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Footlight Productions presents A new production of BOUBLIL and SCHÖNBERG’S A musical by ALAIN BOUBLIL and CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG Based on a novel by VICTOR HUGO Music by CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG Lyrics by HERBERT KRETZMER Original French Text by ALAIN BOUBLIL and JEAN-MARC NATEL Additional material by JAMES FENTON Adapted and originally directed by TREVOR NUNN and JOHN CAIRD Original Orchestrations by JOHN CAMERON Producer PETER WILLS Director CHRISTOPHER PARKER Musical Director JOHN SHAWCROSS Vocal Director TANIA SPENCE Assistant Director STACEY CARMICHAEL Original London Production by CAMERON MACKINTOSH and THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY Les Misérables is licensed by Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd by arrangement with Music Theatre International and CAMERON MACKINTOSH LTD with Glenn Barton Brad Beales Stacey-Louise Camilleri Cheryl Campbell Ash Chappell Deakin Carr Shani Clarke Adam Di Martino Ed Dolista Declan Edwards Jonathan Evans Zoy Frangos Tayla Gartner Kethly Hemsworth Emily Jacker Molly Jones Tayla Johnston Lachy Joyce Tim Maloney Caitlin Mathieson Erin Mathieson John McCarthy Jamie McGuane Dominic Muirhead Tess Muirhead Jacob Petkovic Darylin Ramondo Brendan Rossbotham Thomas Russell Rose Sejean David Senftleben Greg Shawcross Stephanie Smith-Gard Tori-Lea Stones Lachlan Turner Elise Vogrin David Ward Tony Wasley Cassandra Whittem THE PLAYHOUSE Geelong Performing Arts Centre January - February 2013 “Everybody raise a glass!” 2013 marks ten years since we formed Footlight Andrew Bellchambers designed and painted the impressive Productions, with our first show in being the small set and I am indebted to John Ward and Ray Ferguson who scale musical Nuncrackers in 2003. Since then we have spent many hours on the huge task of building it. Shane have staged a number of musicals including Annie Haugh came up with the clever lighting design and once Get Your Gun, Cats, The Boy From Oz, West Side again the staging of the show is in the reliable hands of stage Story and Sweet Charity, but it seems very fitting manager Bob McKenzie assisted by Courtney McCullough. that in our tenth year we are staging the epic Les The marketing is an important element of any show and I Misérables, as it culminates the journey we have am grateful to David Fox and David Ward for their creative undertaken as a theatre company. The production work on the posters, banners and the program. So many team was committed to Les Misérables right from other people are working behind the scenes on this massive the outset, a dedicated group of people whose production and I thank each one of them for their generosity collective aim was to ensure the integrity and of time and their expertise. We could not have staged this show Producer authenticity of Victor Hugo’s novel was upheld without you. I thank the cast for their genuine commitment in our production. I commend the production team for their not only to the production but to each other – your collective extensive research in all aspects of the production from the talent, co-operation and dedication is clearly evident on stage. characters to the sets, costumes, make-up and props. All of On behalf of the cast and crew, I am honoured to present Les these elements play such a significant role in this production. Misérables. I take this opportunity to acknowledge key production team Peter Wills members. Christopher Parker has been a collaborative and inspiring Director who has put in many hours to ensure what you see on stage is of the highest quality. Musical Director John Shawcross tackled the complex score with dedication, and Vocal Director Tania Spence has weaved her expertise in creating an exceptional vocal standard. Stacey Carmichael has been invaluable as assistant Director and I was so buoyed when Anne Mathieson agreed to undertake the huge task of costumes with me. Penni Nash-Gilchrist once again has taken on the creation of the wigs and the props are in the capable hands of Ray Ferguson. Footlight Productions would like to thank the following for their generous support of Les Misérables Sacred Heart College - Regina Byrne Geelong Performing Arts Centre - Management & Staff The Geelong Advertiser The Geelong News Top Cat Designs - Brent Grimmer St Joseph’s College Thanks Ballarat Lyric Theatre - Marie Wilson Catchment Players of Darebin Nigel Edwards Marie Hutchinson Robert Gard Geoff Stribley Neil Gow Greg Bryant McKellar Centre Op-Shop - Joy Gardner Village Cinemas - Gerard Gallagher We Print It - Carl Preusker Margaret Spence Margaret Kokrhelj Chris Ballan Carl Jacker Theatre of the Winged Unicorn - Elaine Mitchell Geelong Repertory Theatre Company Vinnies South Geelong Sarah Nightingale - Colliers International