Posted: 8/26/16 at 1:25am
Wicked Fanatic, I will be seeing it on Sunday at Sacramento Music Circus. I'm very excited about it. This has been the best Music Circus season in years. I will post a review next week.
Posted: 8/26/16 at 3:28pm
I saw it at a La Jolla Playhouse and was not too impressed. I've now seen Glenn's production 3 times at Music Circus and it's STUNNING!! He's done a lot of work on it and although the book still isn't perfect, it's vastly improved, with a beautiful design and a fantastic cast. The addition of a deaf Quasimodo makes the show so much more interesting and heartbreaking. I really really loved this production.
Watch the new extended video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lenfad0T9Xo
Updated On: 8/26/16 at 03:28 PM
Posted: 8/26/16 at 4:03pm
Seeing it Sunday at Music Circus. The video Anastasia_Beaverhausen posted made me wish I'd seen it a couple times. It looks amazing. As for the Music Circus season: When they announced, I was very excited - not one cluncker in the bunch, but because of time/travel I was only able to see Legally Blonde and Hunchback. Legally Blonde (a guilty-pleasure favorite show of mine) was too small and too slow. Ryah Nixon (Paulette) and Grace Stockdale (Brook) were dynamite, the rest were fine for a solid college production. Can't wait for Sunday.
Posted: 8/26/16 at 4:42pm
Sunday should be a fantastic final performance! I'll be there too.
Posted: 8/26/16 at 5:27pm
Ahhhh, thanks for the extended video! It looks so stunning! I have chills everywhere from Leslie's God Help The Outcasts. I can't wait for the show to premiere in MD or DC
Updated On: 8/26/16 at 05:27 PM
Posted: 8/26/16 at 5:48pm
I can't help but feel that Leslie is miscast for the roll. Maybe it's just because I can't not compare her to Ciara who was absolutely perfect in my opinion.
I find the portrayal of Frollo incredibly interesting, he is very priestly vocally when singing Sanctuary but is equally compelling during hellfire.
Posted: 8/26/16 at 6:22pm
Anastasia_Beaverhausen said: "I saw it at a La Jolla Playhouse and was not too impressed. I've now seen Glenn's production 3 times at Music Circus and it's STUNNING!! He's done a lot of work on it and although the book still isn't perfect, it's vastly improved, with a beautiful design and a fantastic cast. The addition of a deaf Quasimodo makes the show so much more interesting and heartbreaking. I really really loved this production
Watch the new extended video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lenfad0T9Xo
Was the book rewritten again between Papermill and when it finally got licensed out? I'm confused, because it certainly can't be "improved" by the company actual putting it on, rewrites are illegal at that point. I still wonder how this show claims to be darker than the film...sure it went back to the book..sort of...but it wasn't any darker thanks to that travesty of a book. The film is pretty damn dark, let's be real. I know what the book is, but what I love that film addressed is religious hypocrisy/bigotry which made Frollo an even better charatcer...almost. And maybe it's just me but Tony Jay's voice is so stuck in my head as Frollo with that amazing almost bass profundo voice, that hearing Frollos songs raised a key or two was odd to my ears. I still prefer Disney Frollo as a religious hypocrite of a villain, not the failed "grey area, no one is wholly good or bad" with how this show was conceived initially.
Anyways, I actually was skeptical about a truly deaf Quasi and someone else doing his singing voice and merely how that would work and/or read...I was quite intrigued just from what I said in that video, I'm pretty sold on it :)
Lastly...why are each of these theaters (Ogunquit, Music Circus, Tuachan) claiming to be the only three theaters allowed to do this this season? There's actually two more, La Mirada, as is no secret by now, but Alluvion in VA is doing it also and opening in about a week. What did I miss? heck I think I might be missing one.
"
Updated On: 8/26/16 at 06:22 PM
Posted: 8/26/16 at 6:34pm
Sorry, to clarify, nothing was rewritten or added. Cuts were made, with permission, and direction/staging has improved a lot of the things I disliked in the La Jolla production. The Saint Aphrodisius scene for example. Also, the way the gargoyles are costumed and staged throughout the show. The fact that it's in the round even makes it more interesting.
