A year after the triumph there was the musical show Notre Dame de Paris goes to Broadway again on Thursday with 27 performances. And producer Paul Dupont-Hébert doesn’t hide his desire to make these passages in New York’s “tradition of the year.”
There was something risky about the bet, he admits: presenting Notre Dame de Paris in its original French version in the heart of New York wasn’t necessarily a guaranteed success. But after a quarter-century of success around the world, the show has earned its spot on a Broadway marquee alongside Cats, Wicked, Hamilton, or even Chicago.
“Settling in the world capital of musical comedy was like a bang on the table to say that we exist, that Luc Plamondon and Richard Cocciante exist, that outside of Broadway or the West End, in London, the extraordinary is happening. “I think that Notre Dame de Paris has its place alongside these other classics and should even become an annual tradition in New York,” confirms Paul Dupont-Hébert.
Paul Dupont-Hébert Photo Laurence Labat provided by Tandem
In French with surtitles
His cry from the bottom of his heart was heard. After its 12 performances in the summer of 2022, Notre Dame de Paris is back on stage at the prestigious David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York, where The Cathedral Era, Belle and Others You Will Destroy Me will ring 27 times. The show will again be presented in French, but with English surtitles.
These will help English speakers follow the outline of the plot, which is inspired by the work of Victor Hugo and takes viewers to the year 1482, when three men vie for the attention and affection of the gypsy Emerald.
And who will defend their legendary roles on American soil? Daniel Lavoie is the only local artist to be part of the main troupe, once again wearing Frollo’s tunic. However, Quebecers Jamie Bono, Robert Marien, Mike Lee and Philippe Tremblay are used as replacements for the characters Esmeralda and Fleur de Lys, Frollo, Clopin and Quasimodo.
To New York… Los Angeles?
The Big Apple isn’t the only American market targeted by the Notre Dame de Paris production team. Indeed, Paul Dupont-Hébert brings to mind the great cities of Los Angeles, Miami, Boston and Chicago when it comes to discussing the next areas he has his sights set on.
“This show is a worldwide hit. It’s all there: the story, the songs, the music, the choreography, the acrobatics, the costumes… And the vocal performances are of a higher level. I don’t understand why it couldn’t work in these cities or even South America. “I dream that Notre Dame de Paris will be presented in Rio, Sao Paulo or Buenos Aires in the future,” he pleads.
With Paul Dupont-Hébert currently working on a re-imagining of the musical Don Juan, which is expected to be released in 2024, the question arises: will lovers of Seville follow in the footsteps of Quasimodo and Esmeralda on American stages in the more or less near future? ?
“It’s too early to think about it,” he says, adding that the distribution hasn’t been put together yet.
“But it should be,” he finally says.
- Notre Dame de Paris is on view at Lincoln Center through July 16. The troupe will then land at Montreal’s Place des Arts from August 2-10.
NOTRE DAME DE PARISIN NUMBERS
- It has been since its inception in 1998 5000 Representations of Notre Dame de Paris given around the world.
- The adventures of Quasimodo, Esmeralda and Co. were presented in 20 Countries including Turkey, England, Spain, Japan and South Korea.
- The works of Luc Plamondon and Richard Cocciante have been translated from French into English via Italian, Dutch, Polish and Korean 9 LANGUAGES.
- In total, 11 million of viewers applauded the different versions of the show from all parts of the world.
- The Notre-Dame-de-Paris show consists of 53 Songs including the hits Belle, Le temps des Cathédrales, Tu vas m’destructire and Danse mon Esmeralda.
- New York’s Lincoln Center is hosting the show troupe this week 27 representations.
- Notre Dame de Paris meets every night thirty Artists performing on stage.