Les Miserables

Forty-two cast members. A 25-piece orchestra. Hundreds of costumes. Amazing lighting effects.

“Les Misérables” is the show that Steve Isaacson has dreamed of directing since he first saw it in Los Angeles in 1988. Now the Davis Musical Theater Company has finally brought it to the Jean Henderson Performing Arts Center, playing to a sold-out, opening-night audience which gave it an enthusiastic standing ovation at the finale.
This is a mostly outstanding cast, whether principals or chorus. The first act finale (“One Day More”) will give you goose bumps, and there are minor characters who will knock your socks off.

F. James Raasch, returning to DMTC after a 26 year hiatus, is Jean Valjean, that hapless hero imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread to keep his sister’s child from starving to death. Raasch gives his character nobility and dignity and his “Bring Him Home” was achingly poignant, as he prays to God to keep his daughter Cosette’s boyfriend safe in the coming battle.

A bitter man, Valjean takes his anger out on a bishop (Jeff Nauer) who befriends him, only to have the bishop change his life. Valjean resolves to devote the rest of his life to doing good for humanity.

Nathan Lacy could give Russell Crowe lessons in how to play the role of Javert. The Inspector is obsessed with Valjean and determined to see him back in prison — years after he turned his back on his parole — despite the honorable man he has become in the interim.

Andrea Eve Thorpe is Fantine, the factory worker whose secret is the child she had to leave behind, whom she now works to support. She imbued the character with tremendous pathos and heart and it was just too bad that she was saddled with a curly blond wig that made her head look more like Harpo Marx and was out of place among the tattered factory workers. No wonder they all hated her.

But that did not prevent her from giving a knockout rendition of the iconic “I Dreamed a Dream.”

Fantine’s young daughter Cosette (Lily Linaweaver on opening night, alternating with Katie Smith-Induni) was a little taller than one might expect, but she was very fragile as the scared little girl who has been exploited by her caregivers. The older Cosette (Jori Gonzales) has a lovely duet with Marius and at her wedding wears one of the most beautiful bridal gowns I have seen (kudos to costume designers Denise Miles and Jean Henderson).

The villains we love to hate were Thenardier (Mike Mechanick) and his wife (Cyndi Wall), caregivers to Cosette, who were loud, gross, over the top and very funny. Obviously audience favorites. “Master of the House” is always a crowd pleaser and this was no exception.

Eimi Taormina is their daughter Eponine. (The younger Eponine is played by Smith-Induni, alternating with Linaweaver.) It is a role Taormina was born to play and she did not disappoint. “On My Own” will tug at your heartstrings, as she sings of her love for young Marius, who has given his heart to Cosette.

Scott Scholes as Marius is nothing short of outstanding. Scholes was seen in last year’s “Cabaret” as “tenor soloist” who set the tone for the whole show, and in this production, he takes his talents another step forward and makes Marius a more memorable character than he sometimes is.

The real treat of the night was Ryan Favorite as Enjolras, the leader of the student rebels, who gave a spirited performance with a powerful voice which made you sit up and take notice.

Marley Michel as Gavroche, the street urchin, had a lot of spunk, but sadly not a lot of volume, but his (or her, as Michel is female) death was handled so emotionally that it brought tears.

One cannot review this show without giving the set a big bravo. Thanks to what Isaacson described as “Flintstone mobility,” the student barricade on the street put itself together, turned itself around, and took itself off stage again. It was a marvel.

James Cubbage also deserves mention for the intricate lighting design. There were a few glitches on opening night, but when it all works right, it’s wonderful. I particularly liked the water effect in the Paris sewers.

For a company the size of the Davis Musical Theater Company, this is a monumental undertaking, but it was handled beautifully and the audience left thrilled. (“This is the best night I’ve had in this theater,” one patron told me).

Tickets are selling fast and many performances are nearly sold out, so order soon.

Les Miserables

When “Les Misérables” closed on Broadway in 2003, after 6,680 performances, it was the second longest-running Broadway musical after “Cats.” It was surpassed in 2006 by “Phantom of the Opera.”

This is a big musical that tells a big story and it is beloved by millions.
The Woodland Opera House, with its current production under the direction of Amy Shuman with musical direction by James C. Glica-Hernandez, proves that with competent attention, it can be as effective and as moving on a smaller stage. The production gets a well-deserved standing ovation.

One of the first striking things about this production is that while it is generally difficult to get enough men with strong voices to fill out a chorus in community theater, this production has a dozen or more men and each one has a principal-quality voice. It makes a huge difference in the final product.

Tevye Ditter, whose progress I have been pleased to watch over the years, is a powerful Jean Valjean, the man arrested for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving nephew and served 19 years at hard labor. He is big and strong and has a potential for violence, yet he is tender in his relationships with the women in his life, from the prostitute Fantine (Danielle DeBow) to her young daughter Cosette (Makenna Harding-Davis as the child, Alyssa Ray as the young woman). His “Bring Him Home,” praying for the safety of his daughter’s love, Marius, was achingly poignant.

J. Sing is Javert, the police officer obsessed with returning Valjean to prison. I’ve never understood Javert’s obsession, but it makes for good theater. Sing is every bit the match for Ditter and his solos, especially the soul-searching soliloquy, were captivating.

DeBow’s Fantine, a small but memorable role, was touching, as she gives up everything for her young daughter. Her “I Dreamed a Dream” is always a highlight of this musical, and DeBow was equal to the task.
Six-year-old Harding-Davis was a charming young Cosette, certain to win everyone’s heart with her “Castle on a Cloud.”

