The first of this year’s school plays was the musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The show was put on by only seventeen students and for the first time, a few teachers including: Teacher Finn, Mrs. Thompson, and Ms. Latinski. The show attracted the largest audience since Covid. 

The show was a dramatic, emotional piece based on the original novel from 1831 by Victor Hugo about a hunchback named  Quasimodo who was raised in a bell tower by clergyman Frollo.  Frollo is the antagonist of the musical; he is a religious extremist set on purging Paris of all gypsies and the like who he deemed unholy. Quasimodo is berated and abused by Frollo and has never left the bell tower. When he sneaks out he is tormented by the townspeople and saved by the charming gypsy Esmerelda, who becomes the love interest of all three main male characters. The play follows Esmeralda, Quasimodo and a soldier, Phoebus, hiding and escaping from Frollo. After being caught, Esmerelda was burnt at the stake, despite heavy protests from Quasimodo and Phoebus, and she later died from smoke inhalation. Frollo is relieved and tells Quasimodo that it is good they are finally free of her unholy poison. Enraged and grieving, Quasimodo throws Frollo off of the bell tower and Frollo falls to his death. This is all displayed through choreography and songs that display the emotions of the characters in a way that made the play a beautiful and entertaining piece, showing the work that 17 cast members and countless tech crew rehearsed in less than two months. The tragic ending is unique for the KHS theater department, which usually chooses plays with uplifting endings. 

There were 17 characters in the play, but the main characters were as follows: 

Quasimodo – Noah Hammond

Esmerelda – Avery Rossics

Phoebus – Jay Longmire

Frollo – Cavin Eon