Season 106 at The Muny gets off to a monumental start with the return of 鈥淟es Mis茅rables,鈥 which runs June 17 to 23 in Forest Park.
Seth Sklar-Heyn makes his Muny directing debut, but 鈥淟es Mis茅rables鈥 is a musical he knows well. As executive producer for North American productions for Cameron Mackintosh Inc., Sklar-Heyn supervised the show鈥檚 2014 Broadway revival and two tours.
鈥淚 think the music takes you on a certain journey,鈥 Sklar-Heyn said. 鈥淭he characters are identifiable and relatable to people watching from the audience. Sure, it's set at a certain time, but it's still of today.鈥
鈥淟es Mis茅rables鈥 is based on an 1862 novel by Victor Hugo and includes music by Claude-Michel Sch枚nberg and lyrics by Alain Boublil. Set against the backdrop of post-Revolution France, the story follows the journey of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict seeking a fresh start, and his relentless pursuer, Javert.
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鈥淭he themes ask us to consider people we don't see, to consider sacrifice and loss,鈥 said Muny artistic director and executive producer Mike Isaacson. 鈥淗ugo asks questions of us as individuals and as a society. When Jean Valjean is granted forgiveness and mercy, he is inspired to ask: 鈥榃ho am I? And how am I to be? And how am I to operate in the world?鈥欌
When a French concept album based on Hugo鈥檚 novel was released in 1980, Mackintosh loved the music and saw its potential, Isaacson said. 鈥淟es Mis茅rables鈥 became a word-of-mouth sensation and ran in London for more than 30 years.
鈥淚t's a people's show,鈥 Sklar-Heyn said. 鈥淪uccess was born out of community. It was born out of the theatergoers who latched onto it and saw something in it.鈥
As part of a partnership with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, 20 members of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus will appear as the supernumerary chorus in three musical numbers, including 鈥淥ne Day More.鈥
鈥淵ou can't ask for a better gift from a producer than to say, 鈥楬ey, here's a chorus from a symphony,鈥欌 Sklar-Heyn said. 鈥淥ne key theme of 鈥楲es Mis鈥 is community. And I think it's incredibly important that we create a community onstage that is a mirror for the community seeing the production.鈥
The show鈥檚 creative team also includes choreographer Jesse Robb, music director James Moore and associate musical director Michael Horsley.
鈥淚t's a really exciting team,鈥 Isaacson said. 鈥淭o say that they're dedicated to this show is such an understatement.鈥
鈥淟es Mis茅rables鈥 will star John Riddle (Jean Valjean), Jordan Donica (Javert), Teal Wicks (Fantine), Red Concepcion (Thenardier), Jade Jones (Madame Thenardier), Ken Page (the Bishop of Digne), Emily Bautista (Eponine), Gracie Annabelle Parker (Cosette), Peter Neureuther (Marius) and James D. Gish (Enjolras).
When: 8:15 p.m. June 17-23; preshow festival begins at 6:45 p.m. nightly
Where: The Muny, 1 Theatre Drive, Forest Park
Ticket pricing: $21-$135 鈥 plus the first-come, first-served free seats; season tickets on sale through June 14
For more information, call 314.361.1900 or visit .