The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Paper Mill- Page 5

[sctrojan65]

Posted: 3/11/15 at 9:34pm

Sorry, guys and gals. I was just referring to something that was said that I thought was a reference to a comment that I had made earlier about liking the intimacy of it.

Something was said that seemed to infer that seeing this as an intimate show was stupid.

But no harm, no foul. I shouldn't have personalized it.

I just found the play to be a really emotional experience and because of the intimacy of the theater and the performances I felt this connection to the Quasimodo character.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 3/11/15 at 10:30pm

MAJOR CHANGE AT THE END OF HOND:

*****SPOILERS******

Quasi now dies as well. They have added the original ending of the book by making the narrators mention the ending. (The audio is on Tumblr)

Updated On: 3/11/15 at 10:30 PM

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 3/11/15 at 11:32pm

Thai Mol Piyas's lyrics have been changed completely
New Lyrics

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/11/15 at 11:38pm

sctrojan65, you thought Papermill was intimate?

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 3/12/15 at 12:00am

ONE last thing:


They are thankfully slowly giving Clopin a bigger part and making him more true to the book as well

[Up In One]

Posted: 3/12/15 at 12:22am

Saw the show tonight, Wednesday, and was thrilled by the theatricality of the staging and the amazing score, vocal arrangements and choral work. Let's get one thing straight. I never saw the movie. I never heard of the movie. I don't give a f**k about the movie. I truly went into this with no preconceptions. Being someone who leans more towards theatrical presentations like this (Chicago, A Chorus Line, Equus, Evita, Story Theater) I was very impressed by the conceptual staging. The show sits somewhere between an oratorio and an everyman play. The vocal and choral work gave me goosebumps and the ending reduced me to uncontrollable sobbing. Just brilliant.

The show is 15/20 minutes longer than it should be and much of the trimming should be done to the Frollo role which is very one note and repetitive and competes for focus with the leading character. The last two songs of the first act should be combined. Frollo doesn't need the solo at that moment but the end of the act could use the effectiveness of the Hellfire song.

You can hear several of the composers other shows in the score - Quasi actually has a Defying Gravity song but that is forgiven just for the joy of hearing Arden hold those notes. No one writes better chorus harmonies than Mr. Schwartz add an actual choir to the mix and you have musical nirvana.

The audience ate the show up and the ending is so emotional it's impossible not to jump to your feet for the curtain calls. This will probably thrill the Les Miz and Phantom crowd more than the Disney crowd but that's a pretty good market for the show. I would definitely leave the kids home - I need to watch the movie now - can't picture it appealing to kids unless the Disney animation is very different.

I do wonder about the budget of a show like this for Broadway - how do you pay a 32 person chorus in addition to a 20 person cast? Would the chorus became Equity?

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 3/12/15 at 8:23am

It's a Menken score, though.

If you found the music thrilling, the German CD is for me, a strong candidate for best ever recording of a musical, so try that too.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 3/12/15 at 9:43am

Hey, Up In One (never saw that show, didn't realize how much I loved Peter Allen until later, damn), thanks for the A CHORUS LINE intro. I'm neither a PHANTOM or LES MIZ fan, nor am I a Disney fan, so what's there for me? But I love great musical theatre (COMPANY, FOLLIES, A CHORUS LINE, SHE LOVES ME, BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, SPRING AWAKENING). Does HUNCHBACK hold anything for an older, more serious music theatergoer? I still go to the theatre several times a week, I have for more than 50 years, so I've pretty much seen it all, and I go into every show with love and great expectations. And I liked the disney HUNCHBACK animated version, although the score was pleasant at best, nothing memorable.

Should I go out to Paper Mill to see this? NEWSIES was hardly worth seeing there or here, imo, regardless of the Disney imprimatur.

