Former Bulldog plays lead in Victor Hugo’s ‘Les Miserables’
It ain’t the same old ‘Les Miz’ at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
As far as ’80s mega-musicals, it doesn’t get much grander than “Les Miserables,” based on French writer Victor Hugo’s intricately plotted tale of the sweltering underworld of 19th century Paris.
But Atlanta’s Theater of the Stars plans to make the show even more grandiose than British producer Cameron Macintosh’s original staging, which is still playing London after 23 years.
If you go: Sept. 19-28. Theater of the Stars at the Fox Theatre. 404-817-8700. Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com
WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
• Map: Atlanta museums
• Blog: ATLarts
Didn’t think that possible? Here are five reasons why the “Les Miz” that opens Friday at the Fox Theatre ain’t the same old “Les Miz.”
1. Jean Valjean was a Bulldog. Robert Evan (Valjean) grew up in Monticello, Ga. (He and country star Trisha Yearwood are good friends.) Evan later attended Newton County High School in Covington and played football at the University of Georgia under Vince Dooley. He got his professional start with Theater of the Stars, met his wife while working on a cruise ship and recently bought a home in Alpharetta. Broadway shows: “Tarzan,” “Jekyll & Hyde,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Les Miserables.”
2. New spin won’t spin. The musical has traditionally been staged on a an enormous turntable, which keeps the action moving with minimal confusion. Theater of the Stars’ has flattened the spectacle to fit into a proscenium that is nearly 70 feet wide. (Most Broadway shows at the Fox use a 40-foot proscenium.)
3. The art of Victor Hugo. Instead of cluttering the stage with scenery, scenes will be projected onto a 30-by-40-foot video screen. This provides “a sense of place and time that wasn’t prevalent in the other show,” Theater of the Stars managing director Nick Manos says. But here’s the cool part. A large number of the 50 projections will be copies of Victor Hugo’s drawings. Did you know the poet, playwright and novelist (1802-1885) was also a prolific visual artist?
4. Cast of … dozens. The Fox production will employ a company of 35, “plus 18 local teen extras,” Manos says. This will make for an bigger, more operatic approach.
5. Big guy(s) to attend. Dooley has followed Evan’s career and plans to see the show. And to the delight of Theater of the Stars, Macintosh is so interested in the new “Les Miz” that he plans to attend Sunday night. Ultimately, the producer of “Cats” and “Phantom of the Opera” will decide if he wants to use the new adaptation in future productions — or stick with the old turntable model.
