Introducing the Heroine and Villain of Cabrillo Stage’s Hunchback of Notre Dame

By Mindy Pedlar

Every good show needs a good villain!

Ours is played by the remarkably talented David Murphy.

He describes his character, the Archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, as “a terrifyingly cruel person who, at his core, believes he is completely and fundamentally right. From burning Paris to burning people, he has a divine justification for everything he does and truly doesn’t view himself or his actions as the problem.”

In playing such a sinister character, David acknowledges the challenge of making Frollo human stating, “It would be way too easy to twirl the mustache, drop the voice, and make Frollo just evil incarnate throughout the entirety of the show. He consistently does terrible things, but there are a few, brief moments where he exposes just the slightest bit of humanity. I think leaning into those moments and finding places where he tries to justify his actions in a way that normal people might relate to, understand, or slightly sympathize with will ever-so-slightly raise him up, making his resulting fall even more impactful. Frollo’s singular goal is to escape damnation; and in doing so, he acts in plenty of ways that would no doubt ensure it. He is, of course, oblivious to that fact, which is where the fun of playing such a character lies.”

David has a deep rich voice and his rendition of the song “Hellfire” is amazing. Still, his favorite song in the show is the

“Fraser” from page 9

On his LinkedIn bio, he claims “a strong focus on empowering teams to excel in fastpaced, highly demanding environments.”

He describes his leadership style as collaborative, based on his belief that “collaboration is the key to success.”

He also mentions his proficiency in customer relations management systems and other database systems and his background in commercial banking operations, mortgage operations, and software development operations.

He is certified as a Quickbooks Proadvisor with competency in bookkeeping and accounting.

“I am a fast learner,” he writes, with “passion for learning new skills/concepts and adapting to new procedures.” finale, “both for the beauty of its message and the sheer ‘whoomph’ you get as an audience member when every single actor and choir member unleashes all the sound they can give. That’s part of what makes Hunchback such a fun show to be a part of, or watch; you can’t escape that tingle you get when the Wall of Sound spins up!”

As for our heroine, enter Kristi Garcia, the powerful actress playing Esmeralda,

On LinkedIn, people say Fraser has a “can do” attitude, and admirable work ethic and is meticulous when it comes to business operations.

Fraser succeeds Ken Alstott, hired in April as interim manager.

Fraser will be the fourth person in charge of the county fair and fairgrounds since October.

That’s when Dave Kegebein was dismissed after 11 years by the fair’s board of directors in wake of a critical audit by officials at the California Department of Food & Agriculture, which oversee most county fairs — which are agricultural districts and thus entities that must abide by state rules and regulations.

That audit reported lack of compliance in more than a dozen areas, including $100,000 of debit card purchases with no whom she describes as “a spitfire and a force of nature. She appears confident, but knows what it feels like to be an outcast. She is deeply compassionate, emotionally intelligent, and she isn’t afraid to speak up about injustice.”

Kristi feels a connection to her character saying, “We are both hyper-independent women who have difficulty holding our tongues, but always speak with good receipts, travel expenses with no receipts, debit card purchases for CEO vehicle maintenance with no receipts, spending on food for employee celebrations, which the state does not allow, no information on free tickets or courtesy passes, and 84 employees that worked more than 8 days a day without overtime. intent. Esmeralda’s outspokenness comes from a deep-seated need to call out the injustice she sees. Storytelling gives a voice to those in our society who may not have one by shedding light on the injustice they are forced to endure. I once had a director tell me I had ‘moxie,’ and that is exactly how I’d describe Esmeralda.”

Kegebein considered his tenure a success as the fair had $1.75 million cash on hand.

Two fair board members who supported Kegebein – Jody Belgard and Loretta Estrada --were replaced by the governor, who appointe Nicolas Calubaquib and Rachel Bickert Wells, and a third, Bill Barton, resigned. Some staff departed, and Mary Bannister, the volunteer recording secretary who kept meeting minutes, bowed out.

Kristi will melt your heart with her beautifully sung rendition of “God Help The Outcasts” which many will remember from Disney’s version of this story.

However, as an actress Kristi most enjoys performing “Someday,” the emotionally moving ballad shared between Esmeralda and Phoebus. She feels the song “so exquisitely captures the desperation and the hope we feel to someday see a fairer world.”

Don’t miss this glorious musical that entertains, inspires and tugs at your heartstrings, July 6 through July 30. All performances are in the Crocker Theater on the Cabrillo College campus in Aptos. n •••

Tickets available online at cabrillostage. com. Box Office now open for phone and walk in sales, Thursday–Saturdays 12-6 p.m., 831-4796154. Special opening night discount $10.00 off general or premiere seating Friday, July 7, with the promo code TheBells. $20 student rush tickets available at the box office 30 minutes before curtain (excludes Sunday matinees). Group discounts for 10 or more available on the website.

Then-fair board president Don Dietrich stepped in as interim manager until he realized he couldn’t do both jobs, followed by Kelley Ferreira, an interim who resigned in April without explanation.

The seats held by Dietrich and Barton have not been filled, leaving two openings on the nine-member board. To apply, fill out an application at Gov.ca.gov.

Alstott, a Califonia fair veteran living in Tennesee, was chosen by the board to help find a permanent manager.

Fraser said his father traveled the county fair circuit in California as part of a musical band. Fraser came along, inspiring him to participate as a teen in the Renaissance Faire.

“I think the fair has been calling to me for a long time, and I’m excited to finally answer that call,” he said. n