Enumclaw High School Drama Presents Les Misérables

Next Monday, March 12 marks the 25th anniversary of the musical Les Misérables opening in New York.

The milestone isn't lost on Enumclaw High School drama teacher Darrell Miller, who is directing this school production opening tonight.

"For us, it's kind of special that it is that occasion," he said.

It's also kind of special that this might be the biggest production in Enumclaw High School drama history, involving about 95 people that includes 60 actors, 20 orchestra pit musicians, 10 technicians and an assortment of ushers and support staff. "It's like an army," he quipped.

Knowing that, staff and students were up for the challenge. "It's not something that a lot of schools would just do," Miller said. "Because it's huge. That's what makes it special for us. We said 'let's go big with this big show!'"

Senior Melaina Johnson, who plays Eponine, said she was aware of the doubters but, "Enumclaw High School has been doing good quality shows for a long time," she said. "We have so much potential and so many caring cast members that we can actually perform it to the best that we can."

The musical took 17 years to make, said Enumclaw High School choir director Paul Scott. "With the attention to detail, it's obvious that it's amazing. It's a very, very great musical and I'm just glad it was adapted so that students can do it."

The opportunity to do theatre here lends itself well to other parts of the students' academic life, he said. "It relates to their actual history curriculum," he said. "And then to see them take that, make it their own and then become these characters -- to see students get out of that walking-down-the-hall mentality and see them embrace something like this is really amazing."

Miller said the school's production will take a note from the touring Les Misérables production and make use of projections. They'll be projecting some of the artwork produced by Victor Hugo, the author of Les Misérables.


Les Misérables School Edition
Music by Claude-Michel Schonberg
Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer & Alain Boublil
Book by Alain Boublil
 
March 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 @ 7:30pm
Matinees on March 11 & 17 @ 2pm
Admission $10
Info: 360.802.7807

What's your favorite Les Misérables character or song?