The two actors (one deaf speaking the lines and signing the songs and the other actor singing the songs) really works brilliantly and added a lot of character depth for me.
Updated On: 8/26/16 at 06:34 PM
Posted: 8/26/16 at 6:38pm
JennH said: "Was the book rewritten again between Papermill and when it finally got licensed out? I'm confused, because it certainly can't be "improved" by the company actual putting it on, rewrites are illegal at that point.
Anyways, I actually was skeptical about a truly deaf Quasi and someone else doing his singing voice and merely how that would work and/or read...I was quite intrigued just from what I said in that video, I'm pretty sold on it :)
Lastly...why are each of these theaters (Ogunquit, Music Circus, Tuachan) claiming to be the only three theaters allowed to do this this season? There's actually two more, La Mirada, as is no secret by now, but Alluvion in VA is doing it also and opening in about a week. What did I miss? heck I think I might be missing one."
The script may indeed have been tweaked after Papermill as they prepped it for licensing. It also wouldn't surprise me if they gave Glenn Casale some liberty to tinker with the script as well considering his relationship with Disney and the work he did on improving The Little Mermaid after the Broadway run.
As for the claim from these companies, that's all marketing tactics and nothing more. It could be they were the only ones initially granted licenses. It could also just depend on what "season" they are using as their frame of reference (summer 2016 season, fall 2016, the 2016-2017 season, etc).
Posted: 8/26/16 at 7:54pm
I don't see what's so wrong with keeping Quasimodo like the movie as this underdog instead of laying all these "affects" onto him.
Posted: 8/26/16 at 8:26pm
I wish this show had a chance at a Broadway production. Probably what it would need is a combination of the new book and the book by James Lapine. They could have also kept the additional songs like Rhythm of The Tambourine
Posted: 8/26/16 at 11:32pm
Ha, sounds like there will be a lot of us at the Music Circus production Sunday. :) I'll report back on my feelings, as well.
I've seen the entire season this year, something I haven't always had the inclination to do. I adored "Nice Work if You Can Get It", it was such a great farce.
Posted: 8/27/16 at 12:47am
Richard, I agree with you about Nice Work if You Can Get It. I generally hate farce, but I found this production to be absolutely delightful. The cast was absolutely perfect. The choreography was amazing. It's pretty incredible what Music Circus is able to do with only two weeks (or maybe less) of rehearsal and one week of performances. I talked to several of the cast members after the show and they all said they thought this production should go on tour.
Posted: 8/27/16 at 1:02am
Of course they did ... They want a job...
Posted: 8/27/16 at 8:34am
I'm still confused - Glenn Casale is directing both the Music Circus and Mirada productions. Lesli Margarita is in both and they are playing back to back. Is Tom Hewitt out of the Mirada production, and will the casts be the same?
Posted: 8/27/16 at 9:43am
Glenn is directing both. Lesli is only in the Music Circus production then goes back to Matilda. Tom is not in either. A lot of the cast from Music Circus is moving to La Mirada.
Posted: 8/27/16 at 9:57am
I still wonder how this show claims to be darker than the film...sure it went back to the book..sort of...but it wasn't any darker thanks to that travesty of a book. The film is pretty damn dark, let's be real. I know what the book is, but what I love that film addressed is religious hypocrisy/bigotry which made Frollo an even better charatcer...almost.
In the film, I believe Frollo was a judge, and not a priest. I think the number of people who die in the stage version makes a bit darker then the film. Also, Frollo's death is an accident in the film, as opposed to the stage version.
Posted: 8/27/16 at 10:18am
nycgogetter said: "I still wonder how this show claims to be darker than the film...sure it went back to the book..sort of...but it wasn't any darker thanks to that travesty of a book. The film is pretty damn dark, let's be real. I know what the book is, but what I love that film addressed is religious hypocrisy/bigotry which made Frollo an even better charatcer...almost.
