INFORMATION FOR
Music students at William Paterson University in Wayne will present a lushly scored retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo’s epic story of love, acceptance, and what it means to be a hero. Performances of the musical will be staged from November 1 to 3 in the Shea Center for Performing Arts on campus.
Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame showcases the film’s Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. Peter Parnell’s new book embraces story theatre and features verbatim passages from Hugo’s gothic novel.
The musical begins as the bells of Notre Dame sound through the famed cathedral in 15th century Paris. Quasimodo, the deformed bellringer who longs to be "Out There," observes all of Paris reveling in the Feast of Fools. Held captive by his devious caretaker, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, he escapes for the day and joins the boisterous crowd, only to be treated cruelly by all but the beautiful Romani woman, Esmeralda. Quasimodo isn’t the only one captivated by her free spirit, though; the handsome Captain Phoebus and Frollo are equally enthralled. As the three vie for her attention, Frollo embarks on a mission to destroy the Roma, and it’s up to Quasimodo to save them all.
William Paterson’s production features an all-student cast. The cast includes: El Barba of Butler, Timothy Barral of Mahwah, Isabelle Basile of Bloomingdale, Grace Cascio of Delran, Ezekiel Frasier of Princeton, Owen Gavigan of Hillsborough, Chase Haffner of Brick, Himmy Nadendla of Monroe Township, Brianna Salinas of Haledon, Kylie Sciarra of Hawthorne, Spencer Serritella of Nutley, Austin Sidito of Holbrook, NY, and Emily Wynne of Verona.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
Christopher Herbert, vocal area coordinator and assistant professor of music, serves as producer, with Thomas Paster as stage director and Hannah Comia as musical director.
Performances will be presented on November 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m., and November 3 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 for the general public and $10 for students and members of the WP community. For tickets, visit wp-presents.org, or contact the box office at 973.720.2371 or boxoffice@wpunj.edu.
