Les Misérables is a production that needs no introduction – but here’s a quick one, just in case: Set in 19th century France, the story follows a tale of broken dreams, unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption.
Whether you’ve seen the 2012 film starring Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman, read the novel by Victor Hugo or have seen a live production, Cameron Mackintosh’s newest telling of the story has something for every kind of fan.
The current production boasts 86 cast and crew members and, in each city, they employ an additional 100 people to help.
“It’s amazing to have a show run for at least four years, especially with an older show,” says the production’s stage manager, Jack McLeod. “It’s unheard of, especially with a story like Les Misérables, so we must be doing something right.”
The creative input helped support the longevity and success of the show.
“Sometimes you get into a show with all the right people and the stars align. Nobody is more important than the person next to them, everyone has a role,” McLeod says. “It never felt like we were doing a revival of Les Mis; those words never came out of anyone’s mouth.”
Staying Fresh
Jillian Butler knew her role as the fiercely devoted, curious Cosette was going to be difficult. While the pressure of having a main role in a Broadway musical can cause anxiety, Butler was up for the challenge.
“I try to bring innocence to her, I think people often forget that she had such a hard life when they first meet my character,” Butler says. “Grown-up Cosette has so many questions about her life because she doesn’t know anything.”
In the story, Cosette is an abandoned child left to an abusive family and, on Christmas Day, is rescued and adopted by Jean Valjean.
With more than eight performances a week, keeping the performance fresh and honest is a constant battle that Butler welcomes with open arms.
“It helps to give perspective and remind myself, ‘I’ve done this so many times… There’s a bigger picture here. I am a small piece of this puzzle,’” Butler says. “I just really try to think of the little girl in the audience who may have never seen this before.”
“It doesn’t replicate. You have to make that night so special and unique to that venue." - Jack McLeod
Butler mentions she wasn’t the stereotypical musical theater girl growing up and knew of Les Mis, but never experienced it until the Broadway revival.
“I think it helped me in my auditions. I didn’t have a preconceived notion and there wasn’t that pressure that people may have when they come to see it, and like certain takes on the characters,” Butler says. “I was pretty much coming at it from a 2017 Jillian Butler take.”
For Butler’s approach, she takes her experience from working with other tours such as Wicked and Cinderella and pairs it with her bubbly personality.
“They told me in my audition to bring my playfulness to Cosette because she is a young girl experiencing these new feelings,” Butler says. “It’s a different show, but the part is a little more light-hearted. I try and bring a little bit of comedy so it’s not so stoic.”
New and Old
Throughout Les Mis, a number of stories are told: Javert and Jean Valjean with the police inspector chase, a love story, and an uprising between the rich and the poor.
“You don’t need to take in the storylines. Some nights the love story will pop out and you will embrace it, or other days, a horrible story may be on the news and the battle scene is more relevant,” McLeod says. “There is something about the depth and contextual themes of Les Mis that still feels so new.”
For three hours a night, the Les Mis crew is there to provide a cathartic escape from daily life for the 2,000-plus in attendees.
“I just put my thumbs up like a screen in front of the stage and tell them, ‘That’s what they are focused on,’” McLeod says. “They don’t know anything other than what I show them. Inside the box, we have to be incredibly careful and productive and give it everything we have, and do it again the next week.”
Columbus audiences are in for a special performance. The cast and crew are meticulous about every detail, from lighting design to the authenticity of candlesticks that are given to Jean Valjean at the beginning of the musical.
“It doesn’t replicate. You have to make that night so special and unique to that venue, and something as small as the lighting has to be very tight and focused. … It takes time to get perfect,” McLeod says. “If we can’t do it perfectly, we aren’t going to do it.”
And for those wondering what McLeod’s favorite scene is after being with the play for almost three years, the answer is when the cast sings Drink with Me into Bring Him Home.
“It’s just so honest and genuine. It’s not what I loved years ago, but at that moment, I just breathe and it feels so nice,” McLeod says, laughing. “Then we hit the iceberg right after that.”
For ticket information, click here.
Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean
Rocco Falleti is an editor. Feedback welcome at rfalleti@cityscenecolumbus.com
