The Hunchback Of Notre Dame

***The Hunchback of Notre Dame*** is a musical play based on the 1831 novel of the same name written by Victor Hugo with songs from the 1996 Walt Disney Animation Studios film adaptation.

Subsequently, the show went on to open on April 21, 2022 at the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center in Queen Creek, Arizona. The show closed on April 23, 2022 during Senior Night.

## Plot

### Act One

Many years ago, orphaned brothers Jehan and Claude Frollo were taken in at Notre Dame. Jehan grew to be mischievous while Claude remained pious. After Jehan was caught with a gypsy woman, he was expelled from Notre Dame. Frollo eventually became the archdeacon of Notre Dame. One day, Frollo received a letter from Jehan; the two met in secret, where Jehan, on his deathbed, gave Frollo his deformed baby before dying. As Frollo prepared to kill the child, he suddenly felt as he was being tested by God. Thus, he instead saved the child, naming it Quasimodo, or "half-formed", and raising it in Notre Dame ("The Bells of Notre Dame").

In the present day (in the year 1542), Quasimodo is now a young man, made partially deaf by a lifetime of ringing Notre Dame's bells. He talks to Notre Dame's statues of saints and gargoyles about his desire to go to the Feast of Fools. Frollo arrives and asks him who he is speaking to, reminding him that the stone statues cannot talk. They recite the biblical story of the Flight into Egypt, after which Frollo complains about Paris's gypsies and the Feast of Fools ("Sanctuary Part I"). Quasimodo offers to protect him outside; Frollo declines, warning him that he would be shunned if he were to go out in public ("Sanctuary Part II"). Quasimodo sings to himself, yearning to spend one day outside Notre Dame ("Out There").

In the streets of Paris, the Feast of Fools begins, led by Clopin, the gypsy king ("Topsy Turvy Part I"). Meanwhile, Captain Phoebus, the new head of Notre Dame's Cathedral Guard, arrives in Paris from the front lines. Frollo welcomes him, telling him they must rid the city of gypsies ("Rest and Recreation"). Clopin introduces Esmeralda, a gypsy dancer ("Rhythm of the Tambourine")—Quasimodo, Frollo, and Phoebus are all entranced by her. After that, Clopin holds a contest to crown the King of Fools, the ugliest person in Paris. Encouraged by Esmeralda, Quasimodo enters, immediately winning the contest ("Topsy Turvy Part II") before being humiliated by the crowd. Esmeralda rescues Quasimodo with a magic trick before Frollo intervenes. He scolds Quasimodo; the two return to Notre Dame, followed by Esmeralda ("Sanctuary Part III").

Frollo finds Esmeralda, confronting her; after a brief argument, he relents, allowing her to stay. Esmeralda prays to God to help the less fortunate ("God Help the Outcasts"). Phoebus finds Esmeralda; they argue, Phoebus telling her not to fight unwinnable battles, to which she retorts that she cannot help it.

Esmeralda heads to the bell tower, finding Quasimodo there. The two quickly befriend each other ("Top of the World"), Quasimodo ringing the bells of Notre Dame for her. Frollo runs up to the tower, angry at Quasimodo for ringing the bells at the wrong time. He is shocked by Esmeralda's presence, thinking she had left. He offers her shelter so he may save her soul, but she rejects his offer, saying that she sees the way Frollo looks at her. This infuriates Frollo, who orders Phoebus to escort her from Notre Dame and arrest her if she sets foot in it again. Frollo warns Quasimodo that Esmeralda is a dangerous person sent from Hell and to ignore any lustful feelings he may feel towards her. Yet, having developed such feelings for Esmeralda himself, Frollo roams the streets nightly, one night discovering Esmeralda, Clopin and multiple other gypsies partying with Phoebus; he is unable to look away as Esmeralda dances and kisses Phoebus ("Tavern Song (Thai Mol Piyas)"). Meanwhile, in the bell tower, Quasimodo reflects on seeing couples in love from his tower and how he never thought himself worthy of love until meeting Esmeralda ("Heaven's Light").

Frollo prays, begging the Virgin Mary to save him by either condemning Esmeralda to Hell or giving her to him ("Hellfire"). The next day, he approaches King Louis XII asking for special powers to stop a 'gypsy witch' to protect Paris, which he is granted. With his new powers, he instigates a citywide manhunt for Esmeralda which leads him to a brothel known for hiding gypsies. When the brothel's owner claims ignorance, Frollo orders Phoebus to burn the brothel down, an order which Phoebus defies. As Frollo orders Phoebus's arrest, Esmeralda appears; a fight breaks loose. Amidst the commotion, Frollo stabs Phoebus and frames Esmeralda for it; she uses a magic trick to escape. Frollo continues the hunt, while Quasimodo grows increasingly worried about Esmeralda's whereabouts ("Esmeralda").

### Act Two

Esmeralda returns to Notre Dame, asking Quasimodo to hide the injured Phoebus. She gives Quasimodo a woven band and leaves. Inspired by the story of Saint Aphrodisius and encouraged by the saints, Quasimodo deciphers the woven band as a map and resolves to help her ("Flight into Egypt"). Frollo returns to Notre Dame, asking Quasimodo where Esmeralda is; Quasimodo responds that he doesn't know. Frollo appears to accept this, before a guard informs Frollo that they know where Esmeralda is. Frollo tells Quasimodo that they will now be successful in capturing Esmeralda and leaves ("Esmeralda (Reprise)").