[Love4Theatre]

Posted: 3/12/15 at 11:55am

To jayinchelsea, I am not a fan of phantom or les mis. I recently watched Newsies, and found it to be a total bore. I was able to catch Hunchback in La Jolla, and I was deeply moved. It was definitely an experience. I may be in the minority, however, as I didn't find Page's performance as great as everyone has stated. I liked him better as the Green Goblin. His performance in Hunchback was good, but not great IMO. On the other hand,the cast as a whole and the show were stellar. Give the show a chance, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

[PattyO'Furniture]

Posted: 3/12/15 at 5:01pm

RE: the "spoiler" about the ending:



I wouldn't say exactly that Quasimodo "dies" in the end of the show now.

The new narration (after Michael sings the words "Some day...", which is the most beautiful moment in the show, IMO) is something like:
"Years later, in the crypts beneath Notre Dame, there were discovered two skeletons, one of which held the other on its embrace: the first was a woman with a woven band around her neck; the second was a man whose spinal column was crooked. When they tried to detach the skeleton he held in his arms, it crumbled to dust."

Based on the text, there is a reference to Quasimodo's eventual death, but I wouldn't say he dies in the show. His death could occur 15 minutes after Phoebus leaves or (not to be too morbidly Faulknerific) some time later.

[jjohnson5]

Posted: 3/12/15 at 5:07pm

I read the implication of that as he starved to death after bringing Esmerelda's body to the crypt, which is where he said he would take her earlier in (I think) Act 2.

[sctrojan65]

Posted: 3/12/15 at 8:18pm

I saw the show in La Jolla, not Paper Mill, and yes I did find it intimate. One of the smaller theaters in which I've seen a show of this caliber. It brought you close to the action in the same way the Mark Taper felt when I saw Flower Drum Song, years ago, with Lea Solanga and Jose Llana.

Updated On: 3/12/15 at 08:18 PM

[joeyv2]

Posted: 3/13/15 at 8:08am

I saw this last week and was very pleasantly surprised. It was mature, lush, haunting, and powerful. That "Disney magic" people are lamenting that it lacks may be part of the reason it succeeded in my eyes. I couldn't believe how atrocious "Aladdin" was when I saw it, and as beautiful as "The Lion King" is, it feels tonally conflicted, somewhere between wanting to be twee and meditative, so I wasn't sure how I'd feel about "Hunchback." Fortunately, it exceeded my expectations and it's something I'd see again without reservation. Also, the Paper Mill is just wonderful. If I lived nearby, I'd get a membership and check out everything every season. What a gem to have in a small suburban Jersey town.

Updated On: 3/13/15 at 08:08 AM

[Lumes123]

Posted: 3/15/15 at 11:53am

Saw it last night and I thought it was just brilliant, beautiful and stunning. It is very different from the movie. In a way, I felt the story centered a little more around Frollo than it did Quasimodo. Frollo is more human, struggling with his own demons and loveless life here than he is classic villain
The set was gorgeous. The direction and the way the story was brought to life on stage was inspired. Everyone in the company is giving it their all and pouring their heart and soul into it. The audience was already standing before they went to black out at the end.

I would say, GO but don't go with the expectations you might have if you were going to another Disney Musical. It is not the movie pasted on stage by any means. It is it's own piece.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 9:55am

I saw the show Saturday and thought it was absolutely horrendous.

I saw Michael Arden's understudy so I can't speak to Arden's performance, but the only performer who was well cast was Patrick Page.

The direction was a complete mess-- there was a trope of narration, like "we're going to walk you through the story" that was inconsistent and disappeared. The show does not have a consistent tone. It takes itself too seriously.

Quasimodo is portrayed as having a developmental disability. Which is completely wrong and makes no sense. The book is a huge mess (thanks Peter Parnell, again) and the audience has absolutely nothing to connect to in Quasi, who is supposed to be the lead.

Also, it's way too dark for kids. I'm fine with darkness, just not about "bitches" and "whores" the way it's used here. I'm honestly shocked they've been working on this for years. The show needs a new director and book writer if they want to keep working on it.

