For the past several months, the GHHS Drama Club has been putting together a highly ambitious beast of a show: the infamous Les Miserables. Les Mis is many things. It is a tragedy ribboned through with rays of hope, a story of the fight for love and the suffering of loss, an exposure of black and white morals, and an exploration of people’s responses to receiving grace. The musical was based on the original book written by Victor Hugo, published in 1862, and was later adapted musically in French by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, and Jean-Marc Natel before being adapted to English with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and produced by Cameron Mackintosh, two British composers. A behemoth masterpiece that is still as beloved as when it first appeared on stage on September 24, 1980, in Palais des Sports, Paris, and first came to Broadway in 1978. History buffs gather round, for the musical is painted against a backdrop of the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars in the 1830s—the Bourbon Restoration period—when King Louis-Philippe was indoctrinated to power, replacing Napoleon’s fallen totalitarian reign with another. Revolutionaries began to rise up in protest against the continuing monarchy—rooted in the Paris June Rebellions in 1832—in hopes of establishing a republic that is responsive to the needs of the citizens.
Drenched in economic hardship and grime, the narrative begins with the main character, the convict and ex-thief Jean Valjean, who is given parole and released from slavery after a sentence of 19 years. The musical follows his story of redemption and law evasion in order to provide for his adopted daughter Cosette, the child of tragically deceased mother Fantine. The story post-timeskip follows several central storylines that all play off each other and merge into one: Valjean’s attempt to sustain a safe life with Cosette, police inspector Javert’s hunt to again apprehend Valjean for his crimes, the plight of the French revolutionaries as they fight for freedom against a corrupt government, the hysterical villainy of the Thénardier family as they take advantage of the war for profit, and the love story between Cosette, student Marius, and his friend Eponine, whose love for Marius is unrequited.
The Les Mis cast is full of insanely talented and passionate students who put all their heart into making the production as immersive and real-feeling as possible, bringing layers of emotion and character to every showing like it’s their first. A lot of the soul in the cast’s performance comes from their own love for the play itself and the responsibility they feel taking on the beloved story. The lead role of Jean Valjean is played by Lucas Henrickson (12). This year marks many talented upperclassmen joining theater for the first time, and Henrickson is no exception, landing a lead for his senior musical upon joining this year. Valjean’s story is one of redemption and selflessness, and Henrickson was able to connect to the character’s goodness. “My favorite thing about playing this character, I think, is that we have some similarities that I really appreciate. I think we’re both kindhearted people at heart [who] can lose that sometimes. That’s been really cool to notice that.” Something he found challenging about this production was the sheer amount of songs he had to learn, songs not only numerous but also musically complex. The challenges were more than worth it, as he expressed his feelings going into opening night on Friday, April 25. “I’m really excited. I’m really nervous, but I know that we have the show down, and I know that it’s going to be really good.”
Valjean’s adversary Javert, arguably one of the best-known characters, is played by Jake Coons (10), who is making his mark on the drama department with his total commitment to the intense role, an adrenaline-charged performance that cannot be missed. “He’s a really deep character. I like how morally tragic he is and how much anguish he has in him,” said Coons. He expressed with humor that his favorite part of the production is being given the middle finger by a nine-year-old (a character called Gavroche, who makes an appearance as a quick-witted revolutionary child).
Reid Clevenger (10) plays Marius Pontmercy, a lovestruck young revolutionary torn between his love for Cosette and his dedication to the fight for freedom. “I love his naivete. I love Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, and I love his high notes,” said Clevenger. He claimed that the most enjoyable and most difficult aspect of the show for him was the challenge of singing, stating that he loves to sing continuously, particularly the song “A Heart Full of Love.” “Come see it, and ‘A Heart Full of Love’ and ‘In My Life’ are the best songs!” He exclaimed. Comrade Ruby Monroe (12), playing beloved Eponine, comments that her own favorite song is Heart Full of Love for the harmonies—a song she, Clevenger, and Megan Long (11) (Cossette) sing together.
