Young Actors Theatre will present “Les Misérables: School Edition” July 17-Aug. 2, bringing together 85 student performers in two casts for one of the most ambitious productions in the organization’s 50-year history.
Directed by Les Misérables Broadway National Tour veteran Jillian Gray in her directorial debut and choreographed by Broadway performer Lindsay Wood Hose, the production serves as the culmination of Young Actors Theatre’s largest summer season to date.
Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, “Les Misérables” tells a timeless story of redemption, justice, sacrifice, and hope. Featuring music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, the musical has inspired audiences around the world for nearly four decades.
For Gray, the production marks a meaningful full-circle moment. After spending nearly a decade performing “Les Misérables” as a female swing and vacation swing on the Broadway National Tour, she now brings that experience to a new generation of performers.
“Les Misérables has become so much more than a show to me,” Gray said. “It reminds us that people are capable of redemption, that love can outlive suffering, and that hope often arrives when we least expect it. Every time I return to this story, I discover something new, and watching these young artists embrace it with such honesty and commitment has been one of the greatest joys of my career.”
Gray currently performs the title role of Nemo in the opening cast of Disney’s “Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!” at Walt Disney World.
Joining her on the creative team is choreographer Lindsay Wood Hose, whose credits include performing in Broadway’s “Wicked” and Disney’s “Finding Nemo.” For both Wicked and Nemo, she has also served as Dance Captain. She says the “Les Misérables” has challenged students to think beyond choreography and develop as storytellers.
“The ensemble is what transforms a musical into a living, breathing world,” Wood Hose said. “Every student creates a unique character and contributes to the story. Theater teaches collaboration, empathy, confidence, and leadership, skills that extend far beyond the stage.”
Those life skills are central to Young Actors Theatre’s mission.
“While audiences will experience an extraordinary production, they’ll also see young people discovering resilience, discipline, teamwork, and compassion,” said Sarah Doolin Roy, Chief Executive Officer of Young Actors Theatre. “These are the qualities that prepare students not only for the stage, but for success in school, their careers, and throughout their lives.”
The production concludes a record-setting summer for Young Actors Theatre.
In addition to serving more than 700 students through its own programming, the organization launched a new partnership with the City of Tallahassee Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Affairs Department, placing professional teaching artists in all six city recreation centers and introducing approximately 400 children to the performing arts.
Founded in 1975, Young Actors Theatre serves 3,000 students annually through classes, camps, and productions. Long recognized as a community arts leader, the organization provides professional-quality training in acting, singing, and dance while helping students develop confidence, communication skills, creativity, and leadership.
If you go
What: Les Misérables: School Edition presented by Young Actors Theatre
When: 7 p.m. July 17- Aug. 2 with 1 p.m. matinees on Sunday
Where: Young Actors Theatre, 609 Glenview Drive
Tickets: $30-$25; visit YoungActorsTheatre.com
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Broadway artists lead 85 performers in Young Actors’ ‘Les Misérables’
Reporting by Special to the Tallahassee Democrat, USA TODAY NETWORK – FLORIDA / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Special to the Tallahassee Democrat, USA TODAY NETWORK – FLORIDA | USA TODAY Network
