Do you hear the people singing? Yes, actually, I do and singing quite well in fact.

On Feb. 21, the Las Vegas Academy for the Performing Arts and International Studies put on the student edition of the musical, "Les Miserables," which is quite the unusual thing to see, since "Les Miserables" is still on Broadway. Even more unusual is the fact that very rarely would an ongoing Broadway production allow the release of a high school-level edition before releasing it on the community level.

Sir Cameron Mackintosh, who holds the rights to "Les Miserables," decided to allow the school edition to be available for performance by Nov. 4, 2002. Since last September, schools all over the country have applied for a performing license for the world-renowned show.

However, there are some regulations concerning the production of such a legendary play. With the running time cut down to a little over two hours, "Les Miserables" must be performed strictly by high school students on high school premises. In addition, the students putting on the play cannot be over the age of 19.

The Las Vegas Academy’s performing arts department held a gala event on the day after the opening night of "Les Miserables," which was Feb. 20. There was a ceremony preceding the production, honoring the 10th anniversary of the Academy. Principal Robert Gerye recognized several patrons, from senators to mothers, for their good deeds and great benevolence. After 30 minutes of awards and a 10-minute break, the show finally began.

The story follows a French ex-convict who violates his parole to start a new life. Set in the time of the French Revolution, Jean Valjean, the lead character, becomes a successful mayor in another town, where he finds out that another man has been accused in his place for violating his parole. Valjean then decides to save the wronged prisoner and also tries to save Fantine, an unfortunate woman who was forced into a life of debauchery. The dying request of Fantine is that Valjean raise and protect her daughter, Cosette, which he does. Throughout the play, the story unfolds with various elements of romance, drama, comedy and music.

As popular and well-known as "Les Miserables" is, the students of Las Vegas Academy did an astonishing job. A student orchestra added to the incredible performance. With production costs totaling about $80,000, the staff and production members did a great job utilizing everything from the rotating stage to the elaborate props and the intricate French-inspired costumes.

But it was the student actors and actresses who were the night’s most impressive highlight. The cast put their hearts and souls into their performances, and the results shone through like the sun after a storm. After the play, standing ovations were given to all.

The Las Vegas Academy’s production of "Les Miserables" was a performance to remember.

-Return to March 2003 Issue-