There’s something stirring in the bell tower as Nottingham Operatic Society prepares for one of its biggest musical productions ever.

The Society returns after an absence of two years due to the pandemic to its spiritual home, Nottingham’s Theatre Royal with The Hunchback of Notre Dame this October.

Rehearsals are well underway, with the biggest cast of performers in the society’s history, for this new musical based on the original Victor Hugo novel and songs from the iconic Disney film.

Simon Theobald, Chair of Nottingham Operatic Society (NOS) who is also starring in the production as Dom Claude Frollo the Archdeacon of Notre Dame, commented: “We approached Disney Theatrical Productions five years ago to seek the rights to stage this musical and asked Disney to support our plans for a real community production in one of the UK’s leading touring venues. We were so excited when Disney Theatricals and MTI said yes!”

“As the Society enters its 130th season this show promises to be one of our most challenging and powerful productions yet. It is an epic story of passion, hope, and redemption. It’s got everything – stunning music, a spectacular story, puppets, and a stellar local cast. ”

Leading the company of 50 are Zak Charlesworth as Quasimodo, Sarah Millington as Esmeralda, Simon Theobald as Dom Claude Frollo, Richard Groves as Captain Phoebus de Martin, and Chris Grantham as Clopin Trouillefou.

Award-winning Aussie director Andrew Miller makes his NOS directorial debut and Morven Harrison returns as Musical Director to lead the 18-piece orchestra. The unique gargoyle puppets used in the show have been produced by Nottingham-based Promotional Props and Costumes.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame comes from Academy Award winners Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin) and Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Wicked) with a dramatic book by Peter Parnell, originally developed by Disney Theatrical Productions and presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe).

The Hunchback of Notre Dame opens on Wednesday 26 October and will run until Saturday 29 October 2022. Tickets are now on sale via the Theatre Royal at 0115 989 5555 or TRCH.CO.UK.

Since it was founded in 1893 as one of the Nottingham Mechanics Institution’s social groups, Nottingham Operatic Society has performed over 135 shows and concerts in all of the City’s famous venues. Since 1925, its spiritual home has been Nottingham’s Theatre Royal. NOS has been a registered charity since 1958.

Its last show pre-pandemic was the hugely successful Sound of Music in 2019.