Dear Salon, Our good friend Mischa Pollack (Monday Salon shout out!!!) is currently performing the role of Jean Valjean in the High Street Art Center production of Les Misérables. The show plays Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday matinees now through July 7th. A special "friends" show has been added on Thursday, June 27th for the reduced price of $12/tix. hsac45/buy-tickets Please come support a salon member and a great local theatre. Below is a the latest VCStar review: by Rita Moran Victor Hugo’s passion for justice, and colorful sense of melodramatic coincidences, has made his 1862 novel, “Les Misérables,” endure for a century and a half. It didn’t hurt that Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg crafted a musical based on the novel in 1985, which won eight Tony Awards and toured for the next 27 years. A new production is scheduled for Broadway in 2014. Rights to the show have long been off limits to community theater troupes. But that changed this year, and two local companies jumped at the chance to stage the show. Moorpark’s High Street Arts Center is presenting the musical now through July 7. Later in the summer, Actors Repertory Theatre of Simi will perform the show July 20 through Aug. 25. So if you really love “Les Miz,” you can double-dip this summer. Contributed photo Jean Valjean (Mischa Pollack, foreground) is on the run from Inspector Javert (Nick Newkirk) in “Les Misérables.” Moorpark’s cast is full of fine voices, from Mischa Pollack as the hero Jean Valjean to Nick Newkirk as the villainous Inspector Javert. The men’s chorus, highlighted when the plot turns to the student revolutionaries trying to battle government soldiers 40 years after the fall of the Bastille, boasts some powerful voices, like those of Eric Whelan as Combeferre, Aaron Hammersley in two roles and Eric Petrucci as the revolution leader Enjolras. Less fiery but equally persuasive singing comes from Adam Rayzor as Marius, the young man captivated by Valjean’s ward, and the gentle notes rendered by Kelly Green as the bishop who first stirs Valjean to think about helping others after being unfairly imprisoned for 18 years for stealing a loaf of bread. Rayzor was filling in Saturday night as the understudy for Ryan Driscoll, who will play the role through the rest of the run. The women in the cast also uphold the singing level, again as an ensemble and individually. As Fantine, the unfortunate young unwed woman who has been degraded after having a child, Courtney Bolen sings stirringly, and thankfully without rock-style decibels. Rachael Pugh as her grown-up daughter, Cosette, is blessed with a lovely lyrical soprano, and Jessica Rau as Eponine, whose conniving parents the Thenardiers took in Cosette as a little girl, provides both a lively characterization and a voice to match. Finally, and not in any sense the least of the onstage talent, there are the youngsters. Ashley Thomas was true and clear as the young Cosette on Saturday night, Alexis Valdez was the young Eponine and Connor Green did exceptional work as the young Gavroche. Contributed photo Connor Green plays Gavroche in “Les Misérables.” The musical’s memorable key songs got their due, too: “I Dreamed a Dream” by Fantine; the bawdy and rollicking “The Innkeeper’s Song” by Monsieur and Madame Thenardier (Shawn Lanz and Tami Keaton); and “The People’s Song” by Enjolras. The show’s best song, and one that shows that vocal overreach is not what makes a piece great, is the pure and sweet “Bring Him Home” by Valjean, sung by Pollack as the character pleas for the survival of Marius during the futile struggle. Lush recorded accompaniment is employed. Bolstering the sense of reality are the costumes produced by Barbara Mazeika and her talented crew, including Beth Glasner, Penny Krevenas, Leanna Crenshaw and Kyle Duncan. The versatile set is designed by Duncan and the mobile lighting by Rayzor. Arryck Adams is director and choreographer and Lisa Yaldezian is music director. ‘LES MISÉRABLES’ The classic musical, based on Victor Hugo’s novel, will be performed through July 7 at the High Street Arts Center, 45 E. High St., Moorpark. Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $20 general; $16 students, military and seniors 55 and older; $12 for children 12 and younger. Call 529-8700 or visit highstreetartscenter/.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Jun 2013 19:31:49 +0000
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