Les Misérables

 

Hamilton’s “You’ll Be Back” might as well have been written about me and Les Misérables. There will never be a time I’m not drawn to this show.

I think we often forget that musicals and plays that have become commonplace to us are still new to the next generation. Bringing my nine-year-old daughter to see the show for the first time was a beautiful experience. I remember seeing it in London for the first time at 21 and being blown away. The depth of the story, the beauty of the songs, the range of the vocals, it was a revelation. Seeing the same response from her made this production particularly special for me.

Broadway Across America included this show in its season two years ago, and many of the lead actors, including Javert (Preston Truman Boyd), Valjean (Nick Cartell), the Bishop of Digne (Randy Jeter), and others, all remain the same. Their powerful performances could carry the show alone, but the large supporting cast is full of standouts.

Alexa Lopez does a beautiful job with Cosette, a role I can sometimes find irritating as I root for Éponine. But Lopez infuses the naïve young woman with a touching earnestness. Another standout was Kyle Adams as the scene-stealing Grantaire. He makes the most of his limited role, and his dynamic with the young Gavroche is heartbreaking. Jeter’s Bishop provides a much-needed reminder in this current climate that choosing mercy and kindness can change the whole trajectory of a person’s life.

With a show this big, it can be difficult to find the right pace. The original book is almost 1,500 pages, and even in this abridged form, there’s so much story to fit in. Directors Laurence Connor and James Powell found a way to give each main character at least one moment to shine, leaning into the few quiet pauses amidst the chaos of 19th-century France.

Some shows don’t lose their magic with time, and for me, Les Mis is one of them. Don’t miss seeing it for the first time or the tenth.

Don't Miss the Show

The show runs until Sunday, Nov. 9 at Clowes Memorial Hall so hurry to get tickets. They can be purchased at Clowes Memorial Hall, The Murat Theatre, by calling (800)-982-2787 or online at www.broadwayacrossamerica.com. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

One extra tip, the Butler University parking garage next to Clowes becomes incredibly congested before the show. Get there early to avoid the rush.

Photos courtesy of Broadway Across America