[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of CASA 0101 Theater’s THE HUNCKBACK OF NOTRE DAME, a musical based on the Victor Hugo novel with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Peter Parnell and directed by Rigo Tejeda.
This musical has been around for a little while but is not often produced. After seeing CASA’s version I have really no idea why. It’s a beautiful musical full of gorgeous heartbreaking songs, perhaps a little darker than some of Menken & Schwartz’s other works, but certainly no less memorable.
It’s based of course on Victor Hugo’s book of the same name and the story revolves around the hunchback Quasimodo, the nephew of Dom Claude Frollo, Archdeacon of Notre Dame Cathedral. He raises the deformed child from a baby. The child’s father, Frollo’s brother, fell in love with a gypsy woman and they both succumbed to illness. Frollo hides Quasimodo in the tower of the cathedral and teaches him to ring the bells, and in his isolation, his only friends are three stone gargoyles and a smattering of stone statues of saints that decorate the cathedral. They come to life for Quasimodo, but for no one else, protecting him from the cruel world.
On one day of every year, Paris allows the streets to be filled with frolicking and dancing and mischief. The city is flooded with gypsies and revelers and fun and Quasimodo longs to be a part of it all. This year, with the encouragement of his stoney friends, he disguises himself and walks amongst them all and that is where he meets Esmeralda. The beautiful gypsy girl. Unbeknownst to Quasimodo, his uncle also sees her and is instantly obsessed. Driven mad by the knowledge that he could never have her he decides that no other man shall and the tragic story of love and loss, jealousy and evil unfolds.
It is a timeless and epic tale and the dramatic and moving musicality is truly exceptional. It’s a big show though and can a neighborhood theatre in Los Angeles do justice to this Broadway-bound opus? Well, the answer to that is an ecstatic and assured yes!
In fact, I feel I am obliged to tell you that this might be one of my absolute favorite productions at CASA. Rigo Tejeda directs and the Notre Dame he has created is atmospheric, imaginative and populated by wonderfully talented actors doing inspiring work. The vocals are utterly magical, the performances vivid, heartfelt and absolutely brilliant. This is a superb show beautifully realized and I cannot recommend it enough. They took risks, they were bold in their choices both in casting and in action. This production is bursting with innovation and charm and the actors fill the stage with wonder every single second. It was a real thrill to be there on opening night and the energy was truly transcendent.
What a joy to have THE HUNCKBACK OF NOTRE DAME produced with such love and brilliance and in the heart of creative culture in Los Angeles, CASA 0101. I absolutely loved this production…in case there is any doubt!
Los Angeles theatre is having a moment…I am sure of it. And wonderful shows like THE HUNCKBACK OF NOTRE DAME make me more certain than ever that Los Angeles is truly a theatre town.
Bravo to CASA and all involved, your Hunchback is perfection!!
Tickets:
Where:
CASA 0101
2102 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033
When:
November 15 – December 22
Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM and Sundays at 3PM
The Team:
Five Principal Actors lead a cast of 22 performers in the musical. The Principal Actors include CJ Cruz (of Koreatown, CA) as Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer of Notre Dame Cathedral and Dom Claude Frollo’s charge; Bimei Flores (of Mission Hills, CA) as Esmeralda, a beautiful and free-spirited Gypsy; Jack Bernaz (of North Hollywood, CA) as Dom Claude Frollo, Archdeacon of Notre Dame Cathedral; Drew Maidment (of Los Angeles, CA) as Phoebus de Martin, Captain of the Cathedral Guard and Christopher J. Thumé (of Studio City, CA) as Clopin Trouillefou, King of the Gypsies.
Ensemble Storytellers in the cast include: Alyssa Rojas (of Los Angeles, CA) as Florika, A Gypsy, Ensemble, Statue, Reveler, Parishioner, Prostitute, Citizen; Dian Yu (of Arcadia, CA) as Ensemble, Reveler, Parishioner, Prostitute, Citizen; Rachel Aspyn (of Los Angeles, CA) as Ensemble, Statue, Reveler, Parishioner, Prostitute, Citizen; Gabriella Ortiz (of Pasadena, CA) as Ensemble, Statue, Reveler, Parishioner, Citizen: Angelica Ornelas (of Los Angeles, CA) as Ensemble, Statue, Reveler, Parishioner, Citizen; Jocelyn Thalia Sanchez (of Los Angeles, CA) as Ensemble, Statue, Reveler, Parishioner, Prostitute, Citizen; Sol Joun (of Los Angeles, CA) as Madame, owner of a brothel and safe haven for Gypsies, Ensemble, Gargoyle, Reveler, Parishioner, Citizen; Kong Vang (of Culver City, CA) as Ensemble, Gargoyle, Soldier, Reveler, Parishioner, Citizen, Understudy for Clopin Trouillefou; Jude Monge (of La Crescenta, CA) as Ensemble, Gargoyle, Soldier, Reveler, Parishioner, Citizen; André Heimos (of Los Angeles, CA) as Frederic Charlus, Lieutenant of the Cathedral Guard, Ensemble, Statue, Soldier, Reveler, Parishioner, Citizen, Understudy for Dom Claude Frollo.
