The Hunchback of Notre Dame (musical)

***Der Glöckner von Notre Dame*** (literally translated in English, *The Bellringer of Notre Dame*) is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and book by James Lapine. The musical is based on the 1996 Disney film *The Hunchback of Notre Dame*, which was inspired by the 1831 Victor Hugo novel of the same name.

The musical premiered in 1999 in Berlin, Germany, produced by Walt Disney Theatrical, the company's first musical to premiere outside the U.S. It ran for three years, becoming one of Berlin's longest-running musicals.

## Background

### Story

The story follows Quasimodo, a deformed man taken in by Claude Frollo as an infant. Due to his haggard appearance, Quasimodo was forced to remain inside the Notre Dame cathedral for his entire life, until meeting a girl named Esmeralda, who inadvertently becomes the target of Frollo's lust and genocidal mission to eliminate all Romani people in France.

### Production

The musical opened on June 5, 1999, for the opening of the Musicaltheater Berlin (now Theater am Potsdamer Platz (DE)), Berlin. After a successful run, it closed in June 2002. Directed by Lapine, the German translation was by Michael Kunze, choreography by Lar Lubovitch, set design by Heidi Ettinger, costume design by Sue Blane, lighting by Rick Fisher, sound by Tony Meola and projections by Jerome Sirlin.

This was Disney's first musical to premiere outside the US, and it became one of Berlin's longest-running musicals to date. As with *Beauty an the Beast* and *The Lion King*, *Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame* opened three years after the release of the movie it is based on.

The musical is a darker, more gothic adaptation of the film. According to translator Michael Kunze, he was " 'campaigning to allow Esmeralda to die at the end, as she does in the book. There was a feeling that the audience would be depressed if Esmeralda dies. I feel that a European audience would see this as a very romantic ending ... two lost souls finally find each other. People will cry, but they'll be moved. And it is a very romantic ending.' " The producers wanted to see how "preview audiences react before making the final decision."

An original cast recording was recorded in German.

#### English adaptation

In April 2013, an English adaptation of *Der Glöckner von Notre Dame* by The King's Academy Fine Arts Department was staged in The King's Academy Sports & Fine Arts Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. According to TKA, "Walt Disney Productions...selected The King’s Academy Theatre to adapt and premiere their [1996 film]". The company collaborated with Disney Executive Studios. They explained via YouTube that "We received a license from Disney Productions to premiere the English version of Hunchback. Disney is now workshopping this musical for a possible run on Broadway. Our director, Mr. David Snyder, recently returned from NYC where he helped to cast talent for the new show!" This version does not include all the songs from *Der Glöckner von Notre Dame*, and excludes the deaths of Esmerelda and Frollo. Nevertheless, it is essentially a translation of that musical as opposed to a new adaption of the film. The entire musical is up on YouTube.

The musical had its successful US premiere at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego from October 28 through December 14, 2014 (originally scheduled to end on December 7, but due to popular demand, an extra week was added). The production soon moved to the Papermill Playhouse from March 4 through April 5, 2015.

## Variations from the 1996 film

### Characters

* The gargoyles' names have been changed from Victor, Hugo, and Laverne to Charles, Antoine. and Loni. The gargoyles' comedy in the musical is greatly toned down; they sing in many more songs, and they are also firmly established as figments of Quasimodo's imagination. In the American production, they are completely replaced by a congregation of stone saints.
* Neither Esmeralda's goat Djali nor Phoebus' horse Achilles appear in the stage musical, due to the difficulties of making them believable on stage.
* Frollo has a younger brother in this version.
* Esmeralda is shown a way out of Notre Dame rather than Quasimodo climbing down, holding her.
* When narrating, Clopin appears as a crippled old beggar and no longer uses puppets. In the American production, narration duties are delegated to the congregation of saints.

### Plot points

* The song "The Court of Miracles" from the film is replaced by a dance number called "Dance of the Gypsies".
* Frollo's past is expanded to note that he was once a priest, harking back to his position as the archdeacon in the original novel. The American production goes as far as to add his brother, Jehan.
* Esmeralda dies at the end, as in the original novel.
* Frollo is thrown off the cathedral by Quasimodo, instead of falling from the crumbling gargoyle fixture.
* "Sanctuary", the song that consists of Quasimodo and Frollo that played before "Out There" is expanded and the Gargoyles are added in the number. In the American production, the song is mostly the same as the movie, but with a few of Frollo's lyrics changed and a few lines of dialogue cut.
* It is the archdeacon who brings Phoebus to Quasimodo instead of Esmeralda. The archdeacon is absent in the American production.
* The ending of the American production stays true to the original novel by Victor Hugo, in which the skeletal remains of Quasimodo and Esmeralda are discovered locked together in an embrace.

