Disney's Der Glockner Von Notre Dame- Page 2

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 7/4/07 at 6:05am

Rewitten as in, lighter, happier, kid friendly ending..

I think if Disney took the chance with this as it's written and asked parents not bring children under the age of 12. I think there is no reason why this could not work on Broadway or anywhere else for that matter.

Does anyone have a link or pictures of the germany staging ( sets and so forth )

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/4/07 at 6:42am

>> They built a theater in Berlin specifically for the show because of the extensive set design.

Huh?

It was a unit set, basically a Restoration wing set with a series of moving cubes. What made it stylish and unique was the projections thrown on it, which were a combination of traditional, black light, and a quasi-holographic that made the stage really, really big or really, really small. But even though it was operatically scaled, there was nothing about it that couldnt be adapted over for a Broadway house, and it wasnt a theatre built especially for the production. (Okay, quibble time: it opened in a brand new theatre, *but* the theatre was not built with this production in mind.)

For pictures, you'd have to write to ENTERTAINMENT DESIGN magazine and ask for the back issue that deals with this show (It was a cover article, so it shouldnt be difficult for them to find). Lots of photos of the scenery, both in model and full production form.

[Quasi]

Posted: 7/4/07 at 7:00am

Actually the projections were not that good. A lot scenes looked really sterile. But in fact i loved the show, the inner part of the cathedral looked gorgeous.
Schuhmacher mentioned that there were some mistakes in the book. For example he stated that Quasimodo sings about going outside, what he never had done before and as he finally leaves Notre Dame there is nearly no reaction on it.

In my opinion thats wrong because the people reacted on his ugliness. Well I have a look at the interview and will try to translate it.

[Quasi]

Posted: 7/4/07 at 7:10am

Here what Schuhmacher said about the show:

There are a lot of similarities between Hunchback and Beauty and the Beast. So he decided not to bring it to Broadway. Ugly guy and beautiful woman he stated. Thats why it opened in Berlin.

A young talented director who owns a theater in America and who also worked in New York on musicals and operas revises the show. With him they want to develop a new book. Afterwards Schuhmacher he sells the licences and the musical can be produced all over the world. But bringing it to New York is still not in his mind.

The last statement is, that Schumacher hopes to see the musical at the end of 2008 on the stage again.

Nearly 10 years after the world premiere. Thats a long time for a great show.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/4/07 at 7:13am

>>Rewitten as in, lighter, happier, kid friendly ending..

... something the Disney folks have routinely done for decades. I had no idea how grotesque fairy tales like SLEEPING BEAUTY and CINDERELLA were until I read the originals while in college. (CINDERELLA in particular... yikes!)

[dancinfan]

Posted: 7/4/07 at 8:18am

I heard that the rpoblem was between Disney and the director. He is inextricably tied to the show contractually, but Disney won't use him again. Thus, no Broadway engagement.

I'd love to see a concert production.

[Tsao5]

Posted: 7/4/07 at 9:48am

Regarding the director, James Lapine..yes, there might have been some artistic differences with him and what Disney had hoped. On the one hand, he can be credited with the Esmeralda dying at the end ending (though, one is not TOO sure WHAT she died of)....but it does make for a much more emotional and powerful ending. On the other hand.....it was a bit lacking in the "wit and feel" of the movie. In fact all the wit that made the film so enjoyable was pretty much cut out by the book writer...who was also, James Lapine. There was very little humor in the Berlin production. What the Berlin production DID have was the glorious voice of, at the time, a young Drew Sarich (aged 23 when the show opened)..........who still sounds young..........a GLORIOUS score by Alan Menken, Michael Kozarin, Michale Starobin and Glenn Kelly and a kick ass ensemble who were able to sing the crap out of the score 8 times a week.
There were other reasons for the show not coming to Broadway at the time (Aida getting less than stellar reviews, Disney losing a lawsuit to a former partner and the stock being effected, the cost of the production...yes, at the time it was one of, if not the most expensive production at the time, a theater not being suitable....rumor was it would have gone into the Ford theater had it transferred)..........and a host of other reasons.

The book had problems but those could have been fixxed. It was after all an out of town tryout of sorts.

A big problem was how to market the production.........it was not another kids show and would have been a departure for Disney in that it was so much darker than the other shows. Could the people who take their kids to the Disney musicals deal with the lead female dying at the end? Could they deal with Quasi using a knife to cut Frollo's hand and let him drop to his death?

Will the show ever come to Broadway.......not so likely. There were rumors that it would tour, it would open in Amsterdam....it would do this, it would do that. The only place it had been other than Berlin was Korean in a smaller version.

Disney does not want to take any risks now, especially after Tarzan did not do as well as expected. A lot will depend on Little Mermaid if Disney can redeem itself. Even Mary Poppins did not have the 8,000 year run that many were expecting.
So, while many loved the music from Hunchback.................and some loved the production...................not enough of the people who would be paying the bills thought it would be right to bring it to Broadway. It's a shame, but that is show biz..