Hear The People Sing!

Last Friday, Theatre Macon’s Les Miserables opened at The Grand Opera House. This production, which in the past has been a rite of passage of sorts for Macon’s finest youth actors, however, sets itself apart from the previous Youth Actor’s Company (YAC) stagings in that it is not limited to youth actors, but has rather expanded to include some of Macon’s most distinguished adult actors as well. When asked about this transition, Jim Crisp, the Artistic Director at Theatre Macon remarked that “I have always wanted to do this with adults in the roles where an older actor would have a wealth of life experience to draw upon. Then casting young actors in the roles where youth, beauty and vitality added to the mix creates an ideal mix for the best cast. I always knew I would produce it when it became available for the inclusion of older adult actors. I am most excited about the fresh look and approach we have taken. I am thrilled about the work we have done together, collaboratively to create something unique and special.“

 
Some of the roles that have been cast with adults actors include Justin Carr as Jean Valjean, Brian Barnett as Javert, Matt Astin as The Foreman, Bob Meloche as Thenardier and Holly Spires as Madam Thenardier, while some of the principal youth roles include Spencer Maddox as Marius, Madeline Dannenberg as Eponine, Holly Goodman as Cosette and Sarah Pyles as Little Cosette. Interestingly enough, both Goodman and Pyles are cast in roles that their sisters, Noelle (Goodman) Goel and Madelyn Virginia Pyles, played in previous productions.

 
One of Macon’s up-and-coming young actresses, Madeline Dannenberg (who will be attending in Oklahoma City University in the fall as a Music Theatre major) said of her experience that “playing Eponine in Les Mis has taught me about the power of stillness. You don’t have to move around a ton to express a character’s feelings. Small gestures and changes of facial expression can be really powerful… It has been wonderful working at The Grand. It’s a beautiful space and this is the first full production I’ve been in there. Between the space and the incredible level of talent in the show, this production feels more like professional theatre than any other show I’ve been in. My first Theatre Macon production was actually Les Mis when they did it back in 2007 so it’s really exciting to have come full circle by performing it again now in my last show at TM before college.”

 
Jack Henson, another of Macon’s own remarkable youth actors said that ”Working with the talented cast, crew, and musicians in Les Mis has been a thrill. In my opinion, Middle Georgia’s theater and arts community is one of this region’s greatest assets. This is challenging work and everyone in this production has that passion for storytelling on stage. You can see it. You can feel it. It’s inspiring…Every cast is different. Every cast has its own style. Although I’ve previously been in a production of Les Mis years ago, this production feels different. Not in a good or bad way, just different. This is our own unique production of Les Mis. But that’s the magic of theater- every performance is a unique experience that can never be identically replicated.”

 
If you’re not familiar with the plot of Les Miserables, the musical is based off of Victor Hugo’s work of the same name and tells the story of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who, after an encounter with a priest in which he is treated with grace and kindness, dedicates himself to becoming a better person and enriching the lives of those around him. Intertwined in Valjean’s saga are the stories of Fantine (a factory-worker-turned prostitute), Javert (a ruthless policeman), and a love triangle between Fantine’s daughter Cosette, a young student named Marius, and the daughter of Cosette’s “caretakers,” Eponine.

Les Mis is both heart-wrenchingly sad and, at the same time, uplifting. It presents to the audience the juncture of the most base, and the very highest aspects of human nature. Throughout the show, we are reminded that, while there are indeed people in the world who are petty, deceitful, seething with corruption, and unable to see the good in others, we also possess a capacity for love, and with that love, the ability to change, forgive and make sacrifices for one another. Crisp said of this facet of the production that “It always reminds me of what is really important in life-simple kindness, loving deeply, living courageously.”

Theatre Macon has, from its founding in 1986, upheld the values and ideals of bringing productions of the highest caliber to the people of Macon in a manner that makes them accessible to all audiences. Crisp carefully and thoughtfully selects the material for each season based upon what he believes will enlighten and uplift the audience, and the staging of this timeless classic, which will grace The Grand Opera House’s stage until July 19th, is no exception. For a truly unforgettable and awe-inspiring evening, head over to The Grand and “hear the people sing!”