Updated On: 3/16/15 at 09:55 AM

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:04am

The show opened last night. Any professional reviews?

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:12am

It's a Euro-poperetta. One simply must have whores.

[ILuv2shop531]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 10:37am

Wouldn't expect any professional reviews until tomorrow at the earliest, maybe this evening. Typically Papermill's opening night doubles as press night so most who were reviewing probably attended last night.

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 6:37pm

Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter: For all the obvious effort and careful stagecraft that has gone into this long-gestating project, the show would probably benefit from being shorn of its Disney imprimatur. That's because it features a decidedly darker tone than its animated inspiration...this Hunchback is both too mature in its themes for younger children and insufficiently weighty to attract discerning adults. While its ambitions are laudable, the execution is muddled. The show is impressive on many levels...Menken's uncommonly complex, classically-influenced score often soars...Parnell's book relies too heavily on familiar story-theater elements, with the performers often using direct address to describe the plot machinations. But the melodramatic tale is stirringly rendered, with the fast-paced action delivered in a relatively tight two-and-a-half hours...Arden is terrific in the title role, superbly conveying his character's emotional pain and physical deformities while beautifully singing such emotive numbers as "Out There" and "Heaven's Light"...Page makes Frollo an intriguingly conflicted character suffused with a genuine complexity, and his powerful baritone voice is wonderfully showcased in such songs as "Sanctuary" and the showstopping "Hellfire."

Joe Dziemianowciz, New York Daily News: At its best, "Hunchback" offers four topflight lead performances. As the unfairly outcast hunchback, Michael Arden sings as loud and clear as the bells atop Notre Dame. Patrick Page, a go-to villain on Broadway, brings gravity and burly vocals as Frollo, Quasimodo's deeply religious and creepy caregiver. Andrew Samonsky adds hunkiness as the soldier Phoebus. And Ciara Renee is earthy and lovely as the gypsy Esmeralda...The look of the show is also very good. Alexander Dodge's lavish bell-tower, Alejo Vietti's gritty period costumes and Howell Binkley's dynamic lights lend to the atmosphere...This stage musical smartly excises comic relief from the film's giggling gargoyles. But recurring narration...gives the production child's storytime effect...You'd expect that pairing two greats like Menken...and Schwartz...would add up to music bigger than the sum of the parts. But these songs are largely lackluster - and elaborate orchestrations and a big chorus can't mask that. "Hunchback" also is weighed down by angst. Anxiety arises so much that there's rarely a chance to breathe and savor what's beautiful about the show.

Matt Windman, AM New York: ..."Hunchback" makes for an unusually dark and chilling piece of musical theater which explores physical deformity, religious extremism, sexual repression and even genocide. This may be the first Disney musical meant for adults rather than kids...The rich score, with music by Alan Menken ("Beauty and the Beast") and lyrics of Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked"), has been significantly expanded beyond the handful of songs from the movie. Though not exactly catchy, the songs have a hefty weight that reflects the source material. With a lavish set resembling the Notre Dame cathedral, the lavish, medieval-style production is built around a direct storytelling concept in which the versatile cast is enacting the famous tale for the audience. They are backed by a large church-style choir, adding a great deal of vocal power. Arden gives a vibrant performance as Quasimodo, who can barely communicate with others. Page...combines a commanding presence and deep baritone voice with shades of Frollo's complexities.

