Les Miserables at HCT

I don't think I will ever get tired of hearing the dramatic opening notes of the musical Les Miserables. They moved me to tears the first time I heard them performed live at the Palace Theatre in London on a study abroad trip in 1990 and they did once again as I heard them performed at Hale Theatre last night! I love the moving story of Jean Valjean's redemption, which is based on Victor Hugo's masterpiece, and I love the beautiful music by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg so I have seen Les Miserables at least 30 times (a conservative estimate) and I have to say that HCT's current version is a great production. The cast features Casey Elliott, Bradley Quinn Lever, and Brad Robins, whose meeting while performing in HCT's 2014 production of Les Miserables prompted them to form the popular trio Gentri, and I was really excited to see them reprise their roles as Jean Valjean, Enjolras, and Marius, respectively. Their performances were definitely a highlight of the show for me, particularly Elliott's version of "Bring Him Home," Lever's version of "Red and Black," and Robins's version of "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables."  I also really enjoyed Cecily Ellis Bills as Fantine, Clotile Bonner Farkas as Madame Thenardier, and Rebecca Burroughs-Kremin as Eponine (I judge every production by how Eponine sings "On My Own" and her version gave me goosebumps). However, my very favorite performance of the night was Adam Dietlein as Inspector Javert. He is absolutely brilliant in the role because he holds himself, in both his mannerisms and his facial expressions, so rigidly and this characterization is perfect for the unyielding Javert. His rendition of "Stars" is incredibly powerful and it elicited the most applause and cheering last night after "Bring Him Home" (they had to stop the show because the applause went on for so long after this number). The costumes and sets are similar to those in the original Broadway production but also feature just enough flourishes to keep the show fresh (I loved all of Cosette's dresses and Madame Thenardier's gown for "Beggars at the Feast"). I do wish that the barricade could have been on the turntable because the reveal of Enjolras hanging upside down while holding the red flag as it slowly rotates in the original production is one of the most dramatic moments of the show (I miss this moment in the new staging on Broadway as well) but I like that HCT's barricade allows the entire audience to see "A Little Fall of Rain" and "Drink With Me."  I think "Javert's Suicide" is staged particularly well because it really seems as if he is jumping from a bridge to his death and I also quite enjoyed the staging of "Master of the House" because even the young Eponine (Olivia Dietlein) steals from the guests. I love this show so much (it will always be a sentimental favorite) and seeing it at HCT last night made me very happy. I highly recommend getting a ticket but be aware that several secondary ticketing sites have been inflating prices significantly (go directly here for the best prices). It runs on the Young Living Stage through June 19.

Note:  I think I might need to see it again for the MWF cast because it features Kyle Olsen as Jean Valjean and he blew me away as Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities.