Today's Riedel: Disney planning to bring THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME to the U.S.

[finebydesign]

"That said, this could be the show that saves Disney after Tarzan and Mermaid. "

Saves Disney from what? Disney just had a hit with Newsies and Peter and the Star Catchers was as close as the Lion King Disney will ever get to "art."

Unless Aladdin is completely revamped (cutting all the cut/new songs) a stronger book, it's gonna be the same dreck as all their other flops. Those Ashman songs are cute but slapped together did not jive in that new production.

Hunchback is a neat project, but who would see it really? Stephen Schwartz certainly has some celebrity with Wicked, but I don't see any new angles for selling that monster.

[darquegk]

Hunchback was either a massive success or a failure for Disney, and looking at its treatment in Germany shows what complicates this.

Clearly, they were swinging for another light-hearted but epic family smash in the Beauty and the Beast style with the original animated film, but they instead created a bizarre hybrid- a few child-friendly elements (silly goat, joking statues, heroes live) in a film that otherwise treated the story in a darker, more adult way. No Princess, no merchandising elements, no real promotion after the film when they realized it wasn't "Disney magic" enough.

Staging the show overseas in Berlin, Disney tried to make it the next AIDA, the adult-marketed property by stripping away most of the childlike elements. For the most part it worked, despite a few left-field choices- Quasimodo's statue companions are essentially hallucinations, and unlike the Disney version in which he is a brilliant and artistic soul trapped in a monstrous body, the musical's Quasimodo is mentally handicapped (as in the traditional portrayal of the character).

The question for Broadway becomes, will Disney dare to make Hunchback the next Aida style property and not care that it's not a "kiddie show" at heart, or will they either A: make the stage show even more kid friendly than the notoriously child-alienating animated film, or B: jettison the project entirely?

[slmlbl]

This literally makes my day.

I am thrilled by this news and hope it happens sooner rather than later.
It has potential to be epic and truly is one of the finest scores. Along with that, I think it is virtually set up to be a piece of theatre and will translate beautifully.

I hope bringing it to the stage allows them to darken it a little more from the movie version.

I look forward to hearing a creative team.

[little_sally]

I also wonder if Hunchback is as beloved or as present in the public consciousness as say Aladdin or The Little Mermaid. Aladdin is on television all the time, whereas I feel like nobody ever talks about Hunchback anymore.

[BwayGeek2]

I think that Hunchback has all of the ingredients to make it an epic Broadway musical. The music on the German recording is hauntingly beautiful.

[Jordan Catalano]

"I also wonder if Hunchback is as beloved or as present in the public consciousness as say Aladdin or The Little Mermaid. Aladdin is on television all the time, whereas I feel like nobody ever talks about Hunchback anymore."

Nobody ever talked about it to begin with. It totally underperformed at the box office and was also a huge disappointment on it's initial home video release.

[KirbyCat]

Come on though... Drew Sarich.
http://youtu.be/853EkBX78NQ

Also, Terrence Mann as Frollo? Anyone?

[little_sally]

That's what I thought, Jordan, but I looked the movie up and saw that it was the fifth highest grossing film in 1996. That surprised me though because I don't remember it being a big deal at all.

[finebydesign]

Sally it wasn't a failure, they even made d2v sequel. It was just not the box-office juggernauts of it's predecessors. After Lion King, Disney Animation took on a different direction financially and tone-wise. Sure they had some hits, but the bubble burst with Lion King. After that Disney started going off the rails and Hunchback's box office just wasn't the same. Also Hunchback didn't exactly spur clambering at toy stores and the parks. And what a year before Toy Story entered the animated film race with CGI.

At the behest of Michael Eisner the film was turned into a musical. It was/is not a popular project at Disney theatrical. It is not even requested say as much as Jungle Book or Newsies is/was.

Certainly Hunchback would have stood a great chance in the days of Phantom/Les Mis. Fact is, Hugo is just really heavy and Disney is a family company. I would be shocked if this show ever made it to Broadway unless it was a touring version.

[darion]

Whats next? Song of The South? Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah!

[finebydesign]

Darion, that might actually be art. An examination of that film, racism and our culture on stage would be awesome.

[CukorLover]

Sounds like a no-brainer to me. Just hire a bunch of former Disney NEWSIES, costume them in rags, have them tumble though the streets of Paris, and call it a day.

[TheatreKid3]

If ALADDIN is indeed going into the New Amsterdam, then I would love to see HUNCHBACK take either the Palace or the Lunt. Those are the only two I think left of the Nederlander's venues big enough to house it. No way would it work in the Simon, Brooks-Atkinson or Rodgers.

[Nettik]

This is incredibly exciting, but like others have said, I don't see it being successful.

That said, "Hellfire" is going to be sung on a Broadway stage and I CANNOT WAIT.

[Jordan Catalano]

Don't get ahead of yourselves and book plane tickets just yet, guys.

[darion]

FINEBYDESIGN... I cant get that song out of my head now! haha

[Jordan Catalano]

And HUNCHBACK was not the 5th highest grossing film of 1996, it was the 15th, taking in 1/3 of what THE LION KING did domestically and significantly less than POCAHONTAS did the year before.


1996 Box Office Grosses

[TheatreKid3]

People always complain about Disney doing such kid-friendly stuff all the time and never doing anything that is hard-hitting or remotely outside of their initial youth target audience. Well, HUNCHBACK is exactly what you are wanting, and now there are people on here saying it'll flop because the material isn't strong enough or isn't well known.

1.) HUNCHBACK has the potential to be the best and most beautiful piece of theatre DTP has ever created.
2.) The score is incredible and different from any other Disney score in its darkness - which I think is great.
3.) It's Disney. If the show is quality, it will do fine. Just look at NEWSIES.
4.) This is Disney's chance to prove they can do extremely dramatic pieces of theatre outside the traditional family-friendly pieces they've become known for. Like I've said, this could be Disney's Les Mis.
5.) The German production was very well received.

[ReggieonBway]

Here's hoping Drew Sarich chooses to play the role again, but he may be too old at this point.

[Jordan Catalano]

"People always complain about Disney doing such kid-friendly stuff all the time and never doing anything that is hard-hitting or remotely outside of their initial youth target audience."

Who's ever complained about that? Kind of like complaining that Colt and Falcon don't do more family-friendly films.

[TheatreKid3]

At this point, I would say Sarich is too old. He originated the role of Quasimodo around 12 years ago. Plus, he is attached to Rocky and will probably stick with it should it come to Broadway.

[TheatreKid3]

I mean, I've just read many posts on here of people talking about how all Disney does is their usual alleged "fluff" and such. That's all I was alluding too.

[Jordan Catalano]

The "Disney" brand isn't going to sell this show, if it happens to come to Broadway. Even your hardcore "Hunchies" have to admit that. This is going to be a TOUGH sell for families and a big name is going to be needed to help sell the show initially.

[Jake01]

Andrew Varela for Frollo, please, when the Les Miserables tour wraps up!

On a related note, with Cameron Mackintosh's plans to bring Les Miserables back to Broadway next year, that and Hunchback running on Broadway at the same time would be amusing...

[TheatreKid3]

I would actually like to see Cam Mac attach himself to HUNCHBACK. I think that would prove to be very interesting.

[TheatreKid3]

"Hunchies" - I guess we already have the equivalent to NEWSIES' "fansies," lol.