Dennis DeYoung's musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame premiered

The Hunchback of Notre Dame Dennis DeYoung

Premiered: September 3, 1997 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: show tunes

Tracks: Song Title [time] Who Will Love this Child [4:22] King of Fools [4:37] Hey Quasimodo [3:28] By the Grace of God [1:53] When I Dance for You [3:53] Ave Maria [4:32] Alms for the Beggarman [4:06] Paradise [3:15] Bless Me Father [3:14] With Every Heartbeat [5:29] Beneath the Moon [4:16] While There's Still Time [3:59] This I Pray [3:40] Esmerelda [3:28] The Confrontation [3:32] Sanctuary [1:37] With Every Heartbeat (Reprise) [2:57] All songs written by Dennis DeYoung. Total Running Time: 62:00 The Players: Dennis DeYoung, Dawn Marie Feusi Candlish (lead vocals) Dennis DeYoung, Ed Tossing (musical performance and arrangement) Suzanne DeYoung, Carrie Ann DeYoung, Gary Loizzo, Forbes Candlish (backing vocals)

Rating: 2.681 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

About the Album: Dennis DeYoung’s theatrical leanings emerged when he was in Styx, especially on 1981’s Paradise Theater and 1983’s Kilroy Was Here. Some fans and even bandmates weren’t crazy about that aspect of DeYoung’s music and it was even a contributing factor to the band’s breakup in 1984. He himself acknowledged, “if you’re in rock ‘n’ roll, you’re not supposed to admit to liking theatre stuff,” PB but, he continues, “Styx was always a theatrical band…[and] essentially I’m a melody person in a rhythm age, and that’s what Broadway is really about.” PB He dove in full steam when he took on the role of Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar in 1993. He said, “after months of crucifying across America I thought I might really be suited to this medium.” PB It sparked him to record an album of showtunes (1994’s 10 on Broadway) and to start writing his first musical – an adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He wrote the score, book, and lyrics and called it his “greatest accomplishment as a songwriter.” DDY DeYoung recorded an early homemade demo of the score for his personal use, but enough people expressed interest in it that he made it available for commercial release by money order at at concession booths at Styx concerts. PB He performed all the male parts while his sister-in-law Dawn Marie performed the female parts. It was first performed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1996 at TPAC’s Polk Theater. DDY In Lisa DuBois’ review of the show, she says it “solidly translates Hugo’s tale of the lecherous priest, beautiful gypsy, and ridiculed hunchback into an exciting, if grandiose, musical” VY that is “perhaps more extravagant than profound.” VY She commended DeYoung’s use of strings and accordion in the gypsy music and adaption of church tones into Ave Maria and Bless Me Father. VY Most of the songs were written specifically for the musical, but Beneath the Moon was a re-worked version of a song originally on DeYoung’s 1989 Boomchild album. There are also two songs here that were later reworked as Styx songs. Paradise was “lyrically altered and re-recorded by Styx and released as a studio track on Styx’s Return to Paradise double live album.” WK Styx also re-recorded While There’s Still Time for their 1999 Brave New World album.

Resources and Related Links: DDY DennisDeYoung.com PB Playbill.com (10/21/1996). “Dennis DeYoung Writes Hunchback as Stage Musical” by David Lefkowitz VY Variety (9/15/1997). “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” review by Lisa A. DuBois WT WTTW Chicago Tonight interview with Dennis DeYoung WK Wikipedia First posted 6/7/2021.