The cobblestone stage and old French houses set the scene as the lights illuminated and Les Miserables began. From the beggars who staggered onto the stage, providing a haunting reality of depravity through their immaculate voices, to the their officers who pushed them to the brink with each crack of their whips, this was more than just a musical, it was an experience.
Les Miserables tells the story of Jean Valjean, who is finally released from prison but breaks parole and spends his life on the run. Changing his name and becoming an established business man, he lives his entire life running from Javert, a police officer who pledges his life to arresting Valjean. During this time, Valjean takes in an orphan child named Cosette, who the audience watches grow from a child into a young woman. After moving to France, Cosette falls in love with a young student named Marius who helps fight in the rebellion alongside her father Valjean. It is a story of love, freedom and redemption.
As the story begins to unravel, the audience watches sophomore Jordan Donica, who plays the lead of Valjean, showcase each part of Valjean’s growth from a young man into a mature elderly father. Stealing from the Bishop of Digne to caring for Cosette, played by Sophia Caraline Ribar and later Heather Dell, Donica brought this character to life. His voice even matured as he went from singing in a young man’s tenor voice to the deep gut wrenching desires of a father asking God to take him home in higher tenor. Donica stood out.
The child actors in the play conquered the stage as they seemed to blend in well with the level of talent and abilities. Not only did Ribar harmonize well with Donica as he carried her on his back, but she stood strong alone. She had the maturity of a 30-year-old actor with the sweetness of a child. Her soft voice melts the hearts of the audience as she awaits her mother’s return. Kellan Behrens, who played Gavroche, stole the audience’s hearts as soon as his little legs and confident demeanor stepped onto the stage. Behrens stood strong on his own as well as sitting on the shoulders of his fellow actors while he sang his heart out.
Maybe it was his foe, Javert, played by senior Hayden Clifton, who brought out the best in Donica. Each time Clifton stepped on stage, he took over; his prowling eyes and unmerciful heart made the audience question whether or not he was actually bad at all. But, it was something about the two of them when they were on the stage together that brought the audience to the edge of their seat. First, arguing by song and then physically fighting on stage took the musical to another level as each man’s anger and will to prevail harmonized together into an unforgettable moment.
The finishing touch to this play is the sinister evil innkeepers, played by junior Alex Huffman and senior Corinne Munsch. Each time they slithered onto stage, not only did the audience have a chance to laugh in between the dramatic scenes but they brought with them a different kind of begging. One filled with complete greed and manipulation hidden behind the rocking of Cosette and the new found faith they always seemed to claim. Huffman and Munsch brought these characters alive with every note they hit, every word they spoke and each person they scammed.
Enjolras, played by junior Jared Howelton, really tied the knot on this gift of a musical. His commanding vocal performance left the crowd cheering as he led his men into a battle that would cost them their lives. Not only did he command through his voice, but even his walk brought a sense of strength and hope with each strut.
The only thing that would have made this night perfect would be the sound. In the beginning, there were a couple of large sounds coming from the actors’ microphones and throughout the first half, multiple microphones were fading in and out. It was a little distracting, but the actors’ phenomenal performances made up for the quality of sound they lacked. Though the musical was clearly amazing, the scenes at the whore house seemed more provocative than the audience needed. Especially with children in the crowd and on stage, the jerking, the sounds and the movements could have easily been toned down and still have had the same effect. The overall musical was amazing and it is one that this campus will not soon forget.
