“Les Miserables” has won eight Tony Awards, played to 47 million people in 27 countries, in 16 different languages and is the second longest running musical of all time. It opened to mostly bad reviews in its 1985 London debut; critics were disturbed by the staging of Victor Hugo’s portrayal of the deeply depressed French underclass. Obviously audiences disagreed.
A heady undertaking for a group of teens from Malibu.
Malibu High’s new theatre teacher Jodi Plaia thought the time was right.
“We picked this because we have the talent here. It’s time these kids got to experience this tremendous production.”
“It’s pretty intense. We weren’t sure we could handle it,” senior Taylor Goldsmith says.
Goldsmith plays the lead role of Jean Valjean, a reformed fugitive embroiled in the tumultuous first half of 19th century France.
Valjean’s nemesis is the self-righteous Inspector Javert, played by Junior Tyrus Emory.
“It’s very intense. There’s not just one emotion. My character is crumbling like a building and I’m wondering which emotion will I show.”
Fifteen-year-old Kitty Smith is overcoming stage nerves despite her lack of theatre experience. She plays Fantine, a factory worker who struggles to send funds to her illegitimate daughter. Smith is on the cross-country, track and soccer teams but now finds acting among her passions. “At first it was really hard-being embarrassed.”
Smith says Plaia is the reason they can handle the intensity. “She’d make us go on stage and bark and get everyone to bark with you. It relieves all your embarrassment.”
Humor is provided by the bawdy innkeepers who have virtually enslaved Fantine’s daughter Cosette. The proprietors and their clientele provide the much-craved relief from the tumult of the streets. The catchy “Master of the House” is a spirited romp of debauchery. Seventeen-year-old Maureen Ganz plays Madame Thenardier with a previously untapped gusto.
“I’ve played nice girls like Kay [the young bride] in “Father of the Bride,” Ganz says. “I love my character. She’s gross and dirty and disgusting. I love to play that. It’s fun.”
“It’s a very emotional play with a lot of passion in all the parts,” senior Daniel Curtis says. He plays the idealist Marius who falls in love with Cosette.
“I get to play a hopeless romantic which is close to real life for me.”
Curtis gets his musicality from his saxophone but is a newcomer to the stage. He’s enjoying his new theatrical circle. “I love the play and there are a lot of cool people involved in it. I play football and I’m used to hanging around the team. When I go to a restaurant with this group we’ll all just start singing. It’s great.”
It may be hard to imagine a group of Malibu kids being able to embody the struggles of these lower-class 19th century Parisians. Smith theorizes on their successful portrayal of angst.
“With a bunch of teenagers in one room, displaying distraught emotion is actually easy.”
In fact their immersion in the mood of the time is impressive. Even in rehearsal it is easy to lose sight of these Malibu youth. They appear enveloped in their characters and totally devoted to their cause. Only once during their first full run-through did they enjoy a moment of self-consciousness.
Emory startles co-stars when he emerges for a very serious Javert scene in his newly acquired wig. It is quite a sight as this 16-year old is partially transformed into the middle-aged constable. The cast succumbs to a few moments of laughter and enjoys a brief respite from the rigors of this epic.
Yet even as one of Javert’s sideburns finds its way to the floor, Plaia is able to reign in the young thespians and instill the show-must-go-on mindset.
The brief glimpse at their youth passes and the French rebellion comes center stage.
“It’s a big challenge. Everybody is surprised that were taking it on,” Ganz says. “I think we’ll be able to handle it.”