The Hunchback of Notre Dame on Stage

[Sotiris]

Stephen Schwartz comments on the stage production in a new interview.

He also announced that a stage production of the Disney movie “Hunchback of Notre Dame” will have its first production later this year.

“We just did an extremely successful workshop in New York and consequently the first production is going to happen in the fall in a theater in California called the La Jolla Playhouse. That would be in October and we’ll see what happens there,” he said.

Source: http://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/02/06 ... ea-salonga


Also, the logo for the Playhouse production has been released.

[taei]

Seriously? That's the logo?

Let me say this, Hunchback of Notre Dame is my all time favorite Disney soundtrack. I love all the songs (which the exception of A Guy like You).
Everything about those songs is amazing. The orchestration, the lyrics, the choir, the visuals.. It's all just spectacular.
I remember two years ago wishing that we'd get a Broadway run. And now I'm happy.

Just a question for those of you who are experts in the theater department.
I really wanna go see this show, should I go see it when they preform in California or should I wait till they go to Broadway?

[disneyprincess11]

Not only is the logo gawdy, but it's also horribly/lazily Photoshopped. I hope the official Broadway logo is much better.

And taei, I think you can do either way. I'm going to NYC in May for Aladdin (my second show is unknown), but I saw If/Then's Pre-Broadway run in DC since that's my local area. If you want to see the final result, wait for Broadway. But, it's cool and historical to see a pre-Broadway run!

[Musical Master]

Here's an audio of Patrick Page singing the second half of "Hellfire". My GOD he sounds a bit like Tony Jay.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLk-9IF-Yns[/youtube]

[disneyprincess11]

And that's our Frollo!

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BR ... wqztYWhbhc

[TsWade2]

OH MY GOD! He's perfect! I bet he'll get a Tony for that role.

[taei]

What's the advantage of going to the pre-broadway shows?
Cause I heard that they sometime have technical difficulties and problems in them.

The guy playing Frollo is amazing, but I'm interested in who's going to do Quasimodo. I always thought Tom Hulce had a great voice!

As for the title treatment... What was wrong with this?

[disneyprincess11]

OH MY GOD! He's perfect! I bet he'll get a Tony for that role.

It's a really safe bet that anyone who's Frollo has a strong chance of winning a Tony. Frollo is a huge, psychopathic role and it demands a strong actor.

And in fact, I think HUNCHBACK will be the "revenge" show for Disney with the Tony's, not Aladdin.

What's the advantage of going to the pre-broadway shows?
Cause I heard that they sometime have technical difficulties and problems in them.

-You don't have to go through the hassle of making arrangements to NYC. If it's there at home, you might as well see it and buy time. If I waited for IF/THEN for NYC, I would have to be forced to choose between that and CINDERELLA (Which I was supposed to see with Santino/Prince Hans in it ) for my second show.
-You get to see deleted songs and parts of the musicals
-Again, you're a part of theatre history.

As for the typography, it's not really the style, it's how it's laid out. It looks awkward.

[taei]

-You don't have to go through the hassle of making arrangements to NYC. If it's there at home, you might as well see it and buy time. If I waited for IF/THEN for NYC, I would have to be forced to choose between that and CINDERELLA (Which I was supposed to see with Santino/Prince Hans in it ) for my second show.
-You get to see deleted songs and parts of the musicals
-Again, you're a part of theatre history.

As for the typography, it's not really the style, it's how it's laid out. It looks awkward.

I live in the middle of the US, lol. So it doesn't matter if i chose to go to NY or CA to see the show.

As for Cinderella, I remember the tumblr posts last month. Really sad, cause you were looking forward to it.

If I ever do end up going to NY it'll be like a master-broadway trip. I'll go to every single show that I wanna see.

BTW, how was Idina in If/Then? I've heard her singing Let it Go live in the two videos and it was disappointing.

[TsWade2]

OH MY GOD! He's perfect! I bet he'll get a Tony for that role.

It's a really safe bet that anyone who's Frollo has a strong chance of winning a Tony. Frollo is a huge, psychopathic role and it demands a strong actor.

And in fact, I think HUNCHBACK will be the "revenge" show for Disney with the Tony's, not Aladdin.

Well, to be honest, I hope Aladdin wins a Tony Award for Best Musical. But, in your case, I hope your right about Hunchback wins a Tony for Best Musical.

[rubyslippers]

What's the advantage of going to the pre-broadway shows?

I think for most people, the advantage is cost. Sometimes the previews are cheaper to get to than New York, even if they're about the same distance. I'm in the Midwest and saw Aladdin during Toronto previews and only spent $250 total for a one-night hotel stay, a ticket in the first few rows, some gas money, food and a souvenir. But if I were to see it in New York and still want the same decent seating, I'd probably be spending $200 for the ticket alone... never mind the cost of a decent hotel, the cost of a flight or bus ticket, etc.

The "risk" of previews are that sometimes the cast is just getting used to script changes or changes in the show, they may still be still testing out set pieces and effects to see what works and what doesn't., so the general risk of live theater is heightened.

[disneyprincess11]

Well, to be honest, I hope Aladdin wins a Tony Award for Best Musical. But, in your case, I hope your right about Hunchback wins a Tony for Best Musical.

