REVIEW: The Triumph and Tragedy of Les Miserables Shines at Shorecrest

Playing to packed houses since opening night, Shorecrest’s production of Les Miserables has been a hit.

An ambitious undertaking for high school thespians, the cast, crew and musicians have turned in lively, impressive performances during the two-plus hour musical spectacle that told a story of tragedy and redemption.

For director Andy Kidd, this was the first group of students he has taught all the way through high school.

He had big shoes to fill four years ago, succeeding the legendary Linda Johnson, who ran the program for more than 30 years.

Kidd was facing a possible layoff three years ago, but after passionate, well-organized protests from his students he was reinstated. He set out to make a big splash with this play, based on the Victor Hugo epic and adapted for the stage by Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schonberg, and Herbert Kretzmer.

With more than 90 students taking part, a good chunk of the school got involved and Kidd’s passion—he’s seen Les Mis more than 20 times—proved to be infectious.

The play begins with prisoner Jean Valjean, played by senior David Leathers, on the chain gang after being convicted of stealing a loaf of bread for his hungry family.

Throughout the play, Leathers does an excellent job of tackling the changing roles—as well as going through numerous costume changes—of Valjean, from convict to mayor to father of Cosette to revolutionary sympathizer, to dying man,. The human decency of Valjean in the face of difficult circumstance shines through in Leathers performance.

The stern doggedness of Inspector Javert, who appeals to the letter of the law, in tracking Valjean throughout his life, is portrayed superbly by Brannen Graves.

Rheanna Atendido gives a heart-rending performance as Fantine, the mother of Cosette.

Katie Peabody’s Cosette is well-done moving from uncertain orphan to assuredness and strength. Peabody’s vocal performances were especially notable.

Freshman Josiah Glesener’s Marius,  the love interest of Eponine, played with ease by Sylvia Kowalski, as well as Cosette, displays a youthful innocence.

The scene-stealers of the show are Thenardier played by Samuel Chudler and Madame Thenardier, played by Fatima Wardak.. In the scene where they sell off Cossette to Valjean, both characters are sufficiently conniving, greedy and give off a classic, we don’t give a damn attitude about anything but the cash.

Ben Flohr mixes it up as student leader Enjolras while Zachary Gordon-Sandweiss, a sixth-grader and the youngest member of the cast, adds a shot of adrenaline as Gavroche.

The musicians directed by Nathan Young and singers mesh well and the amount of work put in to get it right is evident. Many of the student actors came in with limited, if any, experience singing on stage but the performances is solid and worth the price of admission.

In case you haven’t seen it, the play has two more performances: tonight, Saturday May 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 15 at 2 p.m.

Tickets may be purchased at Third Place Books at the Lake Forest Park Towne Centre or calling 206-393-6224 or e-mailing, sc.tickets@shorelineschools.org may make reservations.