As powerful and passionate as the performances of the massive cast are in "Les Miserables," the most awe-inspiring star is the tech team. Crafting an ethereal display of wizardry, the lighting and stagecraft are mesmerizing. Even more than the exquisite costumes and poundingly urgent live orchestral score, the beams shining through windows, intricately crafted hazy horizons and bustling slum streets bring Victor Hugo's 1862 novel to palpable life. The story proves timeless in the way it manages to register fresh undertones in the current political climate.
An operatic odyssey of moral quandaries, such as the conflict between compassion and duty and humanity's yearning for freedom despite a tendency to demand strict order, "Les Miserables" remains a cultural touchstone 40 years after it debuted as a stage musical. To watch with an enraptured crowd is something akin to a church revival, with the communal spiritual experience rolling through the theater with the vigor of the thunderous applause that follows the many show-stopping, jaw-dropping numbers.
A master class in clockwork-like blocking, the actors work together with the precision of a military color guard, crafting the illusion of massive crowds or humming marketplaces. Other than the touchstone wedding scene, traditional dance is sacrificed in favor of lockstep spectacles.
The cast is made up of professionals with extensive Broadway experience, as well as a trio of children whose stage presence far exceeds their ages. The two leads need to be standouts among all-stars, and Nick Cartell, as Valjean, and Nick Rehberger, as Javert, fit the bill with relish. Both are selfless performers who command the audience and their castmates with natural ease, but are generous and self-aware enough not to overstep into indulgence. Both understand that understatement goes a long way, and use the true range of their vocal powers only when commanded by the moment.
The opportunity to see "Les Miserables" in Tucson is rare. This is a show people travel across the nation or globe to catch in its majesty. For true musical theater fans, this is a chance that can't be passed up. The revolution is here, and it's time to sit back and enjoy it.
"Les Miserables" is playing at Centennial Hall through Sept. 14. Buy tickets here.
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