Her older counterpart, Ray, was lovely and touching in her love for Marius Pontmercy (Dalton McNeely). McNeely, last seen as Charlie Brown in the summer production, was appropriately awkward in his first love, ardent in both his love for Cosette and dedication to the student revolt.

Innkeepers Thenardier (Dan Sattel) and Madame Thenardier (Christine Deamer), the sadistic foster parents of young Cosette, offered the lighter moments with their funny “Master of the House,” always an audience favorite.
Hilary Wells was Eponine, daughter of the Thenardiers, whose love for Marius is unrequited, yet she is willing to give her life for him. Her “On My Own” was beautifully performed.

Rodger McDonald plays the small role of the bishop who, by his generosity and guidance, changes Valjean’s life.

Fourth-grader Maxwell Freedman was outstanding as Gavroche, the young boy who hangs around the students as they plan their revolt. Freedman’s pugnacious body language and the determined scowl on his face never wavered and without doing anything specific, he was a scene stealer just by his presence on stage.

There are 12 musicians in the Opera House orchestra for this production, under the baton of Glica-Hernandez, and they gave the musical the full sound that it needs.

Sadly, costumer Denise Miles was left out of the program, but there is no denying that the costumes on stage were beautiful, from the tattered outfits of the prostitutes to the finery of the guests for the wedding of Cosette and Marius. However, I question the appropriateness of some of the clothes, such as the white vestments for the Bishop (white is reserved for the pope), and the perfectly tailored clothing for the students, who looked more like businessmen on a tea break than poor students hoping to send a message to the government about the dire plight of the poor of Paris. I also wonder whether Javert would wear a top hat while on duty.

This production is a real gem and, based on the nearly full house when I caught it the second weekend, word of mouth is already spreading. Don’t miss it!

Les Miserables

There is an old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

It was with that in mind that I approached  Cameron Mackintosh’s “new and improved” 25th anniversary production of Boublil & Schonberg’s “Les Misérables,” the final show of California Musical Theatre’s Broadway series at the Sacramento Community Theater.

“Les Mis” has long been one of my favorite musicals and I was skeptical of any rewrites or changes. I need not have worried. The look is new (designed by Matt Kinley); the musical orchestrations (originally by John Cameron) have been updated by Christopher Jahnke; and certain plot elements have been tweaked by James Fenton. But the story is all there and the emotional punch may be even bigger for the changes.

The new look starts at the very beginning. Traditionally, during the prologue, prisoners march around a bleak yard in a circle while singing. In the new version, they are oarsmen on a ship and the activity makes more sense than the circling.

Kinley’s vision for the set uses pieces which, while large, never overpower the action. He mixes these with projections that effectively help indicate movement throughout the streets and sewers of Paris, and the death in Act 2 is a breathtaking effect.

Peter Lockeyer heads the exemplary cast as Jean Valjean, arrested for the crime of stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s dying child, and released after 19 years. A bitter man, Valjean takes his anger out on a bishop who befriends him (James Zannelli), only to have the bishop change his life. Valjean resolves to devote the rest of his life to doing good for humanity. Lockeyer has some thrilling moments, from the defiant “Who Am I?” to the poignant “Bring Him Home.” He is simply stunning.

Those who suffered through the terribly ill-cast Russell Crowe in the 2012 movie version of this musical will receive their reward in the powerful performance of Andrew Varela as Inspector Javert, relentlessly obsessed with tracking down Valjean and bringing him back to prison. Varela dominates every scene in which he appears.

Genevieve LeClerc inspires in the brief, but memorable role of Fantine, the factory worker forced into prostitution to save the life of her child. With recent memorable versions of Fantine’s “I Dreamed a Dream” by the likes of Susan Boyle and the movie’s Anne Hathaway, LeClerc still makes the song her own.

Valjean searches for Fantine’s daughter Cosette, being “cared for” by the Thernardiers, Timothy Gulan and wife Shawna M. Hamic. These two provide the comic relief for the show and play off each other nicely, deliciously grimy in Act 1 and clownish caricatures in Act 2.

Cosette and the Thernardiers’ little daughter Eponine are played by Ava Della Pietra and Erin Cearlock, who alternate in the roles. Della Pietra played Cosette on opening night, beautifully portraying the scared little girl, who has been exploited by the Thernardiers while their own daughter is pampered.

Briana Carlson-Goodman plays the grown-up Eponine, in love with Marius Pontmercy (Devin Ilaw), who considers her a friend, as he has fallen in love with Cosette (Julie Benko). Carlson-Goodman is heartbreaking as she walks the streets of Paris alone at night (“On My Own”). Ilaw impresses whenever he opens his mouth to sing. The “Heart Full of Love” trio by Marius, Cosette and Eponine is beautiful.

Enjolras, head of the rebelling students, is given a spirited performance by Jason Forbach, while Julian Silva as the spirited young Gavroche (a role he shares with Gaten Matarazzo) is a delight.

Marius’ “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” sung at the now deserted barricade, bemoaning the death of his friends, is a show highlight.

Backing all of these special performances is a large cast of factory workers, prostitutes, soldiers, rebels and townsfolk giving spine-tingling, rousing renditions of such songs as “One Day More” and the rousing finale, when all the spirits of the fallen unite on stage with the survivors to thunderous applause.

I suspect no fan of the show ever thought that “Les Misérables” needed a shot in the arm to improve it, but this new production brings a fresh approach that does not detract from, and rather improves on the original. It should be mentioned that this version is definitely R-rated with all the simulated sex being carried on by the prostitutes and their customers, but it is otherwise a not-to-be-missed production.