Highland Park Players performing Hunchback of Notre Dame musical in concert

Chicago Tribune

18-03-2025

Victor Hugo's novel about the deformed bell ringer Quasimodo, who longs for the beautiful Esmeralda, found new life in the 1999 musical, 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' by Alan Menken (music) and Stephen Schwartz (lyrics). Highland Park Players is producing a concert version of that expansive tale, March 28-30, at McGrath Family Performing Arts Center, 3424 Illinois Rd., Wilmette.
Connor Giles, who directed last year's stunning production of 'Ragtime in Concert,' directs 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Concert.' He is working with a cast of 24, an 18-piece orchestra, and a 33-voice choir.
'The thing that I really love about doing a production in a concert format is that it really forces us to focus on the story itself, focus on the music, the dialogue—and really get to the heart of the story and not rely on all of the bells and whistles that a traditional production might incorporate,' Giles said.
The director is a long-time fan of the 'Hunchback' story. 'I am a '90s kid through and through so I grew up on the (1996) Disney movie,' he said. 'It was a film that I absolutely loved as a child. I had not experienced it in quite some time so getting to revisit it — not only the original film but also the musical version onstage in this new way — has been really exciting now as an adult.'
For the role of Quasimodo Giles cast Andres DeLeon of Plainfield. 'His vocal ability is so strong,' the director said. 'All of the Quasimodo material is quite difficult and he's really able to execute it at such a high level. That allowed us the opportunity to focus on the character work. He's been such a pleasure to work with.'
DeLeon said that his character is experiencing everything for the first time in this show. 'He just wants to be happy,' DeLeon said. 'For a lot of his life, he's had to trust Frollo, his protector.' Quasimodo has to believe that Frollo has his best interests at heart and that his protector is accurately describing the world that exists outside of Quasimodo's tower, the actor indicated.
The bellringer has to learn that 'He can make a choice for himself,' DeLeon related. 'He can trust himself.'
The biggest challenge of the role for DeLeon is the physicality, he reported. That includes focusing on 'the way he moves' and also the way that the character communicates because he has lost some of his hearing from living in the belltower.
DeLeon noted that this is his first principal role — and a large one. He said that he is enjoying the opportunity to create a complete character for himself.
To prepare for this part, DeLeon listened to an audiobook of the Victor Hugo novel. He already knew the Disney film. When you watch the movie, the performer said, you realize that Quasimodo 'has to find joy. He has to create his own happiness when he's alone.'
Naperville native Rachel Carreras plays Esmeralda. 'Rachel came in and blew us all away with her vocal ability,' Giles said. 'And working through some of the acting portions of her audition, she found a great balance of honoring the source material and still giving us that Disney princess-like character but also finding a lot of strength, a lot of vulnerability, a lot of power in how she's interpreting Esmeralda.'
Carreras said that 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' has always been one of her favorite movies and that Esmeralda is her dream role. 'This is my sixth time being called back for this role,' she said. 'I finally get to play it. I am very honored.'
The actor described Esmeralda as 'a fighter for the people. She is a justice-seeker. She is kind, she is empathetic, and she's also not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. She's so strong, so resilient. She's an incredible character.'
Supporting her people makes her happy, Carreras said. Frollo is her constant obstacle in that goal.
Carreras said that she relates strongly to her character because she also 'always wants to love people and meet them where they're at and not have judgment.'
Director Giles observed that the story of The Hunchback 'couldn't be more relevant today, even though it takes place many, many, many years ago. It really explores that idea of otherness and what it means to be an 'other.' Everyone will be able to identify with a piece of the story in some way.'
Actor Carreras concurred, saying, 'The story could have been written this morning. It is so relevant to what we're going through every day in America. Why is there so much hate just for being different?'
Performances of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Concert' are 7:30 p.m. March 28-29 and 2 p.m. March 29-30. Tickets are $33-$48.
For reservations, visit highlandparkplayers.org.