Making of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' Studio Cast Recording

The American Premiere recording of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is the first ever of the acclaimed American stage score based on the Academy Award-nominated 1996 film and boasts a 25 piece orchestra, a choir of 32 and some of Broadway’s most formidable talent: 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 (Lincoln Center’s South Pacific) 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. The principal and ensemble talent performed the show’s US Premiere productions at La Jolla Playhouse and Paper Mill Playhouse during their 2014-15 seasons.


The Hunchback of Notre Dameis a dramatic telling of the famous love story on a grand scale, with a lush, emotionally rich score featuring music by Alan Menken (Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast) and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin). With a book by Peter Parnell, The Hunchback of Notre Dame has orchestrations by Michael Starobin; Michael Kosarin is music supervisor, Brent-Alan Huffman is associate music supervisor/conductor and Rob Berman provides dance arrangements.

The show and score were hailed by critics on both coasts during the show’s regional theatre productions, directed by Scott Schwartz and choreographed by Chase Brock: “Poignant and intensely emotional…Sparked by stellar performances, Hunchback sets its audience cheering” (Variety); “Potent and enchanting, it brings fresh depths to a saga of love and vengeance…a resounding pleasure”(San Diego Union Tribune); “One of the signal pleasures is Menken’s melodic music and Schwartz’s nimble lyrics” (The New York Times).

[elisabethblackwood]

Musically speaking, Hunchback is Disney's most underrated achievement. I really don't think any score before or since compares

[MarianaAlmazzi]

I WILL NEVER FORGIVE DISNEY FOR LETTING THIS NOT GET TO BROADWAY

[katieleighh]

“What makes a monster and makes a man” literal chills when they sing that

[MrWotsItoya]

The song "Hellfire" is such a masterpiece
my personal favorite of the movie

[Drakorn]

Victor Hugo would be pleased. His two most well-known stories turned into two of the greatest musicals ever.

[peterjensen]

The female soloist singing during Olim at the end is incredible. She's trying so hard to keep her emotions in check and still sing a part that is timed against the chorus. Awesome work.

[iaraddish]

Every time I hear the song “Esmeralda” it goes from 0 to 100 REALLY QUICKLY. Like, it’s normal for like 3 1/2 minutes and then Quasimodo comes in with And I’m like “gIvE mE a WaRnInG fIrSt”

[JulianneHannes]

This should have been the next Les Miserables

[xeleocegv]

Me watching The Hunchback of Notre Dame : HADES!????
Me watching Hadestown : FROLLO!?!????

[wiggleunicorn]

Esmerelda is definitely my favourite song, always gives me 'one day more' vibes

[riseuplucky]

i'm not saying corona happened because this never went to broadway, but the dots have connected themselves

[slugkitty]

I seriously admire Michael Arden for not bursting into a smile when he hit that note in Made of Stone. I would be so proud of myself every time I managed to hit that B flat that I would smile at myself or something. Kudos to him for not breaking character.

[canismajoris]

Patrick Page did a *WONDERFUL* job as acting as Lord Frollo! Damn he's emotions and personality just lures me into his heart. Such a good actor.

[stephaniewayman]

"It is Alan Menkien and Stephen Schwartz."
Patrick page totally fan girling

[blackroserevan]

That one note he hits when he sings "Made of Stone" gave me CHILLS!!!

[Hamyrd]

Oh my god the casts are crying.. They are the same as me

[erikdanielsn]

Now that Hamilton has been such a success for Disney+ and they’re apparently releasing a similar proshot of the West End production of Aladdin, I really hope they get the original cast of HOND together and do a proshot for Disney+. Even if it never went to Broadway, having a professionally filmed version would still be something

[eocavanaugh]

They're transforming beauty and the beast in a movie now, if they ever decide to turn hunchback into a movie musical, then this amazing cast should play the roles! all of them.

[Pikapika-gcpp]

Patrick Page on stage: complete asshole, stinky old man, bad and evil
Patrick Page irl: precious cinnamon roll, must protect

[fabulousmyriad]

I pick this soundtrack any day over Frozen. Understandably Frozen's songs appeal to both kids and adults alike, but HOND's score and composition and choral arrangements raises goosebumps and the lyrics to Out There, Someday and God save the Outcasts written in 1996 are so relevant today that its not even