Ambitious and passionate are two words that spring to mind when considering Disney’s lesser-known stage adaptation of a modern animated classic. The show in question is The Hunchback of Notre Dame, on stage at Katherine Johnson Middle School through July 26.
Since 2009, the City of Fairfax Theatre Company has been producing compelling shows featuring intergenerational casting, with actors young and old. Hunchback follows this pattern, and the results are engaging. As directed by Zachary Flick, this more serious Disney property fills the stage with a diverse cast, stirring spectacle, and the score and lyrics by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, thrillingly sung by the cast.
Beginning with the hymn-like “Olim,” segueing into the leitmotif “The Bells of Notre Dame,” an ensemble of storytellers begins to weave the musical retelling of Victor Hugo’s “Notre-Dame de Paris” filled with medieval intrigue and romance, circa 1482. This was a time when the Roman Catholic Church held sway over the entire society, except for the Romani people, nomadic wanderers thought to be thieves and cutthroats and outside of the church’s holy writ. (The musical characters still use the outdated term gypsies for the Romani people and Esmeralda.) The Romani street performers and urchins elicit the most concern from the ultra-pious and self-righteous Archdeacon Frollo.
The heart of the story is the title character, stuck with the cruel named Quasimodo (which roughly translates as “half made”). Named by his guardian Frollo, Quasimodo was the love child of Frollo’s brother Jehan and a Romani lass. As he was born with a crooked spine and other deformities, Frollo took pity and derided the child and kept him hidden in Notre Dame, treating him as a lackey. The hunchback has the soul of a poet despite his misfortune and longs to explore the city he knows only from the parapets of the cathedral.
Literary fans or fans of the Disney animated feature will know that a force of nature blows into Frollo and Quasimodo’s lives: the fiery and sensuous Esmeralda, who dances for money in the seedy streets outside of Notre Dame. Frollo is repulsed but not so secretly lusts for the dark-eyed beauty. Meanwhile, Quasimodo is touched by her kindness when Esmeralda shows him compassion when the Parisian mob gangs up on him after crowning him the King of Fools, making fun of his misshapen appearance.
The triangle becomes a square when Captain Phoebus of the French guard comes to join the protectorate of the cathedral. Phoebus is likewise bewitched by Esmeralda’s beauty and the race is on as to who will end up with her. The story is a heavy one, made only slightly lighter by Peter Parnell’s adaptation of Hugo’s sweeping novel. Luckily, Menken and Schwartz’s score and lyrics compress the action and story, which is filled with dense choral sections, heartfelt ballads, and rousing ensemble numbers that carry the story forward, even when the scripted scenes slow the action down. And fair warning: this one is a tragedy, ending with just a touch of romance after a Shakespearean body count.
What is not in question onstage is the talent of the skillful cast of performers director Flick has assembled. Mylo Cluff, as Quasimodo, immediately endears himself with an angelic voice and innocence as the unfortunate hunchback. His scenes with his gargoyle friends are as endearing as his scenes with Frollo are fraught with tension. The actor effortlessly conveys the tortured soul and childlike wonder of Quasimodo. Cluff particularly shines when he warbles “Heaven’s Light” and “Flight into Egypt.”
As his foil and monumental antagonist Frollo, Andreas Moffett is as slick and stolid as Cluff is pliable and personable. Embodying the tightly wound and high-minded cleric, Moffett brings gravitas and precision to his role as the heavy. With glints of humanity, the actor lets the piety and lust for the attractive gypsy girl battle it out within his demeanor and facial expressions. Moffett’s songs, while not as compelling as Cluff’s, are well sung with clarity and superb diction.
Providing the passion and focal point of the men’s affections, Esmeralda is unlike most Disney heroines. Dancing seductively in the city square, protecting herself with a quickly produced dagger, and stirring up the street urchins, Esmeralda is like the antithesis of Snow White or other leading ladies from the “House of Mouse.” But the character fits perfectly as being central to the tragic romance, and in this production Olivia Clavel-Davis embodies Esmeralda’s complexities and appealing qualities perfectly. In “Rhythm of the Tambourine,” Clavel-Davis commands the stage with her delivery of the song and the evocative choreography by Melody Vidmar and Nathan Nichipor. The leading lady also delivers a beautiful rendition of one of the show’s signature songs, “God Help the Outcasts.”
As her dashing suitor and the rival of Quasimodo and Frollo, Nicolas John-Burgos brings panache to the strait-laced officer. John-Burgos makes the rakish captain appealing and brings appealing vocals to songs such as “Rest and Recreation” and the duet with Esmeralda, “In a Place of Miracles.”
Leading the storytellers and taking on the role of Clopin, the Romani ringleader, Jasmine Jones brings style and stage presence to spare throughout her scenes and musical numbers, such as “Topsy Turvy” and “The Court of Miracles.” The large cast takes on the rest of the storytellers, gargoyles, and Parisian citizens and brings fervor and heartfelt performances to life.
Karly Sargent’s lovely period costumes evoke the medieval times, with stately soldiers, colorful street people, and vivid colors for the main characters, dividing them into types — red for Frollo, green for Quasimodo, for example. The impressive multilayered set, an impressionistic rendering of the famous cathedral, was designed by Noah Beye and built under the supervision of Peter Marsh. Lighting by Ken and Pattie Crowley brings out the light and dark elements in the story and accentuates the story appropriately.
What would a sweeping musical epic be without an orchestra? Luckily Hunchback has a finely tuned and sumptuous ensemble of skilled players under the direction of Matthew R. Brown. The orchestra more than does Menken’s score justice.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame may not be a typical sunny and frothy Disney feel-good show. However, like choices on a menu, sometimes we want comfort food, and other times we want to sample a heartier dish to excite the palette. Why not try a bit of French cuisine and sample the “Bells of Notre Dame”?
Running Time: Approximately two hours and 30 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame plays through July 26, 2025, presented by City of Fairfax Theatre Company, performing at Katherine Johnson Middle School, 3801 Jermantown Road, Fairfax, VA. Patrons may purchase tickets online in advance.
Sensory Friendly Show, Wednesday, July 23: 7:00 PM: This performance is designed to create a welcoming and comfortable experience for individuals with autism, sensory sensitivities, or other disabilities by modifying elements like sound and lighting. There is a smaller capacity for this show and the priority for that availability is families who will benefit from the sensory friendly modifications. Note that this performance retains the same content warning as general performances.
Warning: The show contains physical/verbal abuse, sexual harassment, death/suicide, attempted murder/murder, sword fighting, and suggestive dancing. Although the show is inspired by the novel by Victor Hugo and the Disney animated film of the same name, it consists of several scenes, actions, and words that may not be considered appropriate for young audiences.
The cast and production credits for The Hunchback of Notre Dame are online here.
