LES MISÉRABLES to Open at Olney Theatre Center with Broadway Cast

Olney Theatre Center, Maryland's largest regional theatre, will produce Boublil and Schönberg's Les Misérables in the Roberts Mainstage from October 30, 2026 through January 31, 2027, marking the musical's 40th anniversary. The production continues Olney Theatre's tradition of staging popular musicals with multi-generational appeal for local audiences and visitors over the holiday season.

Tony Award-nominated director Stephen Brackett returns to direct the production, having last directed Cinco Paul's critically acclaimed A.D. 16 at Olney in 2022. Trent Saunders, who garnered critical acclaim for his performance in the Broadway company of Dead Outlaw, stars as Jean Valjean, opposite Kevin S. McAllister, a veteran of multiple Broadway and Olney musicals, who recently directed Ford's Theater's heralded production of Come From Away. Christopher Youstra, Olney's Associate Artistic Director of Music Theatre, again serves as Music Director, and William Carlos Angulo is the choreographer.

Tickets are available to the public from $57 - $118 and can be purchased at olneytheatre.org/lesmiz or by calling the box office at 301-924-3400.

Olney Theatre's Artistic Director Jason Loewith said, 'It's not often that Les Misérables becomes available for regional theatres to produce, so I leapt at the opportunity when it arose. Like any great classic, Les Miz feels up-to-the-minute relevant, with vital truths to tell about the struggle for freedom, the lengths we'll go to for those we love, and the power of mercy and humility when combined with passion. And this production finally gives our region's best actors their shot at iconic roles: our own Kevin S. McAllister, who tackles one of his bucket-list roles in Javert; Alex De Bard returning for her third holiday musical (Frozen and Hello, Dolly!) as Eponine, and who isn't excited to see Tracy Lynn Olivera tear it up as Mme. Thenardier?'

Cast

The cast also features Stephanie Waters as Fantine. Waters is returning after almost a decade away from the stage; before raising her three children, she starred as Cosette on Broadway and in the National Tour of Les Misérables. Quynh-My Luu (Beauty and the Beast) steps into the role of Cosette for the Olney production, and Ben Clark stars as the love-struck Marius. Jordan Friend joins Olivera as M. Thenardier, while Tyler Dobies (Frozen) leads the Paris uprising as Enjolras, along with Dylan Arredondo (Fiddler on the Roof) as Grantaire, Matt Acquard as Combeferre, Jonah Gavi Schwartz (Little Miss Perfect) as Joly, Matthew Thomas Provencal as Feuilly, and DeCarlo J. Raspberry (A Gentleman's Guide) as Courfeyrac.

Levi Gerstenblith and Grayson Lewis share duties as Gavroche/Young Eponine, while Sage McClure and Zoey Ottaviano alternate performances as Little Cosette. The ensemble includes Azaria Oglesby, Brigid Wallace Harper (Appropriate), O'Malley Steuerman, Ariel Friendly, and Odette Gutierrez del Arroryo. Alexandra Lopez and Walker Vlahos swing the production. The production stage manager is Karen Currie, along with Assistant Stage Managers Rebecca Talisman and recent Olney Theatre apprentice Sydney Enthoven.

Creative Team

Brackett, Youstra, and Angulo are joined on the creative team by Tony-nominated set designer Arnulfo Maldonado (Buena Vista Social Club), lighting designer Abby Hoke-Brady (Little Miss Perfect), Costume Designer Sarah Cubbage (A Gentleman's Guide), longtime Olney Theatre sound designer Matthew Rowe, wig designer LaShawn Melton, and Fight and Intimacy Consultant Casey Kaleba. Also working on the production are Ricardo Blagrove (Assistant Director), Joe Burt (Assistant Scenic Designer), Cody Von Ruden (Assistant Costume Designer), and Sage Green (Assistant Lighting Designer).

MedStar is the Opening Night Partner and the Trusted Medical Team of Olney Theatre. Roberts Oxygen is the 2026-27 Season Sponsor.

Production Details

Olney Theatre Center, by arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh, presents a new production of Boublil and Schönberg's Les Misérables. A musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on a novel by Victor Hugo. Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg. Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. Original French Text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel. Additional material by James Fenton. Adapted and originally directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. Original Orchestrations by John Cameron. New Orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke, Stephen Metcalfe and Stephen Brooker. Music Directed by Christopher Youstra. Choreographed by William Carlos Angulo. Directed by Stephen Brackett.

Presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International and Cameron Mackintosh Ltd.

Dates, Location, Tickets

October 30, 2026 - January 31, 2027

Roberts Mainstage, Olney Theatre Center

2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, MD 20832

Tickets: $57 - $118 available at olneytheatre.org/lesmiz and 301-924-3400. Discounts for teachers, active military, and first responders are available at olneytheatre.org/discounts.

Performance Schedule

Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 7:00 pm.

Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday matinees at 1:00 pm.

Select Sunday evenings at 7:00 pm.

Additional performances will take place around Thanksgiving and Winter Break.

See the full schedule at tickets.olneytheatre.org/overview/lesmiz.

Accessible Performances

Audio-Described Performance – Wednesday, November 11 at 7:00 pm

ASL Interpreted Performance – Thursday, November 12 at 7:30 pm

Related Events

A masterclass titled 'Inside the Music of Les Misérables with Music Director Chris Youstra' will be held December 15 from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm at Sloane's Dance Studio in the Jim & Carol Trawick Education Center. The event is for ages 16+ and costs $35. Chris Youstra returns with his masterclass, this time breaking down the music of Les Misérables, exploring how Claude-Michel Schönberg's score made the musical one of the most enduring and beloved of all time. The class is geared toward composers, orchestrators, musicians, music educators, and music appreciators.

Onstage Tours will take place at the Roberts Mainstage Theatre for $10 per person, offering lighting demonstrations, costume and prop displays, and scenery moves led by production staff Philip Snider, Stage Operations Manager, and Carissa Gilson, Wardrobe Supervisor/Costume Shop Associate.

In The Community