In celebration of Women’s Herstory Month, Fictional is proud to present, The Gospel Truth: A Digital Reunion with The Muses from Hercules.
It's been close to twenty-five years since the release of Disney's Hercules, the feature-length animated film spotlighting the Gods and Goddesses of Greek mythology. Audiences across the world were captivated by the film's heroics and drama but undoubtedly the most enthralling aspect of the film was the soundtrack.
While the music for the film was written by Alan Menken, it was brought to life by five glamorous Black Muses. Calliope (kuh·lai·uh·pee), Clio (clee·oh), Melpomene (mel·pah·muh·nee), Terpsichore (trip·sik·uhree), and Thalia (tah·lee·ah) guided audiences through the film’s story arc with grace, joy, and the kind of comedic play only Black women can deliver.
Voiced by Lillias White, Vanéese Y. Thomas, Cheryl Freeman, LaChanze, and Roz Ryan respectively, The Muses were Disney’s first depiction of Black female characters in a feature film. That’s right, long before Princess Tiana, there were The Muses.
Over the last three months, I’ve been working behind the scenes to bring the cast of The Muses together to pay tribute to the five Black female voices who single-handedly sung into birth the greatest Disney soundtrack of all time. I am proud to say that I succeeded.
I had the distinct honor and privilege to speak with Lillias White, Vanéese Y. Thomas, Cheryl Freeman, and Roz Ryan in a special and unique digital reunion that is now available to the public.
The conversation is decorated with beautiful stories about the making of the film, subtle flex, did you know that Luther Vandross sang backup vocals in the movie? Most importantly it demonstrates the unique personality of each cast member and the friendship and sisterhood they share among one another.
This is a reunion fit for the Gods, and that's the Gospel truth!
