The next era of ‘Les Mis’ is now

On the opening night of “Les Misérables” at Wharton, I was taken on a wild ride through young love, student revolt, the debate over God’s existence and moving songs about class warfare. In this North American tour, the timeless Broadway classic is reimagined for a new generation. The pacing is fast, the singers are serving, and the live orchestra rocks the house from the very first note. 

As protagonist Jean Valjean, Nick Cartell speeds through his internal conflicts at an up-tempo pace while the world of the musical constantly shifts around him. In his early life, Valjean spent 19 years in a miserable prison for stealing a loaf of bread. Although paroled, he still lives as a condemned man until he reinvents himself, changing his name and eventually becoming a factory owner and the mayor of his town. But his past haunts him, personified by the policeman Javert (played by Nick Rehberger), who represents the long, brutal arm of the state. After decades of relentless pursuit of Valjean, Javert ultimately comes face to face with his own life and asks himself, “What was all this for?”

If you're a theater person, you know the story and love the songs. But in this tour, the tech and talent bring the script to life again. Seamlessly integrated projections and lighting take us down the streets with protesters and underground, into the sewers of France. Stagecraft like choreographed fighting and weaponry is expertly handled. And the barricade frightens in its familiarity, like the shining metal from the used car lot down the road instead of a scene from two centuries ago. 

Multiple cast members are making their national tour debuts in this production, including Mya Rena Hunter. As Éponine, Hunter lends equal parts softness and power to the voice of a girl who has known nothing but hardship and wants only to be in love with the cute college guy, Marius, played by Jake David Smith. Audiences will recognize Smith’s Marius as that one guy in the group who manages to turn everything (even a revolution) into a story about his new girlfriend. 

What’s more important: our love of the people or our love for one person? Does God hear the poor? And is there something stuck in his ear? Funny, dramatic and full of powerhouse performances, this tour of “Les Mis” is absolutely one for our times.