Photo Flash: LES MISERABLES 25th Anniversary Tour Opens at Center Theatre Group

The all new production of "Les Misérables," featuring glorious new staging and spectacular re-imagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, just opened at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre on Friday, June 17, 2011. Performances will continue through July 31, 2011.

Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Boublil and Schönberg's "Les Misérables" has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer from the original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton. The production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell, designed by Matt Kinley, inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, with costumes by Andreane Neofitou and additional costumes by Christine Rowland, lighting by Paule Constable and sound by Mick Potter.

J. Mark McVey portrays the fugitive Jean Valjean. He is joined by Andrew Varela as Javert, Michael Kostroff as Thénardier, Shawna M. Hamic as Madame Thénardier, Betsy Morgan as Fantine, Jeremy Hays as Enjolras, Chasten Harmon as Eponine, Justin Scott Brown as Marius and Jenny Latimer as Cosette. Katherine Forrester and Anastasia Korbal alternate in the role of Little Cosette. Colin DePaula and Ethan Paul Khusidman alternate in the role of Gavroche.

The ensemble includes Richard Todd Adams, Richard Barth, Cathryn Basile, Julie Benko, Cole Burden, Briana Carlson-Goodman, Casey Erin Clark, Jason Forbach, Lucia Giannetta, Ian Patrick Gibb, Cooper Grodin, Ben Gunderson, Beth Kirkpatrick, Cornelia Luna, Benjamin Magnuson, Jason Ostrowski, Max Quinlan, John Rapson, Rachel Rincione, Sarah Shahinian, Alan Shaw, Joseph Spieldenner, Joe Tokarz, Aliya Victoriya and Natalie Weiss.

The New York Times calls this "Les Misérables" "an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish." The London Times hails the new show as "a five star hit, astonishingly powerful and as good as the original." The Star-Ledger says it is "a dynamically re-imagined hit. This ‘Les Misérables' has improved with age" and NY1-TV proclaims "this new production actually exceeds the original. The storytelling is clearer, the perspective grittier and the motivations more honest. Musical theatre fans can rejoice: ‘Les Miz' is born again."

Based on Victor Hugo's classic novel, "Les Misérables" is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. The magnificent score of "Les Misérables" includes the classic songs "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," "Stars," "Bring Him Home," "Do You Hear the People Sing?," "One Day More," "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," "Master Of The House" and many more.
"Les Misérables" originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on October 8, 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on December 4, 1985, and moved to its current home at the Queen's Theatre on April 3, 2004, where it continues to play to packed houses. When "Les Misérables" celebrated its 21st London birthday on October 8, 2006, it became the world's longest-running musical, surpassing the record previously held by "Cats" in London's West End.

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the legendary musical "Les Misérables" made theatrical history with an international first - three different productions in London at the same time: the original production (still playing to packed houses at the Queen's Theatre), the acclaimed new 25th Anniversary production at the Barbican (where the show originally premiered) and a celebratory concert at The O2 Arena. The O2 Concert was presented in over 500 cinemas throughout the United States on November 17, 2010, and is now available on Blu-ray DVD through Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

The Broadway production of "Les Misérables" originally opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987, and transferred to the Imperial Theatre on October 17, 1990, running for 6,680 performances. The U.S. National Tour began in November 1987 and visited over 150 cities before closing in St. Louis, MO in 2006. Broadway audiences welcomed "Les Miz" back to New York on November 9, 2006, where the show played the Broadhurst Theatre until its final performance on January 6, 2008. To date, "Les Misérables" remains the 3rd longest-running Broadway production of all time.

Seen by nearly 60 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, "Les Misérables" is undisputedly one of the world's most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe, with seven more currently scheduled. There have been 36 cast recordings of "Les Misérables," including the multi-platinum London cast recording, the Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums and the soon to be released live recording of the new 25th Anniversary production. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold millions of copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,500 productions of the Les Misérables School's Edition scheduled or being performed by over 125,000 school children in the UK, U.S. and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools. Cameron Mackintosh is currently developing a film of "Les Misérables" with Working Title and Universal.

Tickets for "Les Misérables" are available by calling (213) 972-4400 or online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org or in person at the CTG box office located at the Ahmanson Theatre at the Music Center.

Photo Credit: ©Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging