The Geauga Lyric Theater Guild’s “Skip Kelley” Youth Production is the popular musical “Les Miserables, School Edition” that opens this month. While “Les Miserables” was just released as a new movie, now you can enjoy the same story live on stage at Geauga Theater.
Referred to as “Les Mis” by those in the know, this show is the second longest running musical in the world. Set in France during social revolutions, the story follows a man imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread, his adopted daughter and her unfortunate mother, street urchins, and noble university students. The music will make you want to laugh, cry, and brandish a flag.
Stuart “Skip” Kelley, the man for whom the youth program is dedicated, was a strong proponent of involving youth in every aspect of theater production. Skip, who passed away in 2005, left an indelible mark on the young men and women he inspired over the years, many of whom moved on to careers in theater, sound production, and lighting design. In 2008, two of Skip’s protege’s, Patrick Fagan and Aaron Drews, approached the Geauga Lyric Theater Guild board with the idea of starting an auditioned Youth Theater show. “Once on this Island” became the first Skip Kelley Youth Production in 2009, and proved to be a success. The Skip Kelley Youth Production is now a part of the Geauga Lyric Theater Guild’s regular season each year.
Jacob Hamblen, a Chardon High School senior, plays Javert, the prison guard and officer who crosses paths with Jean Valjean throughout the play. “I really enjoy Javert’s complex emotions and the challenge of portraying those emotions effectively for the audience. This role has always been a dream role for me.” He continued, “I have a great cast to work with and, as anyone in theater knows, acting becomes much easier when you have great actors to work with…. I am very pleased to be in this production and I hope it is as successful as possible.”
Ms. Wiesner concludes, “Our audiences will, I hope, be moved by these performances through both laughter and tears and leave the theater feeling they have gone on a marvelous journey through a world of sacrifice, redemption and great hope for the future.”
“Les Miserables, School Edition” book by Alain Boulil, music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretizmer and Alain Boulil, based on the novel by Victor Hugo, is sponsored by Lake Health. The show runs January 25 through February 10. Friday and Saturday evening performances are at 8 p.m.; the Sunday performances are at 2 p.m. All tickets are $12.00.
The historic Geauga Theater is located on beautiful Chardon Square at 101 Water Street in Chardon, Ohio. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the website or call the box office at 440‑286‑2255.