## Original Berlin Musical numbers

### Act I

* "Die Glocken Notre Dames" *("The Bells of Notre Dame")* – Clopin, Archdeacon, Frollo & Chorus
* "Zuflucht" *("Sanctuary")* – Frollo, Quasimodo, Antoine, Charles & Loni
* "Draußen" *("Out There")* – Quasimodo
* "Tanz auf dem Seil" *("Balancing Act")* – Clopin, Esmeralda & Gypsies
* "Ein bißchen Freude" *("Rest and Recreation")* – Phoebus
* "Drunter drüber" *("Topsy Turvy")* – Clopin, Quasimodo & Crowd
* "Zuflucht II" ("Sanctuary II") - Frollo & Quasimodo
* "Die Glocken Notre Dames II" *("The Bells of Notre Dame II") - Clopin, Priests*
* "Helf den Verstoß'nen" *("God Help the Outcasts")* – Esmeralda, Quasimodo & Parisians
* "Hoch über der Welt" *("Top of the World")* – Esmeralda, Quasimodo, Antoine, Charles & Loni
* "Das Licht des Himmels" *("Heaven's Light")* – Quasimodo
* "Das Feuer der Hölle" *("Hellfire")* – Frollo & Priests
* "Die Glocken Notre Dames III" *("The Bells of Notre Dame III")* - Clopin & Frollo
* "Esmeralda" – Frollo, Quasimodo, Phoebus, Esmeralda, Clopin & Soldiers

### Act II

* "Trommeln in der Stadt" *("City Under Siege")* – Clopin & Parisians
* "Ein Mann wie du" *("A Guy Like You")* – Antoine, Charles, Loni & Quasimodo
* "Esmeralda (Reprise)" - Frollo
* "Weil du liebst" *("Out of Love")* – Quasimodo, Phoebus, Antoine, Charles & Loni
* "Tanz der Zigeuner" ("Dance of the Gypsies") - Orchestra
* "Weil du liebst (Reprise)"  *("Out of Love (Reprise)")* – Phoebus, Esmeralda & Quasimodo
* "Die Glocken Notre Dames IV" *("The Bells of Notre Dame IV")* - Clopin & Frollo
* "Zuflucht (Reprise)" *("Sanctuary (Reprise)") -* Frollo
* "Wie aus Stein" *("Made of Stone")* – Quasimodo, Loni, Charles & Antoine
* "Einmal" *("Someday")* – Esmeralda, Phoebus & Parisians
* "Grand Finale" – Full Company

## American Premiere Musical numbers

### Act I

* "The Bells of Notre Dame" - Clopin, Frollo, Jehan, Father Dupin & Congregation
* "Sanctuary Part I-II" - Frollo & Quasimodo
* "Out There" - Quasimodo
* "Topsy Turvy" - Clopin & Congregation
	+ "Rest And Recreation"- Phoebus & Frollo
	+ "Rhythm of the Tambourine" - Esmeralda, Frollo, Phoebus & Quasimodo
* "Sanctuary Part III" - Frollo & Quasimodo
* "God Help the Outcasts" - Esmeralda & Congregation
* "In My Life" - Esmeralda & Phoebus
* "Top of the World" - Esmeralda, Quasimodo & Congregation
* "The Tavern Song (Thai Mol Piyas)" - Gypsies, Esmeralda & Frollo
* "Heaven's Light" - Quasimodo
* "Hellfire" - Frollo & Congregation
* "Esmeralda"(Act One Finale) *- Company*

### Act II

* "Entr'acte" - Choir
* "Flight Into Egypt" - Saint Aphrodisius, Quasimodo & Congregation
* "Rest and Recreation (Reprise)" - Phoebus, Quasimodo & Congregation
* "The Court of Miracles" - Clopin & Gypsies
* "In a Place of Miracles" - Phoebus, Esmeralda, Quasimodo, Clopin & Gypsies
* "Sanctuary (Reprise)" - Frollo
* "Someday" - Esmeralda & Phoebus
* "Made of Stone" - Quasimodo & Congregation
* "Finale Ultimo" - Company

