Four Red Log Cabins

 

Victor Hugo was distressed to see Gothic architecture disappearing from the French landscape. He felt a wealth of cultural heritage was crumbling from neglect. In an attempt to get Parisiens to care about the 12^th century Cathedral of Notre Dame, he wrote a story involving a dancing Gypsy, an evil archdeacon, and a deformed bell ringer. Hugo’s novel was published in 1831. There were at least four silent movie versions before the 1923 Lon Chaney movie. Charles Laughton starred as Quasimodo in Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1939, and Anthony Quinn took the role in 1956. The Disney animated film – with a decidedly happier ending – appeared in 1996, with Tom Hulce and Demi Moore. The Alan Menken/Stephen Schwartz musical debuted in 1999, using songs from the Disney movie with a story closer to the original novel. For months I’ve been working on a production which closes tonight. It’s some of the hardest music I’ve ever played. And I’m sorry to see it go.