Grade: A
One of the attractions of musical theater is spectacle. The grandeur of a story set to music and the power of dozens of voices drawing you into the moment. Settings for musicals aren't generally limited to the living room in a small New England college town or an apartment on the Upper East Side. They require scope: an ocean liner, the Austrian Alps, Micronesia. They demand spectacle. “Les Miserables” is that spectacle squared.
The second offering of the 2008 Merry-Go-Round season is a feast for the senses with dynamic performances, dazzling effects and stunning vocal and orchestral work. There is a palpable pulse to the production, an electricity that reaches out into the audience and invests them in the narrative and the characters until the curtain brings redemption for both.
The remarkable cast is led by Tad Wilson as Valjean and Christopher Carl as his nemesis, Javert. Each demonstrates impressive range, both in their acting and their singing, and each is possessed of tremendous presence. Their work is underpinned by an enormously talented group of supporting players. Marisa Dargahi, Liana Hunt and Lauren Hauser are all convincing and evince fabulous voices. Danny Rothman, Ernie Pruneda and Stephen Horst are equally good, and young Jeffrey Kringer, of Skaneateles, holds his own as a boy revolutionary.
Jerry Jay Cranford and Joanne Baum get all the laughs as the rascally Thenardiers. “Master of the House” (as well as its various incarnations in reprise) receives rousing applause. Little wonder, since the pair are absolutely perfect in the roles.
Director Christa Justus, assisted by Cranford, creates some gorgeous images and establishes a fluid pace using the flush turntable at center stage. Together with Musical Director Mark Goodman, she has produced more than wonderful entertainment. “Les Miserables” becomes an event for the region. MGR was chosen among a handful of regional theaters to receive the right to produce the play, and as the evening progresses, it becomes obvious why. The redesigned playhouse can produce spectacle.
Rob Andrusko's sets and Steve TenEyck's lighting are superb, and special mention should be made for the marvelous work of Laura Simcox and her staff in costuming the production. Marty Kopulsky's hair and makeup designs are also notable, and Patrick Lanczki and his crew are completely unnoticed and thus, impeccable.
If you go
What: “Les Miserables”
When: Continues through July 18
Where: Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Emerson Park, Owasco
Cost: $25 to $39
Info: Call 255-1785 or visit www.merry-go-round.com
The second offering of the 2008 Merry-Go-Round season is a feast for the senses with dynamic performances, dazzling effects and stunning vocal and orchestral work. There is a palpable pulse to the production, an electricity that reaches out into the audience and invests them in the narrative and the characters until the curtain brings redemption for both.
The remarkable cast is led by Tad Wilson as Valjean and Christopher Carl as his nemesis, Javert. Each demonstrates impressive range, both in their acting and their singing, and each is possessed of tremendous presence. Their work is underpinned by an enormously talented group of supporting players. Marisa Dargahi, Liana Hunt and Lauren Hauser are all convincing and evince fabulous voices. Danny Rothman, Ernie Pruneda and Stephen Horst are equally good, and young Jeffrey Kringer, of Skaneateles, holds his own as a boy revolutionary.
Jerry Jay Cranford and Joanne Baum get all the laughs as the rascally Thenardiers. “Master of the House” (as well as its various incarnations in reprise) receives rousing applause. Little wonder, since the pair are absolutely perfect in the roles.
Director Christa Justus, assisted by Cranford, creates some gorgeous images and establishes a fluid pace using the flush turntable at center stage. Together with Musical Director Mark Goodman, she has produced more than wonderful entertainment. “Les Miserables” becomes an event for the region. MGR was chosen among a handful of regional theaters to receive the right to produce the play, and as the evening progresses, it becomes obvious why. The redesigned playhouse can produce spectacle.
Rob Andrusko's sets and Steve TenEyck's lighting are superb, and special mention should be made for the marvelous work of Laura Simcox and her staff in costuming the production. Marty Kopulsky's hair and makeup designs are also notable, and Patrick Lanczki and his crew are completely unnoticed and thus, impeccable.
If you go
What: “Les Miserables”
When: Continues through July 18
Where: Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Emerson Park, Owasco
Cost: $25 to $39
Info: Call 255-1785 or visit www.merry-go-round.com
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