A Cast of Characters in 'Les Mis'

Theater Director Mark Rogers started talking about the complexity of the characters for his spring production several months ago. “In Les Mis,” Rogers said in an interview in February, “the lead roles require students with experience, who have really worked in class and out.”

All of that work came to fruition this past weekend as the actors gave their final four performances of the school year. The production of the well-known musical Les Miserables was a collaborative effort that included members of the band, orchestra, choral and drama departments.

The story is that of Jean Valjean, a man set in a time of poverty and civil unrest in France. After breaking his parole, a bishop gives Valjean a second chance to turn his life around. Valjean gives his life to God, but continues to run from the law, evading Javert in order to care for his adopted daughter. Around him, the student revolution rises.

Throughout the play, the characters grapple with issues of morality and religion, of love and war. According to Rogers, much of the early rehearsals were devoted to character development, relationships and outcomes.

“The students are passionate about the roles they're playing,” said Rogers. “They all know the characters are complex, but that only makes them more fun to play.”

More than anything, the characters were evident in the actors’ voices, from the lead roles like Jean Valjean to the smaller roles like the Bishop. Les Mis is mostly sung, with very little spoken dialogue. Jessica Salazar played Madame Thenardier, an inn-keeper’s wife who cheats and swindles as well as her husband, and kept her voice as bright and boldly brash as the character demanded.

Patrick Carnes played Javert, the zealous law enforcement chief who constantly hunts Jean Valjean in what he considers the righteous pursuit of justice. His voice was more subtle, not the growl of the obviously bad guy, but quietly menacing as he sang, “Let the old man keep on running; I will run him off his feet.”  

“It's a very demanding show,” said Rogers, “and I had to make sure there was enough talented students to pull it off. Needless to say, we have tons of talent at Freedom High School.”