By Nic Patterson | Reporter
The curtain falls on Avon’s production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame as applause booms for the cast. Avon students playing the parts of Esmerelda, Quasimodo, and Frollo join the others on stage to celebrate the performance that has just passed.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is adapted from a Disney movie and Victor Hugo novel of the same title, but the performance is far from classic Disney. Senior Jessica Miller, who plays the lead role of Esmeralda, recounted how the story is dark in comparison to a normal musical.
“People can expect beautiful music and a darker plot than recent musicals we’ve done,” Miller said.
The tension of the production’s plot pairs with the challenges of creating an impressive show.
“Hunchback is definitely the darkest and most challenging musical I’ve been in,” Miller said. “There’s more interaction with the chorus to convey the story compared to only the leads’ speaking lines.”
These challenges exist off-stage as well. Backstage manager, senior Daniel Kruze, sees the challenges as a part of running any stage production.
“Not only do we have to be able to work the system safely and properly, but we have to interact with the director to make sure that we’re properly representing their vision,” Kruze said.
The production is grandiose in comparison to past production and hopes for a bar-raising show are high.
“It’s got a number of complicated pieces that haven’t all been ran through from the top yet,” Miller said. “But I know it will come together in the end and be amazing.”
The show opens at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 5th; later performances include 7:00 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased either in advance online or at the AHS auditorium’s box office.
Photos by Nic Patterson
The Avon Echo 