The Light of Notre Dame: A Theatrical Set Design for the Musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame, adapted from Victor Hugo’s 1831 book and Disney’s 1996 movie of the same name, tells a timeless and tragic tale of the reality of the hunchback Quasimodo. Set in the magnificent cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris, I designed a set that captured the spirit of the historical building while also providing a practical space for flexible storytelling.
I chose to break away from rigid copying of the historical detail of Notre-Dame, instead focusing on the original intent of the gothic architects: to create a subliminal space of light and stone that provided a transcendent experience for all who entered. I decided on this route based on a line from the musical describing Esmerelda’s reaction to Notre-Dame: “And she stopped and beheld all the beauty / Like a beggar receiving an alms / And each window and pillar and arch seemed to fill her / With Light – The light of Notre Dame.” By breaking away parts of the architecture and utilizing negative space, the set pieces have a sensation of floating and otherworldliness. I also kept a strict palette of neutral stone and wood so that the dynamic color of lighting effects could transform the space with the music. And just as music fills a space, so will the light—the light of Notre-Dame.
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