Les Miserables: New Anniversary Tour Takes Louisville Stage
One of the timeless Broadway productions is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a face-lift. "Les Miserables," the world's longest-running musical, comes to Louisville March 8-13 with an all-new look featuring re-imagined scenery and staging.This is "Les Miserables" with a new look, but with the sam beloved songs.
Based on the classic novel by Victor Hugo, "Les Miz" chronicles the lives of crooks, prostitutes and revolutionaries as they search for redemption and independence in 19th century France.
The new anniversary production took inspiration from paintings by Victor Hugo himself, according to producer Cameron Mackintosh. "The new 'Les Miz' is a magnificent mix of dazzling images and epic staging, driving one of the greatest musical stories ever told," he says.
Directors Laurence Connor and James Powell have brought new ideas to the show — taking out the signature spinning stage, for instance, and setting the opening scenes aboard a ship. This new-look version of "Les Miserables," played to sold-out crowds in the U.K. last year before opening in the U.S. The U.S. tour opened in New Jersey in November, and received rave reviews there before opening in Philadelphia. The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J., said "Les Miz" has "improved with age."
Louisville will be the sixth city on the tour, which will play 20 cities before wrapping up this fall.
The lead role of reformed criminal Jean Valjean will be portrayed by Lawrence Clayton. He is joined by Andrew Valera as Javert, Michael Kostroff as Thénardier, Shawna M. Hamic as Madame Thénardier, Betsy Morgan as Fantine, Jeremy Hays as Enjolras, Chasten Harmon as Éponine, Justin Scott Brown as Marius and Jenny Latimer as Cosette.
"Les Miserables" original English production first opened in 1985 in London, where it is still going strong in the West End.
In celebration of the quarter-century anniversary, "Les Miz" made theatrical history by becoming the first musical to have three productions running simultaneously in the same city: the original show at the Queen's Theatre, the anniversary tour at the Barbican Centre and a special concert version at the O2 Arena.
"Les Miserables" opens in Louisville March 8 at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $22.50-$86.50 and can be purchased at www.kentuckycenter.org, by phone at (502) 584-7777, or in person at the Kentucky Center box office.
HelloLouisville Tip: "Les Miz" will play in Louisville on the following dates: Tuesday, March 8: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 9: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 10: 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 11: 8 p.m., Saturday, March 12: 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 13: 1 and 6:30 p.m.
Posted on Mar 2, 2011 by Tracy Harris
