Houston Broadway Theatre announces creatives for Disney’s The Hunchbackof Notre Dame at the Wortham Center playing June 16–July 5 witha limited three-week engagement. Tickets on sale now at houstonbroadwaytheatre.org.
“This production will feature a full21-piece live orchestra made up of Houston’s most accomplished professional musicians. Rather than placing the instruments in a traditional pit, the orchestra will be featured onstage as a visible, integral part of the production and will perform an expanded orchestration of Alan Menken’s celebrated score,” said Houston Broadway Theatre President Tyce Green. “Thismarks the first time this expanded orchestration will be performed in the United States, making it a singular event for Houston audiences.”
Directed by Joe Calarco, who last year directedthe critically acclaimed American Psycho for HBT, the production team includes Choreography and Associate Direction by Hope Easterbrook; Musical Direction by Michael Ferrara; Associate Music Direction by Andrew Orbison; Scenic Design by Tim Mackabee; Costume Design by Johanna Pan; Lighting Design by Tyler Micoleau; Sound Design by Andrew Harper; Projection and Video Design by Greg Emetaz; Wig and Hair Design by Tommy Kurzman; Makeup Design by Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche; and Prop Supervision by Charly Topper.
Based on the 1831 novel by Victor Hugo and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame showcases the Academy Award winning-musical score with new music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz with book by Peter Parnell. Premiering in Berlin in 1999as Der Glöckner von Notre Dame, with an earlier book by James Lapine, the musical was Disney Theatrical Productions first musical to premiere outside the United States, running for three years and becoming one of Berlin's longest-running musicals. The English language version opened at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego in 2014 with a revised book by Peter Parnell.
“I couldn’t be more excited to return to HBT with Hunchback of Notre Dame, such a beautiful and powerful story that asks us to confront how we define goodness and beauty. It’s a tremendous score, and with a 21-piece orchestra, a 24-person choir, and a cast of 17, the sound of it is going to be glorious,” said Director Calarco.“We’re embracing that size by presenting it as part theater, part rock concert, part opera. I know that this won’t be like any Hunchback of Notre Dame you’ve seen before.”
Casting to be announced at a later date.