(The)
The production–with music from Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), lyrics from Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin), and book from Peter Parnell–The Hunchback of Notre Dame, embarks in a marvelous journey of love, redemption, injustice, and cruelty. The original cast features Michael Arden (The Times They Are A-Changin’, Big River) as Quasimodo, Patrick Page (Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark, The Lion King) as Frollo, Ciara Renée (Pippin, Big Fish) as Esmeralda, Andrew Samonsky (Little Miss Sunshine, The Mystery of Edwin Drood) as Phoebus, and Erik Liberman (Lovemusik) as Clopin (Blank).
(Alan) (Rühmeier)
The story begins “as the bells of Notre Dame resound through the famed cathedral in” 1482 Paris (“The”). Where Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer, contemplates all of Paris from the heights of the bell tower. He yearns to be out there and is desperate to be amongst the people–to be normal. On the day of the Festival of Fools, Quasimodo is “held captive by his devious caretaker, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, he escapes for the day and joins the boisterous crowd, only to be treated cruelly by all but the beautiful gypsy, Esmeralda” (“The”). While Frollo, Phoebus, and Quasimodo fight for her attention, Frollo is determined to eliminate what he believes is the evil in the world, the gypsies.
(Bells) (Dalia)
Based on the novel by French novelist and poet, Victor Hugo (Les Miserables) and the 1996 Disney Oscar nominated animated feature, this musical tells a story that is so tragic but yet portrays so much light. The score was composed by award winning composer–Alan Menken, and lyrics was written by award winning lyricist–Stephen Schwartz. The movie, they said, was like a musical waiting to happen (Rothstein). For the score to fit the musical, songs were added and music was adjusted, to make the musical closer to the 1831 novel. Compared to the animated movie, this production provides a much darker atmosphere and tragically poetic ending.
(Dalia) (Esmeralda)
In Making of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” Studio Cast Recording the actors expressed their sentiment towards the score: “The lyrics are incredibly smart, funny, witty, and painfully honest at times; and the music, I would venture to say is Alan’s best score…I really enjoyed my collaboration with Alan Menken…we get into the room and things happen that surprised both of us…(“Someday”) it sounds like it may have been written a thousand years ago. It’s so hauntingly human…we were doing the finale and I think everyone, including our conductor and listening to it and the rest of the cast, I caught myself, I can’t help but cry when I hear it” (Making). The score takes you on a spiritual journey, one that is so inspirational and “ultimately is a story about choosing to do the right thing and choosing to stand up for the outcasts…and teaches people how to choose love over fear” (Making).
(Murphy) (Dalia)
WORKS CITED
Alan Menken. Digital image. Playbill. Playbill, 11 Oct. 2014. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Bells of Notre Dame. Digital image. Alexander Dodge Design. Alexanderdodgedesign, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016
Blank, Matthew. “PHOTO CALL: A First Look at La Jolla Playhouse’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, Starring Michael Arden and Patrick Page.” Playbill. Playbill, 6 Nov. 2014. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
Dalia, Jerry. Michael Arden as Quasimodo. Digital image. Pinterest. Pinterest, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Dalia, Jerry. Quasimodo. Digital image. Pinterest. Pinterest, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Dalia, Jerry. Quasimodo and Esmeralda Finale. Digital image. Pinterest. Pinterest, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Esmeralda Rhythm of the Tambourine. Digital image. Variety. Variety, 10 Nov. 2014. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Making of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” Studio Cast Recording. Perf. Michael Arden, Alan Menken, Andrew Samonsky, Erik Liberman, Stephen Schwartz, Peter Parnell, Patrick Page, and Ciara Renee. Disney On Broadway. Youtube, 22 Jan. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Rothstein, Mervyn. “Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz Turn Hunchback Into a Stage Beauty.” Playbill. Playbill, 11 Oct. 2014. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.
Rühmeier, Ralf. Stephen Schwartz. Digital image. The Huffington Post. Huffingtonpost, 14 Apr. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
“The Hunchback Of Notre Dame.” Music Theatre International. Mtishows, n.d. Web. 29 Oct. 2016.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Paper Mill Playhouse.Perf. Michael Arden, Andrew Samonsky, Erik Liberman, Patrick Page, and Ciara Renee. Paper Mill Playhouse. Youtube, 12 Mar. 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage. Digital image. Alexander Dodge Design. Alexanderdodgedesign, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Murphy, Matthew. Ciara Renee as Esmeralda. Digital image. Broadway.com. Broadway, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Theatre 