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Showing posts from July, 2017

'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' at Upper Darby Summer Stage

By Amy A. Winnemore    The epic tale of love, jealously, acceptance and perseverance takes the stage amongst a three-story cathedral, stained glass windows and tolling bells in Upper Darby Summer Stage’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”   Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the 1996 Disney animated feature, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” showcases the film’s memorable score, as well as new songs by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz.   Making its regional premiere this Mainstage show, which is a darker themed musical than prior Summer Stage productions, showcases a wide range of talents to close out the 42nd season.   The musical tells the story of Quasimodo (Patrick J. Walsh), who is adopted as a baby by Dom Claude Frollo (Chris Monaco) and held in the bell tower at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer, observes the city while kept locked away for his safety, according to Frollo. One day, wh...

'Jurassic Park in Concert' at the Mann Center

The thundering roar of a Tyrannosaurus rex rang through The Mann Center for the Performing Arts last Saturday. The king of the dinosaurs, along with Velociraptors and a Brachiosaurus, were projected in high definition as part of The Mann Center’s “Jurassic Park in Concert.” With the Philadelphia Orchestra performing the score live, it brought a newfound excitement to re-watching the 1993 summer blockbuster.    As part of the Movies at The Mann series, “Jurassic Park” fans were part of a full sensory experience as the Orchestra, conducted by Aram Demirjian, heightened the excitement and anxiety as they performed the award-winning score by John Williams. Even though I’ve seen the movie many times, listening to the memorable music being performed live made it feel like I was in high school again watching the movie for the first time. When the helicopter carrying Dr. Alan Grant, Dr. Ellie Sattler, Dr. Ian Malcolm and John Hammond approaches Isla Nublar, you’re swept away...