Michael Giltz, The Huffington Post: ...the show boasts truly excellent singing from its four leads, huge vocal support from the Continuo Arts Symphonic Chorus that certainly adds punch to the show's many, many climactic moments and superior playing from the orchestra conducted by musical director Brent-Alan Huffman. Quite simply, this work could not ask for a better showcase. The many failings on display are strictly its own...It has a new book by Peter Parnell and a great deal of sound and fury...But when not seeming like a poor cousin to Les Miserables, the show feels like all peaks and no valleys. The two romantic leads are cardboard cutouts on paper. Renée adds some genuine charm as Esmerelda but Samonsky feels resolutely modern as Phoebus. Patrick Page fares much better as the conflicted Frollo but it's almost entirely to his presence...all the songs blend together...Those who are musically inclined will appreciate the complexity of the score, the motifs for characters that are repeated throughout and the Latin choral work drawing on classic religious melodies for the act two curtain raiser. But no one will be singing them...it's quite bereft of any theatrical magic from director Scott Schwartz and his creative team; the climax is the first thing they should have tackled and solved but in fact they never came close to figuring it out

Mostly Mixed to negative.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 7:07pm

Can't say I agree with the negative comments about the score.

[MeGustaJake]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 7:30pm

I had the opportunity to see Thursday's performance. My partner and I drove from North Carolina to New Jersey to see this and a concert later in the week at Carnegie Hall.

As previously stated, I am a fan of both the film and German score, and have been excited to see it staged for years. My partner, on the other hand, only saw the movie once, remembered not caring for it, and isn't a fan of music theatre in general. We both loved it; the show, along with the incredible music and performances, remained a topic of conversation throughout the trip.

For me, only a few things didn't work and could have used some beefing up: when Quasimodo is crowned the King of Fools at the festival, the fight and mob mentality that broke out wasn't entirely convincing -- or as moving as it should have been. Second, the Court of Miracles (and the journey there) could have benefited from a set change. I liked the song "In a Place of Miracles," but it would have meant more if it had actually been dazzling and alluring: something to convince me why Phoebus would want to stay.

Overall though, I can't remember the last time I was so moved at the theatre. I have seen dozens of shows, but this one took my breath away more than once. I liked the theatricality of the play and narration, and how the ensemble was interwoven throughout the story. The performances were beyond words. Michael Arden was especially incredible, though I do echo the concerns of those who think it might be difficult for an understudy to pull off. He was just perfect.

I'd love to see this move to Broadway. I think it ranks among the best of Disney's theatrical offerings (more tonally consistent than "The Lion King," upon first viewing it compared more to "Beauty and the Beast" or "Aida" for me)... the choir, the score, the set... the direction, and THAT ENDING... I fear this show might not get the credit it so deserves.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 8:06pm

"Can't say I agree with the negative comments about the score."

It's one of fave Menken scores (both the film and the German recording,) so I agree. While theatre critics I would think would be more open to a more complex score--I do remember when the movie came out most critics seemed to complain that the music was forgettable and not hummable, so I'm not TOO surprised by the negative comments on it.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 8:49pm

Saw it again and Loved it even more than I did in LaJolla. If possible Michael Arden is even more brilliant than he was in CA. He grabs you buy the throat with his OUTHERE and holds your heart till the new and wonderful speech at the end. The score is simply magnificent, wonderful arrangements (the Chorus sounds amazing) So many great melodies, SOMEDAY may be Menkin's best song in his large collection. Paige is still giving it his best evil manner, and Ciara is still drop dead gorgeous and sings like an Angel. The telling of the story is done creatively for such an epic tale, the ending with the ensemble joining Arden is breathtaking. The cheers and tears were plenty throughout. As has been stated, this is not your typical Disney fare and marketing will be a major factor as this show moves forward. If you can get a ticket in NJ run to the train and see this now! I hope Disney can figure out the best way to continue with this piece, it deserves to be seen and enjoyed by everyone!

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 9:35pm

"It's one of fave Menken scores (both the film and the German recording,) so I agree. While theatre critics I would think would be more open to a more complex score--I do remember when the movie came out most critics seemed to complain that the music was forgettable and not hummable, so I'm not TOO surprised by the negative comments on it."

They said it then too? That's upsetting.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/16/15 at 9:42pm

Absolutely--although movie critics in general seemed to not like (as a whole,) the Menken animated Disney scores post Aladdin.