Shows run October 20-23 and 27-30th at the Electric City Theater
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or forget to look at the Monday folder announcements), you’ve probably heard that several New Covenant School students in grades 7-12 have joined a wide assortment of local youth in a production of Les Misérables currently running at the Electric City Playhouse.
Les Misérables is the longest-running musical to date, on stage since 1985. With explicit Christian themes including repentance and redemption, Law versus Grace, and many forms of love, Les Misérables is testimony to the transcendent appeal of the Gospel.
The story centers on the man Jean Valjean living in early 1800s France. A victim of poverty and the social injustice of the times, Valjean was imprisoned for years because he stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving family. When he was spiraling into bitterness and a life of crime upon his release, Valjean was “rescued” by the loving, kind act of a local priest. The priest’s act of grace sparked Valjean’s redemption. The former criminal became a loving, generous pillar of the community, a man who rescued many others from the horrors of poverty. Unfortunately, Valjean is pursued by the relentless police inspector Jauvert. He hunts Valjean for years. In the end, when Jauvert himself is shown Christlike mercy, he cannot live with the conflict. Jauvert stands for the Law in its judgmental role, a pharisaical self-righteousness that is blind to real humanity.
Mrs. Mary Nickles, theater and music faculty at the Montessori School of Anderson, directs the production. As director, Mrs. Nickles must coordinate a huge cast of student singers/actors (more than 50!), a host of adult volunteers, and the backstage and tech crews. Actually, this joint MSA/NCS production of Les Mis forms the bulk of Mrs. Nickles’ master’s thesis work at Central Washington University. One of her professors will be in attendance for a performance of the show. But she doesn’t have to do all the work alone: Mrs Mandy Keathley, a local choral director, took charge of the choral rehearsals and conducts the orchestra for performances. Many MSA and NCS faculty pitched in to help with backstage duties, playing in the orchestra, organizing volunteers, gathering sponsorships, sewing costumes – everything that makes a production run.
Several NCS students have been walking the halls singing themes from Les Mis these past few months. Brief arguments erupt over which song is the loveliest or which is the most annoying. “I don’t understand why Matt doesn’t like ‘Stars’!” remarked David Spearman. (I guess it’s all a matter of taste?) The dozen students in the show have juggled full academic loads on top of a heavy rehearsal schedule.
Why?
Because, in the end, getting to sing powerful music to a packed theater night after night, getting to learn theater craft from professionals, getting to live and breathe an incredible story of Grace – there’s nothing that compares.
Les Misérables runs for another 4 nights this coming weekend: Oct 27-30th. Call the NCS office for tickets.
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