Review: LES MISERABLES Still Stands Strong at the Ohio Theatre

There’s something truly special about Les Miserables that keeps audiences coming back for more, and this LES MIZ is certainly no exception.  Arguably the greatest musical of all time, Les Miserables strikes every chord with its powerful message of love, rebellion, sacrifice, redemption and inspiration.  A brilliant musical masterpiece oozing with a lush, rich score, Les Miserables is a timeless testament to the ultimate survival of the human spirit.  

Set in early 19th-century France, the story centers around Jean Valjean and his quest for redemption after serving nineteen years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread to save his sister's starving son and her family. Valjean later breaks his parole while ruthless police inspector, Javert, makes it his mission to hunt him down. Assuming a new identity, Valjean meets a dying Fantine and vows to protect and care for her young daughter Cosette until his death.  Later, Valjean gets caught up in the French Revolution where a barricade is formed in an attempt to overthrow the government.  In the midst of political turbulence, a young, innocent love blossoms while an impossible yet unrelenting love tragically dies.

While the underlying story remains unchanged, one of the biggest variants to this 25th Anniversary production is that it removes the iconic revolving turntable and instead relies on multiple moving set pieces, projections by Fifty-Nine Productions, and images inspired by Victor Hugo’s paintings. If you’re new to LES MIZ, you won’t notice the difference.  But if you’re a true fan and you’ve seen the production multiple times, the lack of the revolving turntable impacts the profoundness of some scenes and diminishes the scope of the overall set, especially during the final battle on the barricade which becomes more anticlimactic.  Luckily, however, the brilliantly talented cast overcomes these shortcomings and truly rises to the mastery of production as a whole.

A number of understudies went on as leads on opening night, including Randy Jeter who filled in for Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean.  A breathtaking performance, Jeter’s voice is strong and pure and evokes an unwavering tenacity to protect and care for Cosette.  Hayden Tee as Javert is strong and commanding in his relentless pursuit of Valjean, who finds himself tormented between vengeance and his own imprisoned world.  He sings “Stars” with a powerful resilience that captures his unwavering commitment to law as he struggles with the moral complexities of his character.

Nicole Fragala was excellent as Fantine who went on in place of Lindsay Heather Pearce on opening night.  She delivered a gorgeous “I Dreamed a Dream” with expressive depth and an aching conviction.

Alexa Lopez (Cosette) and Peter Neureuther (Marius) were delightfully charming and delicately balanced in “A Heart Full of Love.”  Jaedynn Latter is a powerhouse as Eponine, with soaring vocals beyond her years.  However, I thought “On My Own” and “A Little Fall of Rain” were both noticeably rushed, which took away from the integrity of the scene.

Kyle Adams fell a little flat as Thenardier who went on in place of Matt Crowle on opening night.  His counterpart, Victoria Huston-Elem, stole all the laughs as Madame Thenardier.  

The rest of the cast gave outstanding performances in their respective roles.  And special shoutout to Columbus’s own Steve Czarnecki, who currently plays the roles of Farmer, Factory Foreman, Brujon, u/s Javert, and Fight Captain.  I had the pleasure of witnessing his raw talent at Otterbein University’s production of Les Miserables many many years ago, and have been a fan of his ever since.

Music Director/Conductor Glenn Alexander II leads a phenomenal orchestra which gives homage to Claude-Michel Schonberg’s lush, symphonic score and sets the tone for this hauntingly brilliant musical.

One of the most celebrated productions in theatrical history, Les Miserables is a masterful exaltation of a brilliant score and transcendent storytelling.  While you may miss some of the elements from the original production, you cannot deny this spectacular musical phenomenon that will continue to play many days more.

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