Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Hunchback of Notre Dame! This production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo and adapted by Tim Kelly was performed by the students of West Morris Central under the direction of Mr. Hogan. The cast performed over the course of three days, November 14th, 15th, and 16th. 

The Hunchback of Notre Dame follows the story of Quasimodo, an outcast due to his physical appearance, who has been locked away in the Notre Dame Cathedral. Quasimodo, the bell-ringer, was played by Ian Lertola, a senior here at West Morris. Alongside Lertola, Marisol Medina, also a senior, portrayed the gypsy Esmeralda, who is struggling with the concept of identity and the loss of family. Lertola and Medina’s characters encounter each other during the Feast of Fools when Quasimodo is crowned the King of Fools. Meanwhile, Frollo who is the guardian of Quasimodo has fallen in love with Esmeralda and would do anything he could to gain her love. Michael Oestreich, a senior, played Frollo and showed the struggles his character took in order to cope with his obsession for the gypsy. These actors were accompanied by many others who helped bring Notre Dame to life. 

The cast comprised of many talented actors, that devoted so much time into perfecting their art as they rehearsed every day after school for 10 weeks. The cast as follows: Ian Lertola, Marisol Medina, Evan St. Jacques, Mike Oestreich, Lars Olsen, Michaela Moran, Nick Taylor, Tori Caracciolo, Liyah Austin, Paige Davis, Braeden Smith, Darcy Caracciolo, Livi Mancuso, Jack Bresney, Connor Pass, Liam Munley, Alexander Markiewicz, Mike LeFevre, Nate Elia, Maggie Layfield, Olivia Booth, Holly Branco, Ella Musto, Brianne Apostolico, Gavin Brophy, Vincent Bucci, Sean Carpenter, Jamie Doris, Alex Erfanian, Brendyn Freitas, Lorcan McGovern, Caroline Miller, Shannon Preblick, Bianca Rosiak, and  Sydney Schwartz. Every person that stood on that stage made sure that they were giving the best performance they could no matter what, and it was easy to tell how devoted they were.

Although the cast was truly talented, Mr. Hogan, the director of the fall drama,  guided them in the direction that ultimately led to such a wonderful show. Mr. Hogan, dedicated so much in order for the cast and crew to have such an incredible run. It is beyond imaginable to what he must have done in order to get the show in the condition that it was when it was opened for the public to see. But it is no surprise as Mr. Hogan has a reputation of putting on such wonderful shows. In the past, Mr. Hogan has been nominated for many awards for his productions at West Morris Central, and has even won for Best Director. The Central Theatre program has won Best Overall over the course of two years, and last year won Best Drama for their production of Mermaid. 

With the help of many volunteers, the cast was able to build a fantastic set that threw the audience into the Romani culture. When walking into the doors of the auditorium, audience members  encountered the jaw-dropping set. In the middle of the stage stood a beautiful glass stained window surrounded by varying sizes of bells. The set truly brought viewers into the time period to the show. Along with the amazing set and costumes that made the environment even more realistic, Paige Davis, a senior here at WMC, choreographed dances throughout the show which explored the Romani culture even more. The task must not have been easy, but when on that stage, those dancers made it seem natural. These fundamental elements made the show even more memorable.

The outcome of this brilliant production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame has others wondering what will come next from Central Theatre. But until then, bravo to the cast and crew for the wonderful performances and message that was given to all patrons.