Geelong And to everyone who donated items for our Barricade - Thank you! The decision to stage the musical of Les Misérables Because we did not have the means to contemplate a large in a season when the world is celebrating the revolving stage, and while completely understanding the need Tom Hooper film adaptation is a brave one and I for a fluid staging solution in a story that travels nearly two commend Peter and Margaret Wills for being so decades, we decided to use this image of a towering city as a audacious. Live theatre offers audiences something motif for the monarchy verses the people, and put it on wheels film cannot. The audience plays a part in the so that it could be moved around the stage by the actors to storytelling, through an imaginary ‘fourth wall’ create the locations we required. We decided on quite a stony and that responsibility when embraced, brings feel to the production - hard surfaces, cold tones. Wherever great reward and emotional connection. They, possible I have stripped the staging back to actor and text, the audience, are witness to something that may to hopefully give the story focus and the music a chance to never happen the same way again. When Peter breathe. The language allows you to play with the meaning Director approached me to direct this production I was and the pace, which is such a gift for the actor and I have thrilled. Then terrified. I pondered at great length whether I encouraged the actors to make bold and definitive choices was indeed the man for the job. with the material. The obstacle with a show this celebrated I was initially drawn to the idea of directing Les Misérables is that there are so many previous performances available to because of the possibility of starting fresh, looking at the watch online, and once you have heard the cast recording half music and the text without any preconceived ideas of previous a dozen times, it’s very hard to find your own voice. For this productions and seeing what was actually on the page. I had reason I have neutralized a lot of the English accents. I wanted only seen the show once before and that was as a student at the words to be as clear and full of meaning for the audience drama school, and I was in the cheap seats in the back row of as they possibly could be, and the accents seemed to get in the a stadium so without binoculars I saw very little. I had no idea way of the actors ability to say the text without prejudice. how the staging was normally treated except that there was a revolving stage, and a massive barricade, and so I have tried not I am writing here with hesitation about my process and my to watch any footage of the Cameron Mackintosh productions. intentions, because ultimately I would like you to watch the I loved the story, and I am still naïve enough (just!) to believe production and decide for yourself what you think it achieves. that no one will judge you for giving something a go. So here The challenges of rehearsing a show in a part time nature, we are! such as amateur theatre needs to be, are great for a piece that requires such dramatic environmental endowments. The Creatively I wanted to be challenged, and I knew this story was creative benefit of being able to lose yourself in the world of the challenge I was looking for. I read the Victor Hugo novel the play day after day for a condensed period of time cannot very early on, and only pages into his elaborate descriptions of be undervalued, but I congratulate this company on a stellar 19th century France started imagining commedia dell’arte style job. The process in the rehearsal studio has been very much masks and physicalisations of an animalistic society, the floor a collaboration. We started with the text and how best to tell of the theatre lifting up to create the barricade scene! Having the story, and assumed nothing that wasn’t on the page until been to Paris not long ago I remembered the tangled maze of we realized we needed it. In some cases we have been through streets and cut-aways left over from before the city was rebuilt, several stagings of scenes, and in others our initial impulses the beautiful tall architecture climbing into the sky above you as were spot on. This production has been a full company effort, you walked the narrow side streets. I remember the history and and I thank all cast, crew, and creatives for your tireless efforts. power in the buildings and how small the humans looked at the To all the extended Footlight team, and especially Peter and base, beggars sitting on the sidewalks with their very large dogs. Margaret Wills - thanks for the opportunity! Enjoy. Christopher Parker PROLOGUE: 1815 TOULON Jean Valjean is released to parole after 19 years on the chain gang but discovers that his yellow ticket-of-leave “To love another condemns him to be an outcast.

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