By Mindy Pedlar
Every good show needs a good villain! Our Hunchback of Notre Dame’s nemesis is played by the remarkably talented David Murphy.
He describes his character, the Archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, as “a terrifyingly cruel person who, at his core, believes he is completely and fundamentally right. From burning Paris to burning people, he has a divine justification for everything he does and truly doesn’t view himself or his actions as the problem.”
In playing such a sinister character, David acknowledges the challenge of making Frollo human stating, “It would be way too easy to twirl the mustache, drop the voice, and make Frollo just evil incarnate throughout the entirety of the show. He consistently does terrible things, but there are a few, brief moments where he exposes just the slightest bit of humanity. I think leaning into those moments and finding places where he tries to justify his actions in a way that normal people might relate to, understand, or slightly sympathize with will ever-so-slightly raise him up, making his resulting fall even more impactful. Frollo’s singular goal is to escape damnation; and in doing so, he acts in plenty of ways that would no doubt ensure it. He is, of course, oblivious to that fact, which is where the fun of playing such a character lies.”
David has a deep rich voice and his rendition of the song “Hellfire” is amazing. Still, his favorite song in the show is the finale, “both for the beauty of its message and the sheer ‘whoomph’ you get as an audience member when every single actor and choir member unleashes all the sound they can give. That’s part of what makes Hunchback such a fun show to be a part of, or watch; you can’t escape that tingle you get when the Wall of Sound spins up!”
Katie Garcia twirls as Esmeralda with dance captain and actor Katherine Bonn
As for our heroine, enter Kristi Garcia, the powerful actress playing Esmeralda, whom she describes as “a spitfire and a force of nature. She appears confident, but knows what it feels like to be an outcast. She is deeply compassionate, emotionally intelligent, and she isn’t afraid to speak up about injustice.”
Kristi feels a connection to her character saying, “We are both hyper-independent women who have difficulty holding our tongues, but always speak with good intent. Esmeralda’s outspokenness comes from a deep-seated need to call out the injustice she sees. Storytelling gives a voice to those in our society who may not have one by shedding light on the injustice they are forced to endure. I once had a director tell me I had ‘moxie,’ and that is exactly how I’d describe Esmeralda.”
Kristi will melt your heart with her beautifully sung rendition of “God Help The Outcasts” which many will remember from Disney’s version of this story.
However, as an actress Kristi most enjoys performing “Someday,” the emotionally moving ballad shared between Esmeralda and Phoebus. She feels the song “so exquisitely captures the desperation and the hope we feel to someday see a fairer world.”
Don’t miss this glorious musical that entertains, inspires and tugs at your heartstrings, July 6 through July 30. All performances are in the Crocker Theater on the Cabrillo College campus in Aptos.
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Tickets available online at cabrillostage.com. Box Office now open for phone and walk in sales, Thursday–Saturdays 12-6 p.m., 831-479-6154. Special opening night discount $10.00 off general or premiere seating Friday, July 7, with the promo code TheBells. $20 student rush tickets available at the box office 30 minutes before curtain (excludes Sunday matinees). Group discounts for 10 or more available on the website.
Top Photo: Kristi Garcia, who plays Esmeralda, rehearses with choreographer Brance W. Souza.