Every production has their own special elements that make them unique, and student Camdyn McDowell (9) (poor chorus ensemble) expresses her own pride in the mastery of certain scenes, in particular GHHS’s interpretation of the song Empty Chairs at Empty Tables. Without giving away the spectacle, an ensemble of women morosely take the stage mourning for the dead soldiers, who make their own chilling entrance as if haunting Marius, the only survivor. The elaborate ‘puzzle-pieces-into-place’ blocking allows for the audience to follow a storyline of grief on stage, developing Marius’s tormented state of mind. “It feels a little like ‘our thing’… this is a beautiful scene,” said McDowell.
Audiences of last week’s performances were amazed by the gripping story and excellent delivery. Tears were abundant throughout the audience as Valjean begged prayerfully for the life of his future son-in-law in “Bring Him Home,” Fantine expressed greif for all the ways she dreamed her life should have gone but never would in “I Dreamed a Dream,” and Eponine lovingly comforted Marius as she slowly slipped away from life in “A Little Fall of Rain.” Megan Brooke (10) stated, “I thought that it was a very emotional show but the actors in it portrayed the emotions of the characters very well. I could really feel what was going on in it. I really liked how the actors were so good, they also sung very well, and it was very cool hearing the pit orchestra along with them. It enhanced the show experience a lot.” Another performance goer, Henry Requa (12), agreed, “The pit orchestra was definately the coolest part for me.”
Over the course of the musical, students have formed bonds of trust and respect as coworkers, as well as a sense of fun and humor as friends, and the chemistry shows on stage. Megan Long (11) (Cossette) most enjoyed the time she spent with peers. “Just meeting a bunch of new people and just being able to work with so many talented peers. It gives you a lot more to grow with, to become a better actor and person, just meeting different people.” Student Blake Ohmes (10) (Courfeyrac) also describes the experience as being an incredibly bonding process. “I think my highlight of the week so far has to be the growth from all of us in this. I’m a first-timer; I’ve done drama before, and I’ve done productions, but this being my first production at Gig Harbor, I think just seeing everyone doing their best and trying their hardest and, you know, creating such a great sense of community in these past weeks, I think that’s something you can only find here. I feel improvement in understanding one another. I think we’ve gotten close with people we otherwise wouldn’t be close to. We’ve met people that otherwise we would never know. So it’s definitely special.” Director Tia Weniger expressed that she is most proud of the camaraderie and integrity of her students.
Mrs. Weniger and pit orchestra conductor Mr. Eric Swanson initially chose Les Miserables based on the students in the department this year. Mrs. Weniger expressed that when choosing a show, she will always pick one that she thinks the club is well equipped to do at a semi-professional level based on the current talent in the program. Mrs. Weniger expresses pride in what students have worked hard to improve on since the beginning of production. “This show is so difficult to sing in all the ways, not just singing, but, like, getting with the pit. So from start to finish, it’s a completely different story, but we got there.” Weniger explained there was a challenge faced when the live music pit was incorporated. The pit creates a sense of grandeur, importance, and immersion, and an integral piece in the construction of the play was the transition to live music when drama and band students synced up.
Within the layers of Les Mis, subtle design choices can be found in the lighting and set. “When they [audiences] come and watch, look for secrets. Secret Easter eggs that are hidden within the lights; there’s a scene where the French flag actually is displayed by lighting… There’s little hidden meanings behind everything that we put into the show. That’s something somebody that sits there and watches it may not know, but it’s really fun knowing that there’s more in the show than what people say,” said Weniger. Other examples of easter eggs can be found when Eponine sings “On My Own,” where she’s spotted by the lights in three ways to create three shadows, symbolic of “Me, Myself, and I.” Another thing to look for is during Javert’s suicide, when a red light is cast on the stage below him to represent his turmoil. GHHS’s Les Mis is a box excitedly and lovingly set up to be unlocked by the viewers, with every detail catered towards the hearts and subconscious of an audience who can live through the show alongside performers.
Ever since this classic hit the stage, it has been embedded in the pop culture landscape and adored. One of the most beautiful and iconic stories told, don’t be the only one in the Peninsula district to miss out on a heart-stopping show. In the words of Megan Long, “If you want to bawl your eyes out or if you want to enjoy some really good music, you should see the show.” You can see them this Thursday, May 8th, Friday, May 9th, and Saturday May 10th, but be sure to buy your tickets in advance, they sell out quickly!