Set Design | Projection Design | Scenic Painting
Music by: CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG, Lyrics by: HERBERT KRETZMER, Original French text by: ALAIN BOULIL & JEAL-MARC NATEL, Additional Material by: JAMES FENTON
Based on the novel by Victor Hugo
Les Misérables is the world’s longest-running musical — a true modern classic based on Victor Hugo's novel and featuring one of the most memorable scores of all time. The multi-award-winning Les Misérables is as groundbreaking today as it was when it first premiered in London in 1985. Featuring updated orchestrations based on the Tony-nominated 2014 Broadway revival, Les Misérables School Edition also includes new support materials including a Reference Recording for rehearsals, an enhanced Director’s Guide, and an expanded Study Guide.
In nineteenth-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 relentlessly pursued by police inspector Javert, who refuses to believe Valjean can change his ways. Finally, during the Paris student 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.
Production: Actor's Youth Theatre - performed at ZAO Theatre
Director & Music Director: Tracie Jones
Choreographer: Bruce Goolsby
Nominee - Arizoni 2019 - Best Scenic Design
Nominee - Arizoni 2019 - Best Media Design - Projections
This show was cast just prior to the onset of the Covid lockdown. There were so many challenges that had to be overcome as the venue for this production changed from the small Tuscany Theatre to the much larger ZAO Theatre. Initially, we had planned for the set to have many moving pieces. However, the location change and the pandemic morphed what we had hoped to be a highly interactive set into a choir-style production that would limit personal interaction between the actors and the set components.
This was my first time working with projections. Once I figured that part out it was creatively freeing to incorporate this additional visual element into the scenic design.