By Emily Lawrence
Step into the hushed cathedral and take your seat beneath the belfry of Heber City’s historic amusement hall, Timpanogos Valley Theatre (TVT) to experience the most live version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame that you could ask, or pray, for. Church choir members don their robes and sit next to you in the congregation, as a troupe of storytellers bring to life the classic, heart-wrenching tale based on Victor Hugo’s novel with lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and music by Alan Menken.
As stated in the program, Director Brenna Wall chooses to “erase, as much as possible, the boundaries between the performers and the audience.” The storytellers perform right in front of, next to, and all around you rather than on the stage. Their proximity allows an intimacy and inclusion which carries you through their anguish, frivolity, joy, desire, and vexation. If your foot bounces unbidden to the gypsy’s celebratory, “Topsy Turvy,” so much the better; and if you weep during the painfully hopeful and selfless song of “Someday,” you will be in good company.
Caleb Wall plays Quasimodo: a 15th Century isolated and disfigured hunchback who tires of relying on his own imagination for company in the tower of Notre Dame. Wall expertly lends appeal to the unappealing; he grimaces and shuffles with a cringing, homely demeanor while his voice soothingly invites the congregation to come closer and hear his tale. His interactions with his “friends” in the belfry are an endearing delight.
Watch closely as the troupe of storytellers organically interact with Wall and other performers, gracefully moving around the space at your feet, assembling and disassembling light but sturdy stage pieces that change from scene to scene while the action continues. You’ll seamlessly travel from a belfry to the streets of Paris, from the steps of a cathedral to a gypsy encampment. You are close enough to see facial expressions, which you won’t want to miss; Jenn Iverson, Felicia Siggard, Mallory Gray, Mari Magalei, and Tal Hughes as St. Aphrodisius are among the congregation members whose faces are especially fun to watch as they encourage their beloved Hunchback.
The Archdeacon of Notre Dame, and Quasimodo’s adoptive father, is played by Josiah Rupp. Rupp artfully portrays the human and relatable aspects of an antagonist who ultimately justifies and masks his vices within his official church capacity, hurting his congregation and fellow man in the process. You cannot help but understand even as you condemn his choices, as Rupp belts out his painful contradictions and insecurities in “Hellfire.”
An enchanting Ava Magalei plays Esmerelda, the apple of everyone’s eye, and a device for growth and change to the characters around her. Magalei brightens the stage with her quick feet, bright smile, and robust voice, naturally allowing the audience to feel the magnetism of her character. We fall in love alongside Quasimodo, Frollo, and Phoebus (the brave love interest played by Ethan Scott.)
Scott reminds of us every conflicted soldier; the desire to make his country proud, the as yet untested need to follow his own heart and moral standing, and the wild thirst for adventure that led him to enlist in the first place. We feel his torment when the moment comes to follow military orders or to let “God Help the Outcasts.”
Channeling his leadership experience as Wasatch High School Choir Director and musical director of several mainstage productions, Stephen Reynolds plays Clopin, head of the gypsies. He is light on his feet in “Tavern Song,” and entertains the masses every step of the way. Choreographer Christie Moulton, TVT veteran, exhibits her prowess yet again in this production. Tara Wall and Kristen Hughes allow costume details to tell the story, not distract from it.
For me, the highlights of the entire production include the gypsies dancing during Magalei’s introduction as Esmerelda in “Rhythm of the Tambourine,” Wall’s haunting and mesmerizing notes in “Heaven’s Light,” and the final number as the storytellers shed their various character costumes and stood together as a troupe to signal the end of their tale. The production reminds you that no matter how high we soar or how low we may fall, we are all equals in the end.
Special mention to the choir members, whose soft, angelic voices uphold the cathedral atmosphere. Well done to the production team and cast in their detailed décor in the entrance to TVT, and don’t forget to bring your extra cash to support refugees by purchasing a cast-designed souvenir.
If you appreciate a resounding depth of storytelling, intimate depictions of joy and suffering, incredible harmonic voices, and saintly attention to detail, do not miss TVT’s production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Timpanogos Valley Theatre presents The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Music by Alan Menken.
Timpanogos Valley Theatre, 90 N 100 W, Heber City, UT 84032
Aug 19 – Sept 4, 2021, 7:00 PM
Tickets: $14 single, $12 Group of 6+, $10 Group of 10+
Timpanogos Valley Theatre Official Website
Timpanogos Valley Theatre Facebook Page
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