Hunchback interview

[sadie65]

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/921315,do-d ... s1.article

DeYoung takes talent to theatre with 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'

May 2, 2008
Recommend

By SANDY ILLIAN BOSCH Staff Writer

He's written songs that generations have sung along with, danced to and made memories by. But writing never came easiily for Dennis DeYoung, former frontman for Styx.

"I'd work on things for months, one line at a time," DeYoung said.
» Click to enlarge image
Dennis DeYoung's new musical, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," will open at the Bailiwick Repertory in Chicago May 19. Preview performances begin May 8.
(Photo for The Doings by Stacia Timonere)

'THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME'
7:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; 3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 8-July 6. Preview performances, May 8-18, $20-$30; May 18-July 6, $25-$45. Bailiwick Repertory, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 883-1090 or bailiwick.org.

That is, until he started work on "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," a musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel that will open at the Bailiwick Repertory in Chicago May 8.

DeYoung, who makes his home in Burr Ridge with wife Suzanne, calls the production "the greatest work of my life."

DeYoung's transition from rock star to playwright began quite unexpectedly while traveling in California 15 years ago. DeYoung was reading Hugo's novel when the makings of the musical started to pop into his head.

"The words 'Who will love this child?' nearly jumped off the page," he said, and soon became the title of the first song for the "Hunchback" soundtrack. Words and tunes trickled into DeYoung's imagination, and he poured them into the tiny Casio keyboard he had tucked into his suitcase. By the end of that first day, he'd written the bulk of three key songs.

DeYoung is the first to admit this music isn't typical of his writing.

"I listen to it and I can't believe I wrote it," he said.

Yet it has that theatrical flair not unfamiliar to fans of DeYoung's music. After all, this is the man who wrote "Mr. Roboto."

It was during a performance of his hits at the Rosemont Theater a few years back that David Zak, artistic director at the Bailiwick, was introduced to DeYoung's latest work.

"He sang several songs from 'Hunchback,'" said Zak, who immediately recognized the new tunes as the makings of something big. He's excited to bring DeYoung's work to the 150-seat Bailiwick, where he said audiences can expect a music-driven performance by some of the Chicago area's best artists.

DeYoung's "Hunchback" offers a unique, even dark take on the love triangle between Esmerelda (Liz Pazik), Frollo (Jeremy Rill) and the deformed bell-ringer Quasimodo (George Andrew Wolff).

"This is not the Disney version," DeYoung said. "To me, it's Frollo's story, the priest."

DeYoung said his story isn't about Frollo's struggle with his feelings for Esmerelda, but with his struggle with temptation and sexuality. Ultimately, it's the repression of his sexuality that leads to Frollo's demise.

"I'm a happy guy, and I like a happy ending," DeYoung said. But the audience won't find one here.

What they will find is a show that Zak predicts will soon become a theater classic.

"Some of these songs will become standards," he said. Years from now, Zak predicts people will know these songs like they know the tunes from "Phantom of the Opera."

Zak said the Bailiwick is a small theater that could do for "Hunchback" what it did for "Jerry Springer the Opera." After its U.S. debut at the Bailiwick, "Jerry Springer the Opera" has gone on to be performed all over the country.

A show in a small theater has to rely on its talent and its material, not bells and whistles, to entertain, Zak said.

"This show is driven by a great story and great songs," Zak said.

[froy]

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/921315,do-dideyoung-050108-s1.article

DeYoung takes talent to theatre with 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'

May 2, 2008
Recommend

By SANDY ILLIAN BOSCH Staff Writer

He's written songs that generations have sung along with, danced to and made memories by. But writing never came easiily for Dennis DeYoung, former frontman for Styx.

"I'd work on things for months, one line at a time," DeYoung said.
» Click to enlarge image
Dennis DeYoung's new musical, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," will open at the Bailiwick Repertory in Chicago May 19. Preview performances begin May 8.
(Photo for The Doings by Stacia Timonere)

'THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME'
7:30 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; 3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 8-July 6. Preview performances, May 8-18, $20-$30; May 18-July 6, $25-$45. Bailiwick Repertory, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 883-1090 or bailiwick.org.

That is, until he started work on "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," a musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel that will open at the Bailiwick Repertory in Chicago May 8.

DeYoung, who makes his home in Burr Ridge with wife Suzanne, calls the production "the greatest work of my life."

DeYoung's transition from rock star to playwright began quite unexpectedly while traveling in California 15 years ago. DeYoung was reading Hugo's novel when the makings of the musical started to pop into his head.

"The words 'Who will love this child?' nearly jumped off the page," he said, and soon became the title of the first song for the "Hunchback" soundtrack. Words and tunes trickled into DeYoung's imagination, and he poured them into the tiny Casio keyboard he had tucked into his suitcase. By the end of that first day, he'd written the bulk of three key songs.

DeYoung is the first to admit this music isn't typical of his writing.

"I listen to it and I can't believe I wrote it," he said.

Yet it has that theatrical flair not unfamiliar to fans of DeYoung's music. After all, this is the man who wrote "Mr. Roboto."

It was during a performance of his hits at the Rosemont Theater a few years back that David Zak, artistic director at the Bailiwick, was introduced to DeYoung's latest work.

"He sang several songs from 'Hunchback,'" said Zak, who immediately recognized the new tunes as the makings of something big. He's excited to bring DeYoung's work to the 150-seat Bailiwick, where he said audiences can expect a music-driven performance by some of the Chicago area's best artists.

DeYoung's "Hunchback" offers a unique, even dark take on the love triangle between Esmerelda (Liz Pazik), Frollo (Jeremy Rill) and the deformed bell-ringer Quasimodo (George Andrew Wolff).

"This is not the Disney version," DeYoung said. "To me, it's Frollo's story, the priest."

DeYoung said his story isn't about Frollo's struggle with his feelings for Esmerelda, but with his struggle with temptation and sexuality. Ultimately, it's the repression of his sexuality that leads to Frollo's demise.

"I'm a happy guy, and I like a happy ending," DeYoung said. But the audience won't find one here.

What they will find is a show that Zak predicts will soon become a theater classic.

"Some of these songs will become standards," he said. Years from now, Zak predicts people will know these songs like they know the tunes from "Phantom of the Opera."

Zak said the Bailiwick is a small theater that could do for "Hunchback" what it did for "Jerry Springer the Opera." After its U.S. debut at the Bailiwick, "Jerry Springer the Opera" has gone on to be performed all over the country.

A show in a small theater has to rely on its talent and its material, not bells and whistles, to entertain, Zak said.

"This show is driven by a great story and great songs," Zak said.

Thanks for bringing

[yogi]

I sure wish I was going.

[bugsymalone]

Nice update on what is going on. Thanks for posting, Sadie.

I hope what Mr. Zak says comes to pass. No way to know right now or even when HB finishes its Chicago run. I think the music holds up well against anything ever written for any musical by any composer.


Bugsy