BENTON — The Young Players will present Les Miserables School Edition, a musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, based on the novel by Victor Hugo.
Director Daphne Shoppach of Benton said despite the show being adapted for schools, “the whole story is still told.”
Performances will be at 7 p.m. Saturday; at 2 p.m. Sept. 22 and 29 and Oct. 6; and at 2 and 7 p.m. Sept. 28 and Oct. 5 at The Royal Theatre, 112 S. Market St. in Benton.
The musical is an adaptation for performers 18 and younger. Tanner Oglesby of Bryant is the music director; Emma Boone of Little Rock, stage manager; Michelle Griffis of Bauxite and Heather Kreulen of Benton, producers; and Reagan Hammonds of Benton, choreographer.
Shoppach said the storyline is the same as the original version, winner of more than 100 international awards and seen by more than 70 million people. In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean is released from years of unjust imprisonment but finds nothing in store for him but mistrust and mistreatment. He breaks his parole in hopes of starting a new life, initiating a lifelong struggle for redemption as he is pursued by police inspector Javert, who refuses to believe Valjean can change his ways. Finally, during the Paris students’ uprising of 1832, Javert must confront his ideals after Valjean spares his life and saves that of the student revolutionary who has captured the heart of Valjean’s adopted daughter, Cosette.
“Not much has been cut from the original version,” Shoppach said. “Some of the songs have been shortened a little, but for the most part, the whole story is still told. The show is just over two hours long and is in two acts.
“Just as in the original, the story begins with Jean Valjean as part of the chain gang, working under the watchful eye of the prison guards, and progresses through all of the time periods and settings of the full version. We will ‘build a barricade’ on stage [for the uprising scene by the Paris students],” Shoppach said.
“All of the songs from the original version are there. ‘I Dreamed a Dream,’ ‘Master of the House,’ ‘One Day More,’ ‘On My Own,’ ‘Bring Him Home,’ ‘Stars’ and ‘The Cafe Song’ — ‘Empty Chairs and Empty Tables,’ as it is known — are all in this production,” she said.
“There are multiple factors that go into choosing the plays for our YP season,” said Shoppach, who helped establish the Young Players as the youth education arm of The Royal Players.
“Many plays are chosen because we are hearing what the kids are listening to and singing.
This is the second time we have produced this show. The first time was in 2012. The kids often have asked, ‘When can we do Les Miserables again?’” she said.
“This musical was not rewritten for a younger audience. It has been shortened in order to fit the school performance schedules. However, we have kids in the show who are really young, and they love the whole show and learning about the historic event Victor Hugo wrote about in his novel. Our dramaturge, Angela Morgan, did a great deal of research, and we listened to her presentation before we began working on the production,” Shoppach said.
“Our production of Les Miserables, while the school edition, is no simple feat,” said Oglesby, choir director at Bryant High School and conductor of the Saline Symphony Orchestra.
“The range and vocal agility of most of the roles demand a cast that is up to the challenge. Luckily, the Young Players have some of the most talented kids around with a dynamic palette of abilities. Several of the students in this production have been recognized on the state and national level for their singing abilities. We also have cast members who have been paid to perform professionally in the central-Arkansas area,” he said.
“Because some of the songs are classic, well-known and difficult songs, the cast members are expected to save as much as they can for the performance,” Oglesby said. “It has also required a different approach to music directing. When teaching kids to sing songs that were written for grown adults, it requires more intensive technique training. This is what we have focused on, and it’s paying off. This is not a show one should miss.”
Shoppach said the musical features two casts — the Red Cast, which will perform in the Sept. 22 and Sept. 28 evening shows and in the Oct. 5 and 6 matinees, and the White Cast, which will perform in the show on Saturday evening, in the Sept. 28 and 29 matinees and in the Oct. 5 evening show.
Nathan Brown of Bryant will appear as Valjean in both casts, and Annslee Clay of Bryant will play Fantine in both casts, along with Will Porter of Little Rock as Marius, Luke Ferguson of Benton as Enjolras, Jack Clay of Benton as Thenardier, Cabe Parrish of Little Rock as Madame Thenardier, Braden Lisowe of Benton as Gavroche and William Alverio of Bryant as Bamatbois.
Appearing as students in both casts are Ethan Davis as Courfeyrac, Zachary Glover as Feuilly, Brennon Humphry as Grantaire and Brent Compton as Prouvaire, all of Benton; and Hayden Griffis of Bauxite as Legles. Appearing as members of T’s Gang in both casts are Larry Smith of Bryant as Brujon; and Jesse Kneisler and Natasha Carroll, both of Benton, as Claquesous and Montparnasse, respectively.
Appearing in the Red Cast will be Carson Clay of Benton as Javert; Makayla Shipe of Bryant as Cosette; and Izzy Hammonds, Emory Statton and Allie Grace Ferguson, all of Benton, as Eponine, the young Cosette and the young Eponine, respectively.
Appearing in the Red Cast as members of Gavroche’s gang will be Cameron Compton, Frankie Goldman and Addison Lumpkins, all of Benton; and Reagan McCartney of Little Rock. Appearing in the Red Cast girls ensemble will be Erin Johnson and Kaleigh Statton, both of Benton; and Emily Jones and Sydney Crary, both of Little Rock.
Appearing in the White Cast will be Jaelun Patrick Thomas as Javert and Lexie Ellis, both of Bryant, as Javert and Eponine, respectively; and Katharine Crowe, Madison Campbell and Abby Grace Neufer, all of Benton, as Cosette, the young Cosette and the young Eponine, respectively.
Appearing in the White Cast as members of Gavroche’s gang will be Taylor Ann Pitts, Lily Hipskind and Amelia Lisowe, all of Benton. Appearing as members of the White Cast girls ensemble will be Olivia Kreule, Bella Crowe and Cadence Earles, all of Benton.
Members of the ensemble include Rylee Woodard, Lauren Bond, Katelyn Compton and Mary Grace Wells, all of Benton; and Emily Bell, Shelby Tripcony, Madison Stolzer and Avalon Castrellon, all of Little Rock.
The show is sponsored locally by Fulks Family Dentistry and presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.
Tickets for Les Miserables School Edition are $15 for general admission; $12 for senior citizens 60 and older, members of the military and college students with a valid ID; and $6 for students in the 12th grade and below. Tickets may be purchased online at theroyaltheatre.org or by calling (501) 315-5483.