In terms of sheer theatricality and gorgeous, soaring vocals, Bailiwick has clearly outdone itself with the Midwestern premier of Dennis DeYoung's original musical. Based upon Victor Hugo's novel about the deaf and deformed cathedral bell ringer, the evil archdeacon who raised him within the sanctuary of the church, and the beautiful Gypsy Esmerelda, who innocently bewitches them both, this heartbreaking story is ripe for dramatization.
Stellar performances, a giant set, rich and elaborate period costumes, and superb orchestrations, sound enhancement and lighting designs all work together to produce a majestic evening that will leave you almost breathless by the final curtain.
George Andrew Wolff is quite simply unmatched in the physically and vocally demanding role of Quasimodo. Seen recently in Marriott Lincolnshire's "The Producers" and Drury Lane Water Tower's "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," this young man commands the stage with his heavenly tenor, his emotionally charged acting and his ability to completely inhabit the deformed bell ringer. And it should be added that Bailiwick’s awarded four Equity Guest Artist contracts to members of this production and it shows.
Petite Dana Tretta, so memorable earlier this season as Sally Bowles in Theo Obique's production of "Cabaret," is every inch the beautifully seductive spitfire, Esmerelda. She is absolutely Wolff's equal in every scene, particularly in the final moments of the play. Jeremy Rill, last featured at Bailiwick as The Warm-up Man/Satan in "Jerry Springer the Opera," seems to be a master of villainy. He portrays the conflicted archdeacon Frollo as a once pious man, whose secret desire and jealousy consume him. Liz Pazik's Mahiette, the Gypsy matron who also serves at times as the musical's narrator, is strong and full of heart. The entire ensemble, in fact, fills the Bailiwick main stage with glorious sound, matched only by Keith Dworkin's full-sounding six-member orchestra.
My one reservation is that most of the music sounds alike. When listened to individually, the soaring liturgical ballads are often quite impassioned and certainly evoke the requisite emotions. However, DeYoung's score, when heard in its entirety, piling one sweeping ballad upon another, simply overwhelms. It has a sameness to it much like the musicals of Frank Wildhorn. The need for musical variety seems to have been addressed in the second act with an attempt at comedy. However this song between Phoebus, his soldiers and some ladies-of-the-night came off as merely sophomoric in its use of smutty rhymes, such as "perfumes" and "bosooms."
Be that as it may, this visually stunning, emotionally gripping musical is worth seeing, simply for its ambitious, majestic scope and its powerful performances, vocals and musical accompaniment, which are unequaled by most Off-Loop Theaters in Chicago.
Reviewed by Centerstage!