Choir Members of the cast include Sammy J Kohler (of Reseda, CA) as Gypsy, Jehan Frollo, Claude’s reckless younger brother, Saint Aphrodisius, a stained-glass image that comes to life, Choir, Understudy for Gargoyle; Ethan Trejo (of Los Angeles, CA) as Haughty Gentleman, Priest, King Louis XI, King of France, nicknamed the Prudent, Choir; Anthony Galang (of Los Angeles, CA) as Father Dupin, a priest of Notre Dame Cathedral and guardian of Claude and Jehan; Official, an officer of the court of King Louis XI; Choir; Stormi Raii (of Simi Valley, CA) as Choir; Andrea Lara (of Los Angeles, CA) as Choir and Understudy for Esmeralda who will perform the role on Friday, December 13th; Chrissi Erickson (of Leimert Park, CA) as Choir; and Brianna Bonilla (of Los Angeles, CA) as Choir.
Additionally, Diego Huerta-Gutiérrez (of Los Angeles, CA) serves as understudy for Quasimodo and Phoebus de Martin.
The Team:
The production team for THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME includes: Josefina López (of Boyle Heights, CA), Founding Artistic Director, CASA 0101 Theater; Emmanuel Deleage (of Silver Lake, CA), Producer and Founding Executive Director, CASA 0101 Theater; Abel Alvarado (of Silver Lake, CA) Associate Producer and Producing Artistic Director, TNH (Teatro Nuevas Horizontes) Productions; Edward Padilla (of Boyle Heights, CA) Casting Director and CASA 0101 Theater Board Member; Rigo Tejeda (of Whittier, CA) Director and Founding Artistic Director, TNH (Teatro Nuevas Horizontes) Productions; Gabrielle Maldonado (of Lakewood, CA) Music Director; Tania Possick (of Los Angeles, CA) Choreographer; Marcos DeLeón (of Los Angeles, CA) Set Designer; Alejandro Parra (of Burbank, CA) Lighting Designer; Miguel Delgado (of Huntington Park, CA) Sound Designer and CASA 0101 Theater Technical Director; Alejandro Lechuga (of Los Angeles, CA) Costume Designer; Lorena M. Ortega (of Huntington Beach, CA) Prop Master and CASA 0101 Theater Director of Outreach and Productions; Maia Melendez (of Los Angeles, CA) Wardrobe Supervisor/Costume Assistant; Itzel Ocampo (of Alhambra, CA) Graphic Designer, Prop Assistant and CASA 0101 Theater Marketing and Operations Manager; Ellen Arroyo (of Long Beach, CA) Intimacy/Fight Coordinator; Lorenzo Tambriz (of Boyle Heights, CA) Set Builder; Victor Calderon (of Los Angeles, CA) Set Building Assistant; JoaquÃn Madrid Larrañaga (of Lincoln Heights, CA) Stage Manager; Doreen Sanchez (of Hollywood, CA) Assistant Stage Manager; Christopher Martinez (of Los Angeles, CA) Assistant Stage Manager; Mark Kraus (of Los Angeles, CA), CASA 0101 Theater Development Director; Jeremiah Ocañas (of Los Angeles, CA) Production Assistant; Sophia Gonzalez (of Los Angeles, CA) Production Assistant; Al Aguilar (of Los Angeles, CA) Production Assistant; Gabriela López de Dennis, Soap Studio Inc. (of Los Angeles, CA) Program; Jorge Villanueva (of Boyle Heights, CA) Facilities Manager; Oscar Basulto (of Boyle Heights, CA) Box Office Manager; Rudy Torres (of Los Angeles, CA) Production Photographer; and Steve Moyer Public Relations (of Los Angeles, CA), Press Representative.