Me too, but I saw If/Then with Idina, and that was a great show. And I heard Rocky and "Gentlemen's Guide to Murder..." are huge potential Tony winners. But, I think so far, there's no shoo-in like recent previous years. So, let's see what happens. I think Aladdin will defientely at least get "Best Costume Design" and "Best Featured Actor" for James/the Genie if the category is not too competitive.

[TsWade2]

Well, to be honest, I hope Aladdin wins a Tony Award for Best Musical. But, in your case, I hope your right about Hunchback wins a Tony for Best Musical.

Me too, but I saw If/Then with Idina, and that was a great show. And I heard Rocky and "Gentlemen's Guide to Murder..." are huge potential Tony winners. But, I think so far, there's no shoo-in like recent previous years. So, let's see what happens. I think Aladdin will defientely at least get "Best Costume Design" and "Best Featured Actor" for James/the Genie if the category is not too competitive.

I agree.

[Lady Cluck]

It's a really safe bet that anyone who's Frollo has a strong chance of winning a Tony. Frollo is a huge, psychopathic role and it demands a strong actor.

And in fact, I think HUNCHBACK will be the "revenge" show for Disney with the Tony's, not Aladdin.

Well, to be honest, I hope Aladdin wins a Tony Award for Best Musical. But, in your case, I hope your right about Hunchback wins a Tony for Best Musical.

You should probably get over that dream. The early reviews are mixed, leaning to the negative side lol.

Aladdin is just another theme park Broadway show for tourists. Hunchback has potential to be taken more seriously if done right (the music is better and the story and tone are more serious).

Edit: I don't mean to knock Aladdin. I'm sure it'll be a fun show. But I highly doubt it'll be a heavy hitter at the Tonys based on what I've seen and heard. It doesn't sound like they're doing anything as innovative as The Lion King and the source material isn't as fresh anymore either.

[ChrisLyne]

Taei - If you really want to see it then go this year. Whilst it's very likely Hunchback will come to Broadway it's not confirmed. This is a pilot production not a pre-Broadway run. Newsies transferred straight away, Aladdin took 3 years (though there were licensed productions in between) and I'm not sure where Jungle Book is up to.

Any show can have technical difficulties, even after previews have ended, the more important thing to bear in mind here is that this is a pilot production designed to run for 2 months so it probably won't have the same big budget that a Broadway show would have unless Disney are seriously considering a very quick transfer (for example the 5th Avenue's 2011 pilot of Aladdin had a lot smaller budget than the new Broadway production and its Toronto preview run). That's not to say it will look cheap, I'm sure it will look great, it just won't have quite the same level of spectacle or scale that it will probably get if it goes to Broadway. That said, the reviews could be amazing and Disney could decide to transfer the show to Broadway straight away without any changes. You never really know with these things.

Plus as others have said, even if your travel costs are the same, hotel and ticket prices will be a lot cheaper outside NY. Plus, whether the show comes to Broadway next year or in 5 years, you'll have seen the original production with the original cast and that's always something special. And even if they make loads of changes, it'll be great for you to go and see it again once it's opened on Broadway and compare it to the original show, it's always a fascinating experience to be able to do that.


Regarding the Tonys, I'd love Aladdin to win but it has some strong competition. It's my favourite show so I'm rooting for it but if Tony voters are anything like Toronto's critics then it'll be a struggle. That said, I agree it has a very strong chance of winning something for costume design (not seen the new sets so can't judge them) and for JMI as Genie.

[rubyslippers]

The Hunchback of Notre Dame will also be playing at the Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey from March 4 to April 5th, 2015.

http://www.papermill.org/press-releases ... ealed.html

[Disney's Divinity]

I'm even less of a fan of THoND than I am of Aladdin, but I would like to hear the songs Menken wrote for the Dutch musical (he did write those, didn't he?). It does have a nice soundtrack.

I personally don't expect Hunchback would take off though. Going serious will turn off the families, and the Disney name will turn off anybody who might want to see a darker show.

[Musical Master]

I'm even less of a fan of THoND than I am of Aladdin, but I would like to hear the songs Menken wrote for the Dutch musical (he did write those, didn't he?). It does have a nice soundtrack.

I personally don't expect Hunchback would take off though. Going serious will turn off the families, and the Disney name will turn off anybody who might want to see a darker show.

You are correct. He and Stephen Schwartz have written the new songs in the original German production.

[taei]

I'm trying to book tickets for Hunchback.
I really want to see La Jolla release a video sneak peak or something...

Has anyone here been to that theater? How big is it?

[Sorcerer Mickey]

Fascinating new information from Playbill.com:

"It's emotionally deeper. We're liberated from needing to... reach the family audience as we did in animation. Even though I believe this can reach a family audience, this definitely lives much more on the adult side of Hunchback."

For instance, he says, "We are bringing more nuance to the character of Frollo," the cathedral's archdeacon and Quasimodo's adoptive father, exploring "how Frollo became who he is, and the complexity inside him."

Parnell (On a Clear Day You Can See Forever) says that the stage musical's style "differs, both in form and at times in content, from the original Disney movie." He "looked carefully at the original novel," and "used some of Hugo for the narrative voice of the show," but "also looked at many of the varied previous treatments of the story."

The current stage version, says Schwartz, has "a different ending" and about "ten new songs or pieces of songs." Some were in the European version, "and some we wrote specifically for this one."

You can read more here.