Rachel M. Moore Shares 'Diary of a HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME Chorus Girl'

The American premiere of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME just opened at La Jolla Playhouse and runs through Dec. 14. Chorus member Rachel M. Moore is making her La Jolla debut as a chorus member with the SACRA/PROFANA choir in the show and recently shared her debut experiences with U-T San Diego, "Diary of a HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME Chorus Member."

Moore describes feeling very inexperienced, "like a baby bird," saying, "The other singers have already performed in several shows, and I feel a little lost. Although we've been rehearsing the music for months, this will be my first time performing it onstage in front of an audience."

Click here to read the rest of her description of her first performance day.

La Jolla Playhouse presents the U.S. premiere production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, featuring a score by the multiple Academy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning team of composer Alan Menken (Newsies, Little Shop of Horrors) and lyricist Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin), book by Peter Parnell (The West Wing, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever) and direction by Scott Schwartz (Playhouse's Jane Eyre, Broadway's Golda's Balcony). Produced in association with Paper Mill Playhouse, by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions, The Hunchback of Notre Dame runs through December 14, 2014 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre. Check out a first look at the cast in action below!

Based on the Victor Hugo novel and featuring the Oscar-nominated score from the 1996 Disney classic film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is the only stage collaboration from two masters of the American musical theatre, composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. Celebrated for such beloved and award-winning works as Menken's Newsies, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin and Schwartz's Godspell, Pippin and Wicked, their artistry reaches its zenith in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Featuring a lush, emotionally rich score, performed by a top-notch cast led by Michael Arden, Patrick Page, Ciara Renee, Andrew Samonsky and Erik Liberman - and featuring local choir Sacra/Profana as the on-stage chorus - this new production from acclaimed director Scott Schwartz highlights the music's orchestral power and choral beauty in an intimate retelling of the famous love story. Librettist Peter Parnell crafts a bold, highly-theatrical take on the moving tale of the scorned bell-ringer Quasimodo, the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda and the dashing Captain Phoebus in 15th century Paris.