Grayslake Central takes on challenge of 'Les Mis'
The classic Victor Hugo story of pain, redemption, love, and revolution comes to life onstage at Grayslake Central High School as they present "Les Misérables."
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18, in the school's auditorium, 400 N. Lake St., Grayslake.
Advance tickets are $10 for the general public or $8 for students and senior citizens, and can be purchased at d127.ticketleap.com/lesmis.
The Friday performance is sold out. If tickets are available for the Saturday and Sunday performances, they will be sold at the door for $12 for the general public or $10 for students and senior citizens. Advance ticket purchases are strongly encouraged.
"'Les Misérables' is by far the most complex production we've taken on in my 12 years at Grayslake Central," director and Encore! student theater sponsor Maureen Ritter said. "I'm immensely proud of how well students have risen to the challenge."
In the aftermath of the French Revolution, Jean Valjean violates the terms of his parole to reform his life. Despite his transformation, he is relentlessly pursued by Javert, the police inspector who refuses to let Valjean's criminal past go unpunished.
All the characters in this epic saga of love, revolution, and redemption are tragic yet inspiring, their destinies woven together in a timeless narrative that affirms the power of the human spirit.
Based on the novel of the same name, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's musical has been inspiring audiences for more than 30 years and won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
A particular challenge of staging "Les Mis" at the high school level is that it's essentially an opera, told almost entirely through song, with a challenging score that is both popular and beloved. That's made for many intense vocal rehearsals led by vocal director Michael Gutierrez, in his first year as the choir director at GCHS.
"Working with students at the summer audition workshop, I was captivated by their talent," Gutierrez said. "The difficult recitatives of 'Les Mis,' combined with tempo, meter and key changes in what seems like every few measures, make it an extraordinary undertaking.
"These students are the most talented, enthusiastic, and professional group of young adults that I've ever had the privilege to direct. They've also been learning about vocal health, conscious of the vocal demands that this show requires."
Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables" is considered among the greatest 19th century novels, and is taught in the English curriculum at GCHS. Melissa Thurlwell, English Department chair, is excited that students will be able to see the musical to help them connect more deeply with the characters and themes of the novel they are studying in class.
"Jean Valjean's journey is one everyone can relate to," Thurlwell said. "Teaching 'Les Mis' for six years has made me reexamine my relationship with others. Do I show compassion? Forgiveness? Do I stand up for what I believe? The themes are timeless, which is why it's still taught in 2018. Also, as a musical, you can't fake your way through 'Les Mis' - you need very talented actors and musicians. Doing this show says a lot about how Maureen Ritter has grown the theater program at GCHS."
GCHS students and teachers began working on "Les Mis" over the summer with design and audition workshops. In addition to their onstage work, students are also responsible for offstage aspects such as building scenery, creating costumes, designing lighting and sound, managing the box office, preparing programs, performing in the pit orchestra, and publicizing the shows.
"Our students have done remarkable work on the technical elements of this production. Andy Taylor (senior, set designer) has had such a clear vision for what he wanted the world of the show to look like, and (junior) Leah Minksy, our scenic paint charge, has an eye for detail that I've never seen from such a young artist," Ritter said.
"All of the student designers have pushed Sean (Evans, production manager) and I at every step of the process to trust them to do more. The crew has responded to this vision and leadership by stepping up their game, and the result will far exceed your expectations of what a high school musical can be."
For information about Grayslake Central's "Les Misérables" performances and tickets, visit d127.ticketleap.com/lesmis.