through the creativity of Disney Live Entertainment in partnership with book writer Hunter Bell, star and book writer of the Tony Award nominated [title of show] and featuring music by Emmy-nominated and Grammy-winning composer Christopher Lennertz.”
Five main roles are being sought out:
Role #1/Featured Principal – 3 Female identifying roles, 20’s to 50’s. Vocal Range: All. Style: Proficient with harmonization and ability to sing in many styles from Destiny’s Child to Andrew Sisters. These three performers are a fun, energetic and musical sisterhood that acts as the occasional “Greek Chorus”. All abilities and types welcome. This likely matches to the Fates.
Role #2/Featured Principal – Female identifying, mid 20’s to early 30’s. Vocal Range: Mezzo Soprano. Style: contemporary musical theatre. Brave, resourceful and intelligent. Must have a strong English accent. All abilities and types welcome. This likely matches to Meg.
Role #3/Featured Principal – Male identifying, 17 to 20. Vocal Range: Tenor. Style: contemporary musical theater. Young man coming into his greatness. All abilities and types welcome. This likely matches Hercules.
Role #4/Featured Principal – Male identifying, 30’s to 40’s. Vocal Range: Baritone/Tenor. Style: contemporary musical theatre. He is decisive, capable, principled and has a wry sense of humor. Leads others with attitude and swagger. All abilities and types welcome. This likely matches Hades.
Role #5/Featured Principal – Male identifying, mid 20’s to early 30’s. Vocal Range: Baritone/Tenor. Style: contemporary musical theater. He is a noble, loyal, idealistic, and romantic do-gooder, who does not give up easily. All abilities and types welcome.
Singer/Chorus – Male and Female identifying, any age. Vocal Range: All. Style: contemporary musical theatre. These performers will play many roles and create the world for this story. Some roles will be required to dance. All abilities and types welcome.
While no details are confirmed and this is based only on the casting calls, we’re excited nonetheless for a new show to finally occupy the Hyperion!
Are you excited to see a potential return of shows to the Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure? Let us know in the comments below!
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Hercules would be cool, but I was really hoping they’d do a version of the Encanto thing at the Hollywood Bowl that debuted on D+ recently. That was a great 45-minute show, and it would be a bit shorter without the kids chorus spotlight segment.
While this sounds like an exciting show based on the audition requirements, I’m not feeling the Hercules comparisons. The only comparison that comes close is the “Greek Chorus,” but the others don’t quite fit. Why would they want an English accent for Meg, for example? Besides, a full musical production of Hercules already exists, having received a pre-pandemic showing at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, NYC with another production coming early this year to Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. In fact, I can’t think of any preexisting Disney stories that match up with these “clues,” so I’m thinking this is a wholly original musical adaptation of an IP that doesn’t already come with familiar songs, much like Doug Live! at Disney-MGM Studios or the Nemo musicals at Animal Kingdom.
Ya, Role #3 is young Hercules and Role #5 is older Hercules.