Take Me To Church- The Hunchback of Notre Dame explores the light and dark sides of it’s characters

Disclosure: In any review for a product or service, products or compensation may have been provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” and "Terms of Use" tabs for more information.

Moving. Heartbreaking.  Stunning. All words I would use to describe Paper Mill Playhouse’s production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, and I didn’t expect to react so strongly in the least.

Paper Mill, which produces beautiful shows right here in NJ, never ceases to amaze me.  With talent second to none (and that means Broadway as well- since many of it’s stars also preform on the Great White Way, you don’t need to trek into the city to see a top-notch performance) and not a bad seat in the house, we always enjoy the shows at Paper Mill Playhouse.  This one, however, might be my favorite so far, in no small part because I was not expecting to love it so much.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Paper Mill Playhouse; Photo by Matthew Murphy; Michael Arden (Quasimodo) and the company of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

A fan of Victor Hugo, who wrote the novel, I thought that the Disney movie was cute if (of course) simple, as it was intended for young audiences.  The movie lost what to me were some key characters to understanding the story, modified others deeply, and lost the tone of the novel and story.  The music was nice, and the singing exactly what you would expect from a Disney film.  I was expecting a cute, fun show.  However, I found myself knocked off my feet within moments, at the opening song  “The Bells Of Notre Dame”.  The full orchestra and choir took one right to the period and atmosphere, and was incredibly moving.

With minimalist scenery and props, the cast really took center stage and full focus.  The lack of many scenery changes or much going on in the background only adds to the production- it seems right at home for the time period.  It is raw, sparse, the way one might imagine medieval Catholic services to have been. The characters are  complicated, deep and feel human.  There is no pure evil villain and our heroes have moments of weakness, each with conflicting feelings and acts.  You are able to see the good inside even the most flawed character, and your heart breaks with them all as the story rings on.

Photo by Kevin Berne; Patrick Page (Frollo) and the company of The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Created for the theater, this is not at all what you would call a Disney Musical.  The show is darker, more mature, and closer to the novel’s telling. It is for adults- while it’s good for families, you may want to stick with older kids (maybe 10 and up) or very mature children.  This performance is meant to be told in a theater setting, watched in one, heard there.  There are some songs you may know, but some have been created for this show, and they are truly beautiful.

Stunning, absolutely flawless- The Hunchback of Notre Dame will take your breath away. The cast is perfection. In my opinion, the show is a must-see, and I hope it will find it’s way from the stages of California and NJ to Broadway soon.  It truly deserves to be there.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a dramatic retelling of the famous love story on a grand scale, with a lush, emotionally rich score. The musical features a score by Alan Menken (Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast) and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin). This new production is the only stage collaboration between these two giants of the American musical theater.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame will be performed at Paper Mill Playhouse eight times a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Performance schedule: Wednesday at 7:00pm, Thursday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm, Friday at 7:00pm, Saturday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm and Sunday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm. Tickets are on sale now and range from $28 to $99. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted. Groups of 10 or more can receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680.  College students can order $20 rush tickets over the phone or in person at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office on the day of the performance.