NewsWith the Cast Album Coming Soon, Spend a Day With Hunchback of Notre Dame Star Michael ArdenThe Hunchback of Notre Dame, the new musical based on the Victor Hugo novel and animated Disney film, releases its much-anticipated cast album Jan. 22. Michael Arden, Patrick Page and Ciara Renée starred in the Paper Mill Playhouse production. During the run, Arden shared a two-show day with Playbill.com!
January 19, 2016
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Photo Exclusive: A Two-Show Day at Paper Mill With The Hunchback of Notre Dame Star Michael Arden
Photo Exclusive: A Two-Show Day at Paper Mill With The Hunchback of Notre Dame Star Michael Arden
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the new musical based on the Victor Hugo novel and animated Disney film, opened at the Paper Mill Playhouse March 15 following previews that began March 4. Michael Arden, Patrick Page and Ciara Renée star. Arden, who plays the title character, shared a recent two-show day with Playbill.com!
39 PHOTOS
I wake up, and who is there to greet me?
Michael Arden
Warming up. It’s a very good place to start.
Michael Arden
My fiancé, in the throws of Esmeralda.
Michael Arden
Cleaning up the mess I made from the night before.
Andrew Samonsky, aka “Dad” and “Phoebus” looking far too cheery for the hour.
Michael Arden
Our driver for the day, and incredible Quasi Stand-by, Julian Decker.
Michael Arden
My Aloha Acai bowl that I eat everyday on the way to Paper Mill.
Michael Arden
Hello, NYC!
Michael Arden
Goodbye, NYC!
Michael Arden
Ian Patrick Gibb, Samantha Massell, Ciara Renee and Nora Menken. My van buddies.
Michael Arden
We like to race the other cast members. We wound up beating them, don’t worry.
Michael Arden
Arriving at our home for the next 12 hours. PAPER MILL!
Michael Arden
It’s very important to sign in.
Michael Arden
Our ASM, the lovely Jennifer Wheeler Kahn.
Michael Arden
The quiet before the storm.
Michael Arden
Getting limber before fight call.
Michael Arden
Everyone seems to be very interested in something at the Feast of Fools.
Michael Arden
King of the Gypsies, Erik Liberman. I’ve never seen him without this hat.
Michael Arden
Master of the House, Matthew William Shiner. Our glorious and hysterical PSM.
Michael Arden
Paper Mill’s finest dressers, Jacky and Debbie. Ready for anything.
Michael Arden
Getting into mic. It’s almost as if it’s not even there…
Michael Arden
27. Finger puppet of Quasi made by my dear friend Nicola. He was made in London and traveled all the way to Paper Mill to ring the bells. He’s wondering if winter will ever end.
Michael Arden
Daily warm up song. My girl, Sia, really helps. I imagine swimming from bells as opposed to the chandelier.
Michael Arden
Dad making sure he doesn’t have bad breath when kissing Esmeralda. I keep telling him, this isn’t historically accurate, but he insists on being a gentleman.
Michael Arden
A sneaky picture from the wings as the house begins to fill.
Michael Arden
Look at all the people! At all the people.
Michael Arden
Producing Artistic Director, Mark Hoebee auditioning to play Clopin. We’ll be in touch, Mark.
Michael Arden
Post matinee, it’s very important when playing a Hunchback to get some Physical Therapy. Sigrid sets me right.
Michael Arden
Sorry, Quasi. It’s still winter.
Michael Arden
I go through 4 of these a day… I’m a sweater.
Michael Arden
A steam before the second show.
Michael Arden
Nora, Beth Kirkpatrick and Ian love the Millburn Deli. I think I now own stock.
Michael Arden
Fight call before the second show. We don’t want anyone to really get hurt.
Michael Arden
Ciara Renee doesn’t want to have to be burned alive AGAIN today. But she must.
The album is available for pre-order on the Ghostlight Records label. Fans who pre-order the album will be able to download the song "The Bells of Notre Dame" immediately, with three more tracks becoming available ahead of the entire album’s release. To pre-order the CD, which comes packaged with a 32-page booklet with full lyrics, photos, and a note from composer Alan Menken, you can also visit Sh-k-boom.com/hunchback-of-notre-dame. The album is produced by Michael Kosarin, Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, Chris Montan and Executive Producer, Kurt Deutsch.
The album features Michael Arden (Big River) as Quasimodo, Patrick Page (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) as Dom Claude Frollo, Ciara Renée (Pippin) as Esmeralda, Andrew Samonsky (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) as Captain Phoebus de Martin and Erik Liberman (Lovemusik) as Clopin Trouillefou. Featured in the ensemble are: Julian Decker, Mary Joe Duggan, Ian Patrick Gibb, Beth Kirkpatrick, Samantha Massell, Neal Mayer, Nora Menken, William Michals, Anise Ritchie, Vincent Rodriguez III, Richard Ruiz, Joseph J. Simeone, Jeremy Stolle and Dashaun Young.
Inspired by Victor Hugo's novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame features a book by Peter Parnell, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The musical was billed as a "dramatic retelling of the famous love story on a grand scale, with a lush, emotionally rich score."
The rights to The Hunchback of Notre Dame are now available for professional theatre productions, licensed exclusively through Music Theatre International at MTIShows.com.
Filmed in 2023, the one-night-only event featured Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Peter Friedman, and more from the Ahrens and Flaherty musical's original cast.
Surrounded by period-accurate, 19th-century holiday decorations lit via candlelight, the 70-minute production is based on Dickens' own script of the classic.
