What makes a monster and what makes a man? Venture into the timeless retelling of Victor Hugo’s renowned novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, at The Naples Players (TNP) from July 5th – July 23rd.
Featuring a 14-piece orchestra, 16-person on-stage choir, Alan Menken’s sweeping score, and Stephen Schwartz’s moving lyrics, sound design by Tony Nominee Joshua Reid and costumes by Disney costume designer Joshua Winchester, The Hunchback of Notre Dame will kick off TNP’s new 2023-2024 season.
Billed as a “dramatic retelling of the famous love story on a grand scale, with a lush, emotionally rich score,” by Playbill Magazine, the musical features a trove of cherished songs from the Disney classic, including “Out There,” “God Help the Outcasts,” and “Hellfire,” and many new songs and dance numbers.
The musical begins as the bells of Notre Dame sound through the famed cathedral in fifteenth-century Paris. Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer 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.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame will be TNP’s first off-site production for this season while their 5th Ave S theater undergoes a $20 million renovation. This production will take place at the Community School of Naples, home of TheatreZone.
“To have the opportunity to see a production of this incredibly grand spectacle of a show in a space as intimate as TheatreZone is a unique experience.” says Music Director Charles Fornara, “[Director] Dawn Lebrecht Fornara’s thoughtful staging, great choreography, and brilliant storytelling is a mere few feet away from every seat.”
After music directing 50 productions at TNP, Fornara claims that “from a musical perspective, this show is shaping up to be one of our very best.”
For Fornara, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a show he’s been in love with since he had the opportunity to audition for the world premiere while living in Berlin. After being cast in the show, but unfortunately unable to join the production due to a previous commitment, it’s “been a bucket-list show for me ever since. Alan Menken’s music is always glorious, and the orchestrations by Michael Starobin, one of the very best in the business, are so lush and full. Vocally, there are some melodies that are supremely gorgeous, and the choral passages are unique in the Broadway repertoire for their difficulty and beauty.”
Seeing The Hunchback of Notre Dame at TNP is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, with our production being amongst the first in the SWFL area. Fornara states, “because of the enormous technical difficulties of this show, it doesn’t get performed a lot. I think that the quality of our singers and musicians, and the ability of our sound team, headed up by Tony nominee Joshua Reid, are going to bring this score to life at a very, very high level. Starobin’s use of all the colors an orchestra can create is one of the best things this show offers. Also, like Wagner utilized in his operas, there are numerous leitmotivs associated with the various characters, and it’s very cool how Menken and Starobin weave those themes in throughout the score.”
When asked what keeps him coming back to TNP, Charles answered, “This is my 50th show I’m MDing for TNP, not to mention the more than 25 I’ve done for KidzAct! I keep coming back because of the high quality of the productions, the theater’s steadfast commitment to full, live orchestras, the opportunity to work closely with my wife on 4-6 productions a year, and the family of volunteers I count as friends after 20 years here.”
Thank you, Charles Fornara for putting on 50 productions of excellence here at TNP! Help us celebrate by buying tickets to The Hunchback of Notre Dame here: https://naplesplayers.org/show/the-hunchback-of-notre-dame/
Director Dawn Lebrecht Fornara and Music Director Charles Fornara lead an all-star ensemble cast of Naples favorites, many of whom have become regular staples of The Naples Players’ most popular shows. The cast includes (in alphabetical order): JAMIE LYNN BUCCI, JOSEPH BYRNE, AUSTIN GARDNER, EDUARDO MARIN, and ASEEM UPADHYAY in principal roles; features BRIAN BOLAND, JORDAN CRAWFORD, CHRISTIAN DINSMORE, FRANKIE FEDERICO, JORDAN GERSBACH, JILLIAN KEITH, LILA MASTRO, SYDNEY MILLER, GIA PROVINZINO, KELLY ROSSBERG, MATT SCHWABAUER, DAVID SHAFFER, VANESSA TARABOCCHIA, LORELAI VEGA, CIARAN WELCH, and JACK WELD in the ensemble; and features BRAXTON CABRERA, JODY CAMERON, F. SCOTT DAVIS, CAROLINA GRAU, RILEY HART, MADELEINE HOWE, AMY HUGHES, DANI IVANOV, ADLER MONPREMIER, ABIGAIL NELSON, ROSEANN RUGGIERO, LYNNELLE ST. ALBORD, CINDI SPANIER, FREDLEY SYLVAIN, KENNY TRAN, and RACHEL WEINER in the choir.
From July 5th – July 23rd, performances are Wednesdays & Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Both general public and season tickets are on sale for $39 – $49 at the TNP Box Office. Those interested can visit NaplesPlayers.org anytime or call the TNP Box Office at (239) 263-7990.
