Les Miserables, School Edition
at Laguna Hills

Reviewed on December 20, 2019

Sophia Burick
San Clemente
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies

Laguna Hills' Les Miserables tells a story of Hardship and Hope
written by Sophia Burick, a senior at San Clemente High School

Laguna Hills' High School's production of Les Miserables explores the power of redefining yourself through the heart-wrenching plight of desperate criminal turned bourgeois mayor Jean Valjean throughout the turbulent years of early 19th century France. Haunted by the man he used to be, Jean Valjean seeks a better future for himself, his adopted daughter, and the oppressed people of France.

Jacob Tapia's mesmerizing performance as Jean Valjean is a driving emotional force throughout the show. Tapia's ability to express guilt, conflict, and hope in his face and demeanor gives the show a relatable, deeply affecting quality. His noteworthy and astoundingly dynamic vocals, ranging from his hearty, pitch-perfect belts in "One Day More" to his soft, touching falsetto in "Bring Him Home," allow him to expertly convey the complex character of Jean Valjean.

Lauren Cole shines as Eponine, embodying the creeping disappointment of feeling unnoticed by the world around you. In her performance of "On My Own," Cole's piercing vocals poignantly express the all-encompassing pain of unrequited love and the relief of escaping through fantasy. Ethan Hall's Javert serves as the embodiment of Jean Valjean's ghosts from the past, portraying through his strained mannerisms and contorted facial expressions the anger and confusion that comes from trying to understand a world full of gray areas with a black-and-white mindset.

The Revolutionaries, headed by Rene Kairouz's Enroljas and Liam Fellows' Marius, infuse great hope into the show, expressing their vision of a new world with quietly electric energy in "Do You Hear the People Sing?" The innocent magnetism between Fellows' Marius and Grace Warner's Cosette acts as a ray of light into the dark world of France in turmoil. Kevin Gramling as Thenardier and Elena Sierzchula as Madame Thenardier bring much-needed comic relief to the show through their wacky accents and exaggerated, bouncing physicality.

Lighting design by Annie Gelfer is a technical highlight of the show, utilizing flashes of red, orange, white, and black during the battle scene to represent the terrifying and mind-dizzying violence of the conflict. Julia Cornell's choreography, specifically her creation of the "Dream Dances" during "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Castle on a Cloud," is commendable.

Laguna Hills High School's Les Miserables tells with beautiful detail and notable talent a tale of redemption and redefinition.

Bella Gordon
San Juan Hills
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Come Hear the People Sing at Laguna Hills' "Les Misérables"
written by Bella Gordan, a sophomore at San Juan Hills High School

Released after nineteen grueling years as a prisoner, Jean Valjean desires to start anew, but after receiving only contempt and scorn, he escapes his parole and creates a new name and life for himself. Inspector Javert relentlessly hunts down Valjean, certain an ex-convict can never change his ways.

Jacob Tapia as Jean Valjean is beautifully authentic and poignant. He starts off determined to prove his worth in the world with a powerful voice and confidence in his eyes. At the barricades, Tapia reveals a fatherly tenderness in "Bring Him Home" when with anguish in his voice he woefully pleads to God to spare Marius. As Javert, Valjean's antithesis, Ethan Hall is unyieldingly loyal to the law and resentful towards "Prisoner 24601." After being spared by Valjean, Hall combusts as he heavily breathes, shakes with fury, and has his fist curled tightly into a ball with his face contorted with indignation, unable to question his black-and-white view of the world.

Lauren Cole's performance as Eponine is sincerely heartbreaking as she unrequitedly pines for Marius's (Liam Fellows) attention. As Marius converses with Cosette, Cole is dejected, staring down wistfully with her arms firmly crossed. As Eponine's parents, the Thenardiers, Kevin Gramling and Elena Sierzchula provide welcomed moments of comedic relief with their drunken stumbling and habitual snagging of anything loose. Whether it be a piece of bread or a few coins, Gramling and Sierzchula mischievously "reacquire" and stuff it in their shirt or pockets.

Lighting (Annie Gelfer) and choreography (Julia Cornell) work together to create memorable moments by utilizing an opaque screen. During Fantine and young Cosette's solos, the screen behind them is backlit, making it transparent, revealing a graceful dream ballet embodying their ideal life and juxtaposing those fantasies with their cruel reality.

Throughout the show, the deck crew (Les Mis Stage Crew) remains swift and efficient as they maneuver hefty set pieces. During complex scene transitions, even when visible, the crew's actions are unobtrusive, leaving the audience focused on the scene. Stage managers Maya Romero and Jeremy Lenard Prudencio skillfully call the show with impeccable timing for all 336 cues, creating a naturally flowing production.

With precise technical elements and genuine acting, Laguna Hills High School delivers a rendition of "Les Misérables" that reflects on the ability of people to redefine themselves in times of difficulty.

Annemarie Verkuylen
Mater Dei
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Laguna Hills' Les Miserables: School Edition is anything but miserable
written by Annemarie Verkuylen, a senior at Mater Dei High School

Faced with political upheaval and impoverished living conditions, 19th century France provided the perfect climate for challenging the status quo. Resentment and discontent bubbled into revolution as barricades were erected to protest the monarchy. Laguna Hills High School's production of Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's Les Miserables portrays the Revolutionaries' fight for liberty and equality with powerful, passionate characters and seamless transitions.

Boubil and Schönberg's adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel utilizes the elaborate connections of its characters to tell the story of the July Revolution. As ex-convict Jean Valjean seeks redemption after being imprisoned for nineteen years, several subplots are revealed: an inspector relentlessly pursuing a former criminal, the former criminal adopting a dying woman's daughter, and the daughter falling in love with a revolutionary student.

Jacob Tapia exhibits the tumultuous inner struggle of Valjean with engaging facials and rich vocals. Tapia allows the character to grow over the years, changing from vengeful prisoner to compassionate mayor to content, aged father, with calculated stance and mindful tone.

Valjean finds an adversary in Javert, portrayed by Ethan Hall who demonstrates Javert's black and white view of life with stern physicality, authoritative diction, and combative usage of his baton. However, he shows another side of the character when wrestling with the idea that people can change emotionally and mentally.

In a world full of turmoil and despair, the Thenardiers (Kevin Gramling and Elena Sierzchula) provide much needed comic relief. The pair showcase masterful control of physicality and comedic timing.

J.P. Van Dam's Gavroche steals the show with youthful energy and a zeal for the revolution. With boyish charm and endearing mannerisms, Van Dam is a contrast to the world of adults and a reminder of the younger generation.

Annie Gelfer, lighting design, helps to convey the mood of the show with strategic coloring. With pink representing love and red representing passion and anger, the lighting helps to pull the audience into the story. The publicity team is innovative with their show's promotion with a strong social media presence and customized posters and buttons. They know their target audience and found effective ways to connect with them.

The production's themes of how choices affect our lives and the fight against the status quo call the audience to observe our world today and to strive to change it for the better.