In the film, I believe Frollo was a judge, and not a priest. I think the number of people who die in the stage version makes a bit darker then the film. Also, Frollo's death is an accident in the film, as opposed to the stage version.
"
I got that, as I did see it Papermill, but I guess it juts didn't read any darker to me. I guess to me, more deaths in number doesn't necessarily equal dark t me, how those deaths come about, makes all the difference. I guess how the deaths came about in this version was...corny? I don't know... And yes, Frollo in the film was a minister of justice, which I've always thought was pretty great to add to his bigotry. The book doesn't really touch on this, it focuses on the 'love quadrangle'. Which is fine, I do love the book, I promise! Anyways, moving on.
"As for the claim from these companies, that's all marketing tactics and nothing more. It could be they were the only ones initially granted licenses. It could also just depend on what "season" they are using as their frame of reference (summer 2016 season, fall 2016, the 2016-2017 season, etc)."
True enough, but that false marketing. Not that the laymen public would be aware of this, but false advertising bothers the heck out of me. That's just me though.
And yes sadly Queen Lesli isn't doing La Mirada, I know she was going to, because I remember seeing notices about both productions, which confused me at first because I'd forgotten at the time that Music Circus was also doing it, which was around the same time it was announced that Lesli was gonna be doing it at MC.
La Mirada was advertised as the SoCal regional premiere and I KNOW I remember that casting announcement back when and it WAS Lesli, but obviously Matilda called her back 
Which is fine, cause I saw in her in it back when and she was pretty marvelous and hysterical. I guess their recasting was just kept on the DL because Cassie Simone is their new Esmeralda.
Posted: 8/27/16 at 11:35am
Does anyone know where I can get a copy of James Lapine's original script for the Berlin production?
Posted: 8/28/16 at 7:53am
fashionguru_23 said: "Does anyone know where I can get a copy of James Lapine's original script for the Berlin production?
"
I don't know if one can find an original (non-translated) version of the Berlin script. A user of this board called g.d.e.l.g.i. tried to reconstruct/preserve the script, using what he could find of it to do so. As far as I can see it's complete(?) and in good shape
You can find it here: http://gdelgiproducer.tumblr.com/hunchbacklinks
Updated On: 8/28/16 at 07:53 AM
Posted: 8/28/16 at 11:18pm
Well, color me impressed. I loved this show. It's true that it was a little overwrought in places, but the music and the performances were universally lovely. My only objection is that I thought that the romantic song "Someday" in the second half brought the action to a screeching halt. But that's a nitpick. John McGinty was a delight, and I hope he has a brilliant career. Mark Jacoby was the star, though, he absolutely stole your attention every time he was performing. Jim Hogan, as Quasimodo's singing voice, has a fantastic voice, although there were times when he went falsetto when he got into the higher ranges, but the rest of his singing was wonderful. I loved when he and McGinty embraced after the curtain call.
For a small theater in the round, Sacramento Music Circus does a great job with special effects and lighting. The small round, rotating stage is able to raise up in places or drop down, and there is even a trap door, though it wasn't used in this production.
Eric Kunze did a creditable job, though he wasn't particularly eye-grabbing. Queen Lesli was, as usual, a star. And boy, did she DANCE!
Updated On: 8/28/16 at 11:18 PM
Posted: 8/28/16 at 11:35pm
I find it interesting that most theaters have gone with a legit sounding Quasimodo when Arden was def. more of a pop voice.
Posted: 8/29/16 at 3:08pm
The Tuacahn production is FANTASTIC. Julian Decker plays Quasi. He was Michael Ardin's u/s in both the La Jolla and Papermill productions and is really wonderful. The production as a whole is stunningly beautiful.
Posted: 8/29/16 at 3:29pm
Are there any preview videos or photos from Tuacahn yet? I haven't seen any.
Posted: 8/29/16 at 3:35pm
Not yet, but I think there will be soon
