(no subject)

[yubsie]

The theatre in town has a program with the area high schools where they get to put on shows at the awesome theatre. They're currently doing Les Miserables, so Ryan and I went to see it today.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaart!

Seriously, there are no words for the awesomeness. Their Valjean was absolutely brilliant. The kid playing Gavroche was also amazing. (I totally love Gavroche, even if I liked his song better as "La Faute de Voltaire" :p) Their Fantine was kinda weak, alas. She sang really well, but when she wasn't singing she didn't really REACT to anything. Still, the cast was generally quite strong.

I guess when you can draw on every high school in the area, you can actually get a decent number of males. I was really surprised when the show started and there were no women in drag on the chain gang. :p

I also have the world's weirdest musical tear triggers. I cried when the bishop gave Valjean the candlesticks to start an honest life. You know what I DIDN'T cry at?

"Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" :p

So I figure there's two possible explanations for this. The first is that Valjean had me tearing up a couple other times, so maybe it was just a case of Valjean being amazing while Marius was just great. Alternately, we DID sing "Empty Chairs" in choir, so I'm probably desensitized to the song.

Or maybe I just have weird triggers. :p

I was commenting to Ryan that it would be a fun show to do. He said something about there not being any chorus.... okay, everyone done laughing? I proceeded to list every place there was chorus in the first act. :p

Also, watching it made me realize that the kidlets really DID bring a lot to G&G shows (other than relatives in the audience) There were only a few kids in the show, basically Gavroche, young Cosette and young Eponine. So a lot of the chorus scenes actually seemed like they were missing something. Like starving children of the poor. :p And Gavroche's gang. :p

Comments

[helplessdancer.livejournal.com]

Not any chorus? I LOLed. :P

[yubsie]

Oh, so did I. :p

[gabri-jade.livejournal.com]

No chorus? Was he sleeping during the show? o.O

I've only seen high school productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Oklahoma, but they were both extremely well done. I was impressed.

[yubsie]

I'm really not sure. :p

High school productions have a bad reputation, but I've seen a lot of really high quality ones.

[miana-dude.livejournal.com]

At least it wasn't like the last Les Mis I went to. When Gavroche gets killed and there's like dead silence, this little kid in the audience started laughing hysterically (it seriously echoed). It totally ruined the moment (and you could see the cast doing everything they could to not laugh. One of the guys lowered his head and covered his face with his hand and started shaking like he was sobbing, but it was just from him laughing so hard).

[yubsie]

That would have been unfortunate. ;p

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

It's so great that you got to see Les Mis! I'd love to see it.

[yubsie]

I was so excited when I found out they were doing it. I love the show (as evidenced by the fact that I have six cast recordings in three different languages...), and the school edition really isn't that different from the full version. ANd the students were REALLY talented.

[i-paint-the-sky.livejournal.com]

Even I can tell there is chorus and I hardly know a thing about Les Mis! Silly Ryan.

Yeah, the kids definitely can bring a lot...to the right musical. Copa, not so much, but the other three definitely.

[yubsie]

Very silly. :p

Yeah, of course the right musical. Something with a lot of scenes out in the general populace like Les Mis, Oklahoma, Footloose or Wizard of Oz benefits from having kids in it. Something set in a NIGHTCLUB? That's kinda "Umm... what kinda club is Sam Silver RUNNING here?" :p