On Sunday, February 19, five loyal members of the Matinee Friends journeyed west to Theater Works in Peoria to see the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Our Goldstar half-price tickets gave us center stage seats with a perfect view of the action. We were quite impressed by the entire presentation: an amazing set evoking Notre Dame Cathedral complete with a giant bell and 17- member choir, gorgeous costumes (especially for the “gypsies”), and amazing actors/ singers.
This was quite a demanding show because it was nearly all singing. Many of the songs were from the Disney feature with new songs by Menken and Schwartz The five main roles were superbly filled with very skilled actors who could sing beautifully. The actor performing Quasimodo became the hunchback in the flip of a cape; he was a true star. The supporting cast were congregants, then gypsies, then townspeople, then soldiers—so versatile.
The show had some laughs but primarily was a strong reminder that prejudice is age-old and has been directed at so many people—anyone who is different in looks, beliefs, origins, or customs.
