Victor Hugo’s famous novel, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” will be brought to life Saturday not just with singing by the Sno-King Community Chorale, but with dancing and costumes “worth coming to the show for itself,” said chorale director Dustin Willetts.
This is not a production of the “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” musical.
Planning for the show began about a year ago. Jan Henderson, an alto in the chorale, volunteered for the task of costume design.
“The costuming is brilliant, unlike any costuming I’ve seen before,” he said.
A lot of the ensemble members have to switch wardrobes quickly. Henderson designed them so, for example, a person dressed as a gargoyle could change into costume of a townsperson quickly.
The costumes add to a show that Willetts calls “full of excitement, romance, beauty and high-energy songs.”
The performance is based on the novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. Disney made a movie version of the tale in 1996, from which came the songs that the chorus will sing. “Vocally it’s a very intense score, a ton of fun,” Willetts said. “It’s a well-written story with really great morals that apply today.”
Some of those themes include sexual harassment, discrimination of other groups, such as the Romani, and the question posed in verse: What makes a monster and what makes a man?
The character of Quasimodo is deformed, has disabilities and “is looked upon by a lot of people as a monster,” Willetts said. “Throughout the story, we’re taught what’s on the inside.”
The role of Quasimodo is performed by Jacob Herbert, a member of the Edmonds Community College faculty. Quasimodo finds himself in a kind of forced adoption by Frollo, his uncle who is a Catholic priest in Paris.
The role of Frollo is played by Joel Nichols, who is able to portray the character’s vulnerabilities as well as his self-righteousness and sense of superiority, Willetts said.
The story evolves as three characters, Quasimodo, Frollo and Phoebus, a cocky soldier played by Brian Hodder, compete for the love of Esmeralda, played by Megan Jeffrey.
Although the protagonists display acts of heroism, it ends in tragedy once Esmeralda rejects Frollo, Willetts said.
The production, with its 20 songs, is “packed full of constant, powerful music,” he said. “This is a full-scale production.”
Rehearsals began in early April and the chorus practiced two hours a week for nine weeks.
“I fully believe this will be the best show Sno-King has ever put on, full of excitement, romance, beauty and high energy songs,” Willetts said. “We’re really looking forward to it.”
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.
If you go
The Sno-King Community Chorale has scheduled performances of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. June 8 at the Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 Fourth Ave. N., Edmonds. Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and $15 for children under 12. Call 425-275-9595 or go to tinyurl.com/notredametkx for more information.
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