The Muses from Disneys Hercules.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 9:22pm

does anyone think that the singing Muses from Disneys Hercules might have been
inspired by the Dreamettes Do you think Disney got the idea from this? It just made me think they are very simler.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 9:27pm

It's obviously another use of the trio of fierce black chicks convention used in a lot of musicals.

[James885]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 9:29pm

They always reminded me of the urchins from Little Shop of Horrors.

[Taryn]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 9:31pm

Except that there are five muses.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 6/29/08 at 9:31pm

true

[toanythingtaboo 2]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 8:05am

*bit of trivia*

one of the muse voices is playing Motormouth Maybelle in the London Production of Hairspray right now.

well, unless she's left since December.

[JBSinger]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 9:19am

Well, being a Greek Myth, they had the Muses be the "Greek Chorus". And that opened up a lot of possibilities. "Gospel Truth" has a double meaning title. Having the muses allowed for back-up vocals (i.e. "I Won't Say"). I LOVE the muses and no one writes for musical theatre Gospel women like Alan Menken.

Lead muse: Lillias White (who beat out Patti LaBelle)
chunky muse: Roz Ryan
Sweet muse: La Chanze
Another muse: Cheryl Freeman (Tommy's ACID QUEEN).

these ladies rock!
Updated On: 6/30/08 at 09:19 AM

[pli1018]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:50pm

One of the muses is also voiced by LaChanze.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 1:08pm

You do know that girl groups existed before Dreamgirls and Little Shop of Horrors and Caroline, or Change? I'm pretty sure there's a featurette with the Hercules DVD that pretty much explains the inspiration.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 1:28pm

Kids, kids, kids... a long time ago, in a galaxy far far far. On a distant planet known as Earth and in an era known as the early 1960's -- girl group singers (generally a trio and sometimes a quartet) were popular in the music of that era. There were white girl groups and black girl groups. It was one crazy time for rock-n-roll but these girl groups managed to forever represent that era in more ways than one. This continues to this day.

Though there were countless of girl groups popping-up like weeds everywhere in those days, most were relegated to the 'one-hit-wonder' status. Several girl groups lingered and enjoyed enormous acclaim and managed to succeed in many realms of the entertainment industry, etc.

Here's a list of some of the most famous girl groups from the 1960's:

The Marvellettes
The Ronettes
The Angels
The Shangri-Las
The Shirelles
The Chiffons
Martha Reeves and The Vandellas
The Honeys
... and the most famous of them all: The Supremes/Diana Ross & The Supremes

DREAMGIRLS' The Dreamettes/The Dreams/Deena Jones & The Dreams were inspired loosely on this famous group: The Supremes/Diana Ross & The Supremes.

Also, the Urchins from LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS are also inspired by these girl groups of the 1960's (hence their names), as were The Dynamites (from HAIRSPRAY) and even The Radio (from CAROLINE, OR CHANGE).

For obvious reasons, the Muses in Disney's HERCULES were also inspired by these girl groups of the 1960's.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 1:31pm

Ross stole every move and note from Beyonce!

[Okayfine]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 1:36pm

Thanks, BrodyFosse. I enjoy this message board, but it gets frustrating that there are disprortionately so many incredibly young & inexperienced people posting on it. As an old fart, I don't so much mind a lack of knowledge as a lack on cultural literacy quite as basic as that displayed here. Getting off soap box now.

Oh wait ... for those too young to understand, the history of standing on a soap box ... oh never mind.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 10/9/15 at 4:09am

toanythingtaboo 2 said: "*bit of trivia*

one of the muse voices is playing Motormouth Maybelle in the London Production of Hairspray right now.

well, unless she's left since December.

 

 

 

 

-Stumbled Across this and thought i'd correct it as Johnnie Fiori , Sandra Marvin or Sharon D. Clarke (all who played Motormouth in the London Production of Hairspray) Did Not voice any of the muses in Hercules.



"

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 2/7/19 at 04:09 AM

[darreyl102]

Posted: 2/7/19 at 1:45am

I wish I could find the interview that Patti LaBelle did talking about her Hercules audition. It was really funny because she said that she went in and did what she thought was a amazing audition and then said "I went home and heard nothing,baby!" Lolz