Seven Santa Rosa County students take part in PSC’s Hunchback of Notre Dame

Lon Chaney starred in the 1923 film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." This weekend and next, Pensacola State College will present a production of the same name. [Pixabay.com]

PENSACOLA — More than 30 local high school students—seven from Santa Rosa County—will be featured in Pensacola State College’s 28th annual Summer High School Onstage Workshop production of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."

Set to be staged July 21-22 and July 27-29, Friday and Saturday performances are 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees are 2:30 p.m. in the Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium, Building 8, on the Pensacola campus.

Based on Victor Hugo’s novel and songs from the 1996 Disney film, the SHOW production of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" is a two-act play. It features music by Alan Menken with lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and is based on Peter Parnell’s children’s book.

Booker T. Washington High student Mateus Cardoso has been tapped for the lead role of Quasimodo, a kindhearted hunchback who falls in love with Esmeralda, a gypsy girl played by Daisy Talbert. Talbert is a graduate of East Hill Christian School.

Other cast members include:

  • East Hill Christian: Clay Knighten and Claire Miller
  • Home School: Daisy Brustad and Brianne LaPoint
  • Jay:  Valarie Godwin and Ashlynn Rawls
  • Navarre:  Miranda Burnett
  • Pace: Caleb Beeks and Anna Morgan
  • Pensacola: Lauren McConkey, Cameron Michles, Marley Reynolds and Madison Spradlin
  • Pensacola Catholic: Christina Bartlinski
  • Pensacola Christian Academy: Mischel Johnson
  • Pine Forest: Aaliyah Crenshaw
  • PSC Collegiate High: Cristina Fabbro
  • Tate: Trey Morgan
  • Washington: Oliviah Ballenger, Laura Connally, Delaney Dean, Nathaniel Holzknecht, Tristan Hunter, Olivia Johnson, Ashley Johnston and Sarah Scott
  • West Florida: Katelin Kaplan, Ciera McDonald and Ethan Middleton
  • West Florida Baptist Academy: Emily Anthony and Mercedes Riojas

The production team includes Laura Sebastian, director; Emma Powers and Jennifer Godwin, associate directors; LaVonne French, costume designer; Michael Dennis, choreographer; Tina Buran, musical director; Bob Gandrup, technical director; and Louise Harris, assistant choreographer.

SHOW is a tuition-free theatre program for high school students offered by Pensacola State each summer since 1991.

Tickets are $16 and available online at www.pensacolastate.edu/mt and at the Lyceum Box Office, Building 8, Room 861, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and one hour before each performance. For ticket reservations and information, call the Lyceum Box Office at 850-484-1847.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Seven Santa Rosa County students take part in PSC’s Hunchback of Notre Dame