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Russell puts own stamp on Les Mis Teresa Mallam arts@pgfreepress.com Producer Judy Russell knows well the challenges of bringing one of the world’s most beloved stories to the community stage – Les Miserables. Russell is proud and pleased, to finally be able to put her “own stamp” on it. She and Robin Norman (a well-known voice coach) and their team are now in rehearsals for “Les Mis”, as it often called. Victor Hugo’s inconic story of Jean Valjean’s journey of redemption. Prisoner 24601. Released from prison after 19 years, Valjean breaks parole and turns his life around, changing his identity and becoming the wealthy mayor of a small town. First a little history: The show came to North America and on to the Broadway stage on March 12, 1987 debuting at The Broadway Theatre. After 6,680 performances in 16 years, when it closed on May 18, 2003 it was the secondlongest running Broadway musical after Cats. Three years after the original run closed, Les Miserables returned to Broadway in November 2006 for a limited run. The revival closed in 2008. “Now it’s our turn,” Russell says. Her father, Alex Murray, musical score in hand, followed along at a recent rehearsal as actors went through their songs – because it’s a musical, strong vocal performances accompany good acting (and dancing) skills. The cast chosen for Les Mis is the cream of the crop, he says. “I’m just thrilled with these actors. It’s the best group I’ve ever seen assembled in Prince George. I have to thank UNBC for being there because a lot of these people come here to study and then we find out they have acting talents. And we hear from them because they want to be part of this,” he said. “When we auditioned for Les Mis, there were dozens of people trying for the roles – we had lists of 30, 40 or 50 people going for the parts.” Jon Russell portrays Enjolras, charismatic leader of Friends of ABC, a group of students dedicated to political change in France. Russell describes his time on stage as brief but with “quite a lot of energy packed into a tight frame.” The role is both physically and emotionally demanding but it is one the actor, who recently returned from Vancouver, has seized with a gusto. “It is an ideological role,” he said. “My character is willing to die for a cause he believes in [revolution]. All he thinks about is this battle.” Moments before, Russell has been on stage right, standing on a table, rifle in his hand, singing a powerful and soaring Red and Black in a scene from the ABC Cafe. During rehearsals there are a few breaks in the onstage action, redoes and tweaks here and there as Judy Russell suggests changes that will make it all flow more smoothly. Jon, who began in theatre as a dancer, says his creativity with acting comes from not only being raised in a musical theatre family with parents (Judy and Bill) and grandparents
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Teresa MALLAM/Free Press Jon Russell (left) as Enjolras and Curtis Abriel as ABC Society member in a rehearsal scene, ABC Cafe, from Judy Russell’s Les Miserables which opens July 16.
(Bunny and Alex Murray) but also because it is more relaxed taking instruction from family members. That doesn’t mean he can slack off, if anything he works harder, he says. “Sometimes we go back on things we did, look at them again, then decide what to keep. As family, we have a lot of the same instincts, so we tend to agree on a lot of what goes on on stage. I like that – I probably wouldn’t get that working, say, in theatre in Vancouver.” Russell has early memories of the musical in which he’s been cast. And yes, he has to audition like everybody else. “I remember when I was about eight years old, my parents were working with two or three songs from Les Mis for a dance
festival they were doing – that was my first introduction to the musical.” Nigel McInnis (Miss Saigon, The Producers) has the role of Marius, a rebel student with the ABC Society and young lover of Cosette. “I love this musical,” he said. “I am also a huge admirer of Victor Hugo’s work and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to bring one of his characters to life. The whole cast in this one is terrific. It is one of the most beloved musicals ever produced and it is going to be a pleasure to behold for the audience.” Boubil and Shoenberg’s landmark musical has landed in Prince George. Judy Russell will present Les Miserables July 16 to August 3 at the Prince George Playhouse.
In the Judy Russell production, Andy Beesley portrays Valjean, Catherine McCarthy as Fantine, Mathew Chiappetta as Javet, Nigel McInnis as Marius, Jon Russell as Enjolras. Gary Chappel and Robin Norman play the roles of Monsieur and Madame Thenardier. Laura Buchanan and Solange Nelles will give debut performances. The “Les Mis” Orchestra with PGSO conductor Kevin Zakresky and members of the PGSO and Prince George’s musical community make up the 16-member orchestra. Tickets for Judy Russell’s production of Les Miserables are on sale at Studio 2880. Call 250-563-2880. Performance schedule includes one matinee.