Hunchback of Notre Dame

[theatrenut2]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 2:06pm

I have rumors that Hunchback of Notre Dame may be coming to Broadway. Is that true? Thanks

[fnyboi88]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 2:33pm

It's been a rumor for about 10 years...

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 2:34pm

LOVE LOVE LOVE this to happen... but yeah... it's been "coming to Broadway" for years now... We'll see

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 2:58pm

It was a rumor in 1999 during the Berlin run, but nothing more than that since then. If it does come to Broadway, I really hope it has a better design. The blocks and projections got pretty dull after the first 15 minutes or so.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 2:58pm

Last I read, Stephen Schwartz said maybe as soon as 2010, but I think that's too good to be true.

Loved the German production with Drew Sarich, though. He was perfect for the role.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 3:29pm

Drew was wonderful. It was the staging and choreography I didn't care for. Gorgeous costumes, though.

[me2]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 7:36pm

Disney theatricals head Thomas Schumacher has said it isn't happening.

Oddly, I was JUST listening to the CD. Gosh, that's great stuff.
Broadway Mouth: $11.99 is a Pretty Darn Good Price

[jordangirl]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 8:09pm

Technically there are other productions than Disney's. Wasn't the DeYoung version doing a run in Chicago this past summer as a possible try-out?

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 8:11pm

There was also a French musical: Notre Dame de Paris. I believe it flopped in London.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 8:16pm

I would LOVE to see Hunchback come to Broadway, but it just isn't happening anytime soon. Or ever...

[Little-Lotte]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 10:19pm

Put me in the camp that would LOVE to see this on Broadway. But its been "coming to Broadway" for years now. Lots of differing opinions with the creatives and financiers (Disney) have been keeping it from the ever coming to the States so until I see a press release with an opening night and theatre, I won't believe it.

[livwild]

Posted: 9/24/08 at 10:42pm

haha that's what disney should do next....it would be interesting.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 9/25/08 at 7:18am

There was also a French musical: Notre Dame de Paris. I believe it flopped in London.

Just pray that this never comes to Broadway - didn't it flop in Las Vegas as well? Dreary music, terrible lyrics and bizarre staging....

The German version restored the original ending and was much darker - maybe Disney are nervous of putting on something that differs in tone from the cartoon?

[Justin D]

Posted: 9/25/08 at 8:20am

Worldnt Clay be a great Quasi? lol.

[amalou]

Posted: 9/25/08 at 1:11pm

1. Clay should stay far, far away from playing Quasimodo.

2. According to this article, they are still developing the show for Broadway:

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2008/09/21/1A_DISNEY_MUSICALS.ART_ART_09-21-08_E1_18BAF84.html?sid=101

I just hope they don't tamper too much with the German version if/when they bring it to Broadway.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 9/25/08 at 1:27pm

Reportedly, Bart Sher is going to be working on it with the Intiman Theatre as its initial tryout spot.


SO glad that Disney can rely on our non-profit theaters to help them out in times of need, what with Disney out on the street with a tin cup and pencils for sale.

What a whore Sher is. Absolutely disgusting.

Updated On: 9/25/08 at 01:27 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 11:31am

SO glad that Disney can rely on our non-profit theaters to help them out in times of need, what with Disney out on the street with a tin cup and pencils for sale.

Most likely, it's the other way around. When non-profit theatres need money, they look to a cash cow to bail them out. Nothing disgusting about it at all. Is it the only show they are producing? It's more interesting than another production of A Thousand Clowns, in my opinion.

[luke-h***]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 12:04pm

the cast recording for this production absolutely blew me away, and it looks like a phenomenal show. Would love to see an English-language version of it mounted :] I saw Beauty & the Beast in Theater Am Potsdamer Platz (The Theatre that was build for Glockner in 1998/99 originally called 'Musical Theater Berlin') and it is the most gorgeous theatre I have ever had the fortune to see a performance in, truly amazing theatre, must've been one hell of a production to have a theatre like that built for it!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 12:18pm

I loved it at Disneyworld.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 12:37pm

I remember there being rumors that it was going to come to Broadway when they were rehersing the Berlin production in NYC. However, Disney denied those rumors and it never came to NYC. That was the only time that people thought that this show was going to come to NYC.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 1:23pm

I wish I could say that it would be a good idea for Disney to actually do this on Broadway, but obviously it really sorta isn't. I mean, it was not one of the more successful of the "Second Golden Age" Disney animated films.

I know Michael Eisner wanted to do it as a live-action TV Wonderful World of Disney feature as a pet project, but obviously that didn't happen. That could have been one good thing to come out of Eisner in the 2000s.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 3:15pm

must've been one hell of a production to have a theatre like that built for it!

It could have been, but in the end, it wasn't. Unless you are fond of blocks and projections for over 2 hours. There was no doubt the display of technology was impressive, it just wasn't very creative and quickly became redundant.

I mean, it was not one of the more successful of the "Second Golden Age" Disney animated films.

Perhaps not, but it was discussed even back then that its score was the most "theatrical" of the Disney films to date. The book and score changes for the German production proved it could live up to its potential (with some minor improvements), but it needs to be entirely restaged if they don't want another Tarzan on their hands.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 4:35pm

I really hope this happens. I love that it's darker than the other Disney movies and I think the score is great too. Would make for great theatre if done right.

~Steven

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 5:49pm

"Perhaps not, but it was discussed even back then that its score was the most "theatrical" of the Disney films to date. The book and score changes for the German production proved it could live up to its potential (with some minor improvements), but it needs to be entirely restaged if they don't want another Tarzan on their hands"

I agree that it is highly theatrical and I do think it would be fantastic, personally, but the movie was not what people (families) were expecting and with even huge-name Disney shows like Little Mermaid and Mary Poppins struggling in non-Summer months, I think Disney would be pretty wary of spending millions on this mostly-forgotten gem.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 10:45pm

I think if they down played the childishness of the movie- the whole talking gargoyles bit would be strange on stage if they were life size, but played up the darker elements. I think the movie is the most "unsafe" of all the Disney properties, which is probably why it's my favorite. It's such a great show, and I still listen to the soundtrack (but I hate "Gold Help the Outcasts," it's so boring).