With their first dress rehearsal behind them, the cast of Selkirk Secondary's production of Les Misérables are very excited for what they have in store for audiences next month.
Robert McCue is directing and Sven Heyde is the musical director for this beautiful musical. This will be McCue and Heyde's second musical together, after The Sound of Music was well received at McKim Theatre in Kimberley in 2011. McCue and Heyde have a stellar cast in store, as well as a terrific orchestra, a 16-foot rotating stage, and some spectacular costumes.
Les Misérables is set in the early 1800s in France, and follows the story of Jean Valjean, a convict-turned hero whose love for his adopted daughter Cosette leads him to redemption. Cosette meets and falls in love with Marius in the streets of Paris, while Marius's best friend Enjolras is leading a group of students to rebellion against the French Monarchy, which is set against an actual historical event, the June Rebellion of 1832. A whole host of dazzling and exciting characters come along on the journey as the downtrodden of France seek justice.
The presentation is buoyed by the return of Penny Flegel and Sioban Staplin as properties manager and costume designers, respectively. Returning to the stage from their roles in The Sound of Music are Clara MacLeod, Gustaf Hagland, Brooke Janzer, Gemma Remple, Kennedy Sterzer, Emery Hoko, Kayla Giguere, Blake Sharpe, Claudia Cummins, Aria Siega, and Derek Waugh. Some outstanding new actors include Jordan Anderson, Gaëtan Boué, Declan Armstrong, Devin Fikis, and Connor Klassen. The directors are once again excited to include students from all levels in this production.
This is once again an entire community production with the staffs of McKim and Selkirk helping with a great variety of tasks, including set-building, ushering, stage managing, and working the lighting and sound. Ryan Treber's woodshop students at the high school have built a few large set pieces as well as several reproduction period pieces of furniture. Frida Viklund and Michael Hepher (the latter of Clawhammer Press) are responsible for the outstanding posters that have already been causing a stir around town.
The orchestra is second-to-none with 20 musicians from the Kimberley and Cranbrook area ready to amaze the audience with the power and beauty of Claude-Michel Schönberg's score. Heyde is thrilled to be leading such a stellar group of musicians, and is awed as always with their time, talent, and commitment, ensuring a stellar product for audiences.
Don't miss Selkirk Secondary's production of Les Misérables, which runs at McKim Theatre from Feb. 13-16, at 7:30 p.m., with 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. shows on Feb. 16. Tickets are now available at McKim Middle School office in Kimberley and Lotus Books in Cranbrook. Tickets are $12, with students getting in for $5 on Thursday, Feb. 14, and seniors getting in for $5 on the Saturday matinee.