Les Misérables Ambassador Blog

By : Kate

I am beyond thankful for the ambassador program giving me the opportunity to see Les Mis, I now understand why people say you should see it once in your life. 

I cannot even begin to describe how amazing the actors were in this performance, the power and tonality within each belt and ballad would make any musical connoisseur proud. However, I wanted to shed light on the tech perspective of this musical. I am absolutely astonished by the technical aspect, the moving parts, the quick scene transitions, and the clever lighting tactics that were used to deliver such a captivating story. 

Beginning with the lighting, the stage was consistently dim throughout, allowing the show to highlight the characters that were delivering a deeper meaning. However, upon looking into the shadows, one can see how equally important the background of each scene is. My favorite lighting aspect occurred when a character tragically passed. A gleaming beam of white light would shine upon their faces, illuminating the tragedy of an untimely death. 

The synchronization of so many lighting and sound choices was phenomenal. The flash of light coupled with the screeching sound of gunshots took the crowd directly into the depths of revolutionary France.

I wish I could’ve given long round of applause to the running crew that night! The amount of immensely quick scene changes astonished me. It felt as though no set piece ever appeared more than once. The way two outside buildings transformed from the poorest districts of France to the streets of Paris, the see-through curtains adding depth to the actor’s surroundings, and the brilliance of Javert’s final scene, all serve as proof of the brilliantly planned technical theater design and execution.

It is even more impressive to think that all of this will be packed up, and set on the road again next week to grace a new theater’s stage with French misery.  Merci Les Misérables!