The CD will be released Nov. 20 on their Ghostlight label. Click here for more info.
While not a cast album per se, this CD features the principal and ensemble talent who performed the show’s U.S. Premiere productions at La Jolla Playhouse and Paper Mill Playhouse during their 2014-15 seasons. The CD, billed as the "American Premiere Studio Recording," features Michael Arden (Big River) as Quasimodo, Patrick Page (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) as Dom Claude Frollo, Ciara Renée (Pippin) as Esmeralda, Andrew Samonsky (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) as Captain Phoebus de Martin and Erik Liberman (Lovemusik) as Clopin Trouillefou.
Featured in the ensemble are: Julian Decker, Mary Joe Duggan, Ian Patrick Gibb, Beth Kirkpatrick, Samantha Massell, Neal Mayer, Nora Menken, William Michals, Anise Ritchie, Vincent Rodriguez III, Richard Ruiz, Joseph J. Simeone, Jeremy Stolle and Dashaun Young.
Inspired by Victor Hugo's novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame features a book by Peter Parnell, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The musical was billed as a "dramatic retelling of the famous love story on a grand scale, with a lush, emotionally rich score."
The rights to The Hunchback of Notre Dame are now available for professional theatre productions, licensed exclusively through Music Theatre International (212-541-4684, MTIShows.com).
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At Paper Mill, Scott Schwartz directed a cast that included Michael Arden (Big River, The Times They Are A-Changin’) as Quasimodo, Patrick Page (The Lion King, Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark) as Dom Claude Frollo, Ciara Renée (Pippin, Big Fish) as Esmeralda, Andrew Samonsky (Little Miss Sunshine, The Mystery of Edwin Drood) as Captain Phoebus de Martin and Erik Liberman (Lovemusik) as Clopin Trouillefou.
Rounding out the ensemble were Julian Decker, Mary Joe Duggan, Ian Patrick Gibb, Beth Kirkpatrick, Samantha Massell, Neal Mayer, Nora Menken, William Michals, Anise Ritchie, Vincent Rodriguez III, Richard Ruiz, Joseph J. Simeone, Jeremy Stolle and Dashaun Young.
At each performance, 32 local choir members from the Continuo Arts Symphonic Chorus served as the onstage choral ensemble.
"We’re thrilled to present the U.S. premiere of this epic musical with the support once again of Disney Theatrical Productions," Mark S. Hoebee, producing artistic director for the Millburn theatre, said in a statement preceding the Paper Mill production. "The score and the cast are magnificent and our audiences will get to experience an unprecedented 50 voices singing this beautiful music. We are excited to welcome two musical theater legends back to Paper Mill Playhouse, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz."
Stephen Schwartz shares the other Disney films he would like to adapt for the stage here.
The musical was previously performed at La Jolla Playhouse, officially opening Nov. 9, 2014, and extending through Dec. 14.
Read reviews of the production here.
The creative team included Alexander Dodge (scenic design), Alejo Vietti (costume design), Howell Binkley (lighting design), Gareth Owen (sound design) and Charles LaPointe (hair and wig design). Choreography was by Chase Brock, and Michael Kosarin was the music supervisor, vocal and incidental music arranger. Brent-Alan Huffman was the music director and conductor, Rob Berman was the dance music arranger and Michael Starobin provided orchestrations. Steve Rankin was the fight director, and casting was by Tara Rubin Casting.
