Victor Hugo’s classic tale of the misshapen Quasimodo and the shapely gypsy beauty who wins his lonely, aching heart comes to glorious musical life thanks to Alan Menken’s gift for melody and a couple dozen of SoCal’s most multi-talented performers in 5-Star Theatricals’ The Hunchback Of Notre Dame.

 Parents of Disney-age kiddies should make no mistake. With none of the 1996 Disney flick’s five screenwriters involved, nearly two-thirds of the Menken-Stephen Schwartz songs new to the stage musical, and only a few of the film’s central conceits making the cut (say adieu to gargoyles Victor, Hugo, and LaVerne), this “new musical based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney film” is no child-friendly Beauty And The Beast-style adaptation of a Disney classic.

 Instead what ace director director Misti B. Wills and and choreographic whiz Michelle Elkin give us at Thousand Oaks’ Kavli Theatre is a Phantom/Jekyll & Hyde-style musical drama with equal parts spectacle and heart.

A back-story quite distinct from the Disney flick introduces us to Quasimodo (Will North) as the orphaned son of chief villain Claude Frollo’s (Gregory North) younger brother Jehan (Trevor Shor) and his gypsy lover Florika (Katie Hume).

 Hunchback The Musical does follow the movie as regards the sultry Esmeralda (Cassandra Marie Murphy), introducing us to the seductive gypsy during Quasimodo’s excursion to the annual Festival Of Fools, where our deaf hero also makes the acquaintance of Captain Phoebus (Adam Hollick) and soon finds himself competing with the handsome, muscular soldier for Esmeralda’s affection.

Meanwhile, Frolo’s lust for the gypsy temptress not only smolders, it ranks tops among reasons for parents of preteens to hire a babysitter before heading off for a night at the theater.

 Menken/Schwartz fans can rejoice that almost all of the film’s original songs remain including “Out There,” “Somewhere,” and “God Help The Outcasts,” many of them backed by the celestial harmonies of an onstage choir, and at least some of the musical’s new songs prove memorable as well.

As for Peter Parnell’s book, it’s hard not to be gripped by this centuries-old underdog tale, whether witnessing Quasimodo’s public humiliation at the hands of an intolerant populace or seeing Esmeralda and her fellow gypsies demonized as sub-human. In other words, this is one musical likely to resonate with anyone who’s ever felt victimized by fear-induced prejudice.

As Quasimodo, 5-Star Theatricals managing director North proves himself a musical theater force to be reckoned with, giving us not just the guttural, slurred-speech that makes the world see the hunchback as “outsider” or “freak” or worst of all “monster” but his humanity and soul along with vocals to coax tears from a gargoyle made of stone.

 Murphy follows her sensational Eva Peron with an even more fiery, equally gloriously-voiced Esmeralda, Hollick’s Phoebus goes from self-centered to self-sacrificing while revealing pipes as stunning as physique, North is evil and perversion personified, and Justin Michael Wilcox delights throughout as Clopin, through whose eyes and voice we witness Quasimodo’s tale.

 Delivering finely-delineated cameos are James Beardsley (Frederic Charlus), Daniel Berlin (Official), William Carmichael (Father Dupin), Tom Hall (King Louis) who join ensemble members Zy’Heem Down, Elizabeth Adabale, Andrew Garcia, Emma Carlborg, Evin Johnson, Veronica Gutierrez, Mitchell Johnson, Miyuki Miyagi, Kat Monzon, Alastair Murden, Naomi Murden, Jimmy Saiz, Elizabeth Sheck, Marie Spieldenner, Tyler Watkins, Terri K. Woodall, and Rodrigo Varandas in executing one thrilling Elkins-choreographed production number after another, most notably the exuberantly performed “Topsy-Turvy” and “Festival Of Fools” while harmonizing to conductor Dan Redfeld’s assured musical direction.

 Stephen Gifford’s scenic design gives Hunchback an imposing backdrop (particularly when the cathedral’s colossal bells drop down for Quasimodo to ring), Beth Glasner’s costumes score points for color and panache, and Jose Santiago lights all of the above with flair, with Jonathan Burke providing an expert sound design throughout.

 Adding to the production design magic are Daniel Robles’s hair and wigs and Alex Choate’s props, with special snaps to makeup designer Trina White for helping to transform North from handsome to horrific.

Talia Krispel is production stage manager. Jack Allaway is technical director. Laura Dickinson is chorus master.

Following the family-oriented Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (and with the tiny-tots-friendly Disney Beauty And The Beast coming up this July), 5-Star Theatricals’ The Hunchback Of Notre Dame gives adult musical theater lovers something to celebrate this weekend and next.

5-Star Theatricals, Kavli Theatre, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks.
www.5startheatricals.com

–Steven Stanley
April 20, 2018
Photos: Ed Krieger

Tags: 5-Star Theatricals, Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, Ventura County Theater Review, Victor Hugo