## Gallery

Drew Sarich as QuasimodoJudy-Weiss.jpgJudy Weiss as EsmeraldaFredrik-Lycke-2.jpgFredrik Lycke as PhoebusJens-Janke.jpgJens Janke as ClopinNorbert Lamla as FrolloTamas-Ferkay-antoine.jpgTamas Ferkay as AntoineValentin-Zahn-charles.jpgValentin Zahn as CharlesYvonne-Ritz-Andersen.jpgYvonne Ritz Andersen as LoniCarlo-Lauber.jpgCarlo Lauber as the ArchdeaconDgvnd-qua-bady-arch-fro.pngFrollo adopts Quasimodo.DGvND-Fro-quas-blue.jpgA hunchback and his master.Tumblr n5eamdzA0S1tufnl2o2 1280.jpgQuasimodo in his bell towerFrollo and QuasimodoQuasimodo looking down from the Bell TowerQuasimodo with Hugo, Victor, and LaverneDgvnd-esme-clo.jpgEsmeralda and ClopinAnn-Christin-Elverum.jpgGesmi tanz.jpgDgvnd-esme-dance-topsy.jpgDgvnd-esme-clo-qua.jpgDgvnd-q-clo-topsy.jpgQuasimodo tortured at the Feast of FoolsDgvnd-esme-notre-dame.jpgEsmeralda in the Cathedral singing Hilf den VerstoßenenEsmeralda and QuasimodoGesmi4.jpgGesmi5.jpgNd1.jpgDgvnd-fro-pho.jpgFrollo and PhoebusDgvnd-esme-pho-bridge.jpgEsmeralda saves Phoebus from plunging off the bridge.Dgvnd-men-mob.jpgParis burns.Dgvnd-gyspy-dance.jpgHunchback3.jpgEsmeralda in the Palace of Justice dungeonAnn-Christin-Elverum-1-300x206.jpgEsmeralda singing Einmal while being tied to the stake.Einmal-judyweiss.pngJudyweiss.jpgFrollo pronouncing Esmeralda's sentence while Esmeralda awaits to be burned at the stake.Dgvnd-lead.pngGlockner4.pngEsmeralda dyingHb03.JPGHunchbackbway.jpg
### Papermill Playhouse

Hunchback Papermill 01.jpgMichael Arden as QuasimodoHunchback Papermill 02.jpgQuasimodo (Michael Arden) and Esmeralda (Ciara Renée) during "Top of the World"Hunchback Papermill 03.jpgHunchback Papermill 04.jpgHunchback Papermill 05.jpgEsmeralda (Ciara Renée) and company during "Rhythm of the Tambourine"Hunchback Papermill 06.jpgHunchback Papermill 07.jpgPhoebus (Andrew Samonsky) and Esmeralda (Ciara Renée)The Hunchback Musical OST.jpgMichael-Starobin Photo-by-Nathan-Johnson.jpgMichael Starobin in the recording studioThe-Hunchback-of-Notre-Dame-Choir Photo-by-Nathan-Johnson.jpgStephen-Schwartz-and-Alan-Menken Photo-by-Nathan-Johnson.jpgStephen Schwartz and Alan MenkenPatrick-Page Photo-by-Nathan-Johnson.jpgPatrick Page (Claude Frollo) in the recording studioMichael-Arden Photo-by-Nathan-Johnson.jpgMichael Arden (Quasimodo) in the recording studioErik-Liberman-and-Andrew-Samonsky Photo-by-Nathan-Johnson.jpgErik Liberman and Andrew Samonsky (Phoebus) in the recording studioBrent-Alan-Huffman-and-Orchestra Photo-by-Nathan-Johnson.jpgBrent Alan Huffman and the orchestra in the recording studioAndrew-Samonsky Photo-by-Nathan-Johnson.jpgAndrew Samonsky (Phoebus) in the recording studio
## External links

* Official *Der Glöckner von Notre Dame* website (Archive)
* Official *Der Glöckner von Notre Dame* website (Archive)
* Description of the technical design of the original production

1. ↑ Simonson, Robert and Lefkowitz, David. "Disney's Berlin 'Hunchback'Will Rehearse in New York in Spring 1999" playbill.com, November 10, 1998
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "'Der Glöckner von Notre Dame'" thisdayindisneyhistory.com, accessed January 28, 2011
3. ↑ "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Find Articles at BNET.com, Variety
4. ↑ "'Der Glöckner von Notre Dame', Production History" jameslapine.com, accessed January 28, 2011
5. ↑ Wolf, Matt. "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (Der Glockner Von Notre Dame)", *Variety Magazine*, June 21, 1999 - June 27, 1999, Section: Legit Reviews; Abroad; p. 86
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Geitner, Paul. "Disney's 'Hunchback' Goes to Stage", *Associated Press Online*, May 26, 1999, Section: Entertainment, television and culture, Dateline: Berlin
7. ↑ "'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' Cast Album" castalbumdb.com, accessed January 28, 2011