Using the map, Quasimodo and Phoebus go to warn the gypsies ("Rest and Recreation (Reprise)"). Initially, the gypsies attempt to kill the two, but they are saved by Esmeralda. ("Court of Miracles"). The two tell the gypsies Frollo will attack at dawn. The gypsies prepare to leave; Phoebus asks Esmeralda to go with her, the two expressing their love for each other as Quasimodo looks on, heartbroken ("Heaven's Light (Reprise)/In a Place of Miracles"). Frollo suddenly enters, having followed Quasimodo, and arrests all present—only Clopin manages to escape. Frollo has the guards lock Quasimodo in the bell tower.

Frollo visits Esmeralda, telling her that he can save her if she accepts being with him. When Esmeralda refuses, he threatens Phoebus' life and attempts to rape her ("Sanctuary (Reprise)"). He halts when Esmeralda cries out in protest, allowing her to have a final conversation with Phoebus. Phoebus pleads for her to accept Frollo's offer to save herself, which Esmeralda refuses to do. They yearn together for a better future ("Someday"). Meanwhile, in the bell tower, the statues encourage Quasimodo to free himself and save Esmeralda; Quasimodo angrily denounces them, declaring that he will remain stoic until he dies ("Made of Stone").

At dawn, Esmeralda is tied to a pyre outside Notre Dame. Frollo sentences her to death, offering her one last chance to save herself, which she angrily rejects. He orders her pyre to be lit. Quasimodo swings down on a rope from the bell tower and takes Esmeralda back to Notre Dame, invoking Notre Dame's status as a sanctuary in an appeal for protection. Frollo orders the Cathedral Guard to retake the church by force. Clopin frees Phoebus, after which the two rally the people of Paris to fight against the guards. However, the guards still manage to break in. Quasimodo dumps the molten lead used for fixing the bells onto the guards to stop them. Esmeralda thanks Quasimodo for being a good friend before dying from smoke inhalation. Frollo enters and asks Quasimodo if she is dead, which he broken-heartedly confirms. Relieved, Frollo tells Quasimodo that they are finally free of her poison. Quasimodo angrily throws Frollo off the tower of Notre Dame to his death.

Devastated, Quasimodo realizes that everyone he has ever loved is now dead. Phoebus arrives, finding out about Esmeralda's death. Phoebus tries to carry her body away but is unable to due to his injuries. Quasimodo then carries Esmeralda away.

Years later, two skeletons are discovered in the crypts of Notre Dame, one holding the other in its arms – the former has a woven band around its neck and the other has a crooked spinal column. When it was attempted to detach the two, the latter crumbles to dust. The company finally addresses the audience with a question asked at the beginning of the show—"What makes a monster and what makes a man?" ("Finale").

## Credits

* Director: Kyle Spitler
* Vocal music director: Elizabeth Reynolds
* Musical conductor: John Davenport
* Choreographed by: Janice Schweizer
* Stage Manager: Kelsi Anderson
* Assistant Stage Managers:
	+ Jeremiah Poirier
	+ Jaycee White
	+ Molly Droste
* Lighting Designer: Jeremiah Poirier
* Lighting assistant: Jaycee White
* Sound designer: Noel Enyart
* Set Designer: Chris Hagen
* Costume designer: Aurelie Flores
* Student costume designers:
	+ Sarah Duncan (Lead)
	+ Max Blankenship
* Spot Operators:
	+ Lennon VanAusdal
	+ Kye Hancock
* Prop master: Mae Platt
* Assistant prop masters:
	+ Reagan King
	+ Addison Guilmette
* Hair and Makeup design
	+ Matilda Green
	+ Molly Droste
	+ Reagan King
	+ Addison Guilmette
	+ Kye Hancock
* Set Crew
	+ Scotty Hagen
	+ Trinity Muniz
	+ Maya Waters
	+ Carter Johnson
	+ Reagan King
	+ Logan Lowry
	+ Logan Queen
	+ John Roath
	+ Noel Enyart
	+ Savanna Courtney
	+ 5th Hour Stagecraft
* Animator: Camilla Hagen

### Sponsors

* Hagen Farms
* Saber Golf
* Glo Skin Care
* OSR Physical Therapy

## Gallery

Scotty Hagen as QuasimodoJaxon Ballingham as Claude FrolloRayla Everson as EsmeraldaRustin Brandon as PhoebusAubrey Puzder as ClopinThe full set on the stageClopin dancing during "Topsy Turvy Part 1"The cast performing "Topsy Turvy Part 2"Clopin performing "Topsy Turvy Part 2"Clopin performing "The Court of Miracles"Whitney Larson as Saint Whitney
## Trivia

* That became a decision to make Clopin a female in the 2022 musical was due to Aubrey Puzder's audition.
* The name "Saint Whitney" was created by Kyle Spitler.
* In the song "Hellfire", the choir and congregation wear devil masks.