Children’s Musical Theaterworks offers up a fantastic centerpiece production of Les Miserable (School Edition) for artistic director Skyler Gray’s inaugural season. It’s cohesive, stylish, and very effective.
First a word: this production is double cast with 15-20 year olds. Donald Munro reviewed the production’s Red Cast last week. I saw the Black Cast.
The production values are on this piece are the highest I’ve seen them in three years. The set by Chris Mangels is a mish-mash of a distressed wood and brick stacked high and looking as though it is ready to just fall over– in a good way. It moves well when it needs to and provides Gray’s staging several beautiful, high spots for great moments with the principle cast.
A highlight of the design was Laura Vogt’s lighting which captured the feel and tone of the 1862 illustrations of the original Les Miserable novel by Victor Hugo, and her stars effect was simple but very elegant.
Gray makes effective use of his troupe of actors against this backdrop, utilizing deft group movement and choreography within the constraints of the rambling set.
In terms of performance, the Black cast worked a strong and convincing production. Standouts were Haylee Cotta as Eponine whose simple delivery of her character’s desires and sadness is fine and sharp like a rapier point; Bryce Moser’s Enjolras is performed with a strong physicality and tremendous commitment that will make him a standout period actor when he grows into his full form; and Ryan Torres’ beautifully sung Valjean is, at moments, heartbreaking. Torres, at only 15, has been blessed with a beautiful voice. Currently, though, he has the sort of awkward frame that will require that he be cast much older– until he’s around 30 and everything balances out. But that dichotomy gives his Valjean a sensitivity and thoughtfulness that is appealing.
Are there times when the cast’s youth belie themselves? Sure. But CMT is a training program for young performers. And I, for one, was gratified to see training in musical theater acting yielding results on the stage of Les Miserables. No matter which person was center stage, there was thought and imagination behind the terrific vocal work.
And it is that cultivation of imagination that will generate terrific shows in the future of CMT.
There are only two shows left (one in 45 minutes), the houses have been sold out, and it closes tonight. If you missed it, make sure you don’t make the same mistake for CMT’s Holiday Musical Annie directed by Leslie Mitts Martin, auditioning in October.
Go to www.cmtworks.org for more info.
