Central Florida Community Arts Presents THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

Central Florida Community Arts is proud to present its seventh Broadway Concert Series production, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, February 8 & 9, 2018. With music and lyrics by Academy Award-winners Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, book by Peter Parnell, and based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney film, this concert-style production is directed by Rob A. Lott, with music direction by Jacob Haines, assistant direction and visual design by Ashley Willsey, choreography by Barbara Hartwig, and is produced by Joshua Vickery through CFCArts.

"We began with a mantra that this show would disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed," says director Rob A. Lott. "Far too many people are feeling marginalized today. This show speaks up, and stands up, for them. There is no better time than now for the message of acceptance, of forgiveness, and of finding what is truly right, would ring true - like the bells of Notre Dame themselves. There will certainly be an overflow of fun, frivolity, and "topsy-turvy" action. As a creative team, we run toward the fun! But we have certainly not shied away from the importance and true meaning of this story. Brace yourselves for a ride."

Set in Paris, 1482, a band of traveling players arrives to bring the story of The Hunchback of Notre Dame to another audience. The deformed bell-ringer Quasimodo longs for just one day outside the walls of the legendary cathedral, but his master, the righteous Claude Frollo, is determined to shield him from the outside world. When Quasimodo unexpectedly crosses paths with Esmeralda, a gypsy and an outcast herself, he begins to realize there is more to the world, and to the people in it. When fear and judgment threaten the city and the friends he has come to love, Quasimodo must choose whom to trust - and what he is willing to risk for freedom.

Based on the 1831 novel by Victor Hugo and the 1996 film of the same name, The Hunchback of Notre Dame bursts into life onstage, framed by the incomparable music and lyrics of Academy Award-winners Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. The musical revisits many memorable songs, including "Out There," "The Bells of Notre Dame," and "God Help The Outcasts." Featuring a 200-voice Community Choir, live music by the CFCArts Symphony Orchestra, and all-star cast of local actors, this vibrant production returns to Hugo's original material in a hard look at humankind, and shines a light into the dark truths of the world.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame stars Ian Patrick Gibb* as Quasimodo, Kelly Morris Rowan* as Esmeralda, John Barnick* as Frollo, Jordan Litz* as Phoebus, with Philip Ancheta*, Kit Cleto, Eric Desnoyers, Elodie Germain, Danielle Irigoyen, David Kotary, Matthew Lincoln-Bugg, Tamir Navarro, Julie Snyder, Russell Stephens, Charles Stevens*, and Jason Weitkamp*. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com

The production takes place at 7:30pm on Thursday, February 8, and Friday, February 9 at Northland Church, a 3,100-seat, state-of-the-art venue, located at 530 Dog Track Road, Longwood, FL, 32750. Tickets start at $10 (when purchased up to 24 hours in advance online - Tickets start at $15 at the door). Due to some mature themes, this production is recommended for adults and children age 11 and up. Tickets are now available online at cfcarts.com/hunchback. Proceeds from this production benefit the CFCArts Youth Arts Education programs.

About Central Florida Community Arts - Central Florida Community Arts (CFCArts) is a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to enrich the community's quality of life by making the arts accessible and affordable for all. They provide an inclusive and welcoming creative platform where individuals can connect by joining an artistic family, perform for audiences across the socioeconomic spectrum, and use their talents to serve the community. The heartbeat of CFCArts is to give back to the community by partnering with local nonprofits and performing, for free, at their fundraisers or for the clients they serve. Visit CFCArts.com for more information.

* Denotes a member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers, appearing under a special agreement with Actors' Equity Association.

Photo credit: Ashley Willsey (additional images available upon request)

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