Robert Wilde, Rod Thomas, Hannah Corneau & More to Lead LES MISERABLES at Paramount Theatre This Spring

You're not dreaming a dream. Aurora's Paramount Theatre, wower of audiences and critics this season with consecutive smash hits CATS, Mary Poppins and The Who's Tommy, is closing its 2014-15 Broadway Series with LES MISERABLES, one of the greatest musicals of all time, March 18-April 26, 2015.

Previews start March 18. Press opening is Saturday, March 21 at 8 p.m. Regular performances continue through April 26. Show times are Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $41 to $54. The Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd., in the heart of downtown Aurora.

For tickets and information, go to ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or visit the Paramount box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and two hours prior to evening performances. LES MISERABLES is rated PG.

Paramount's creative team is infusing exciting new life into Victor Hugo's monumental novel, the unforgettable story of an ex-convict, Jean Valjean, and his journey for redemption. On the heels of his current hit production, The Who's Tommy, Paramount Artistic Director Jim Corti also directs Les Mis, with Tom Vendafreddo likewise following up Tommy as Paramount Theatre Orchestra music director and conductor.

Last week on his blog, Corti revealed his "formidable, all-star cast" writing, "Ricky Falbo, currently a knock out on our stage as 10-year-old Tommy, is mighty street rebel Gavroche. Little Eponine is Savannah Groh who matures into the Eponine of fantastic, soulful Lillie Cummings, featured as Sally Simpson in Tommy. Little Cosette is Nicole Scimeca, Gretl in Lyric Opera's The Sound of Music. Golden voiced Erica Stephan is Cosette, and her Marius is Devin DeSantis, who is currently thrilling and rocking audiences as Tommy himself!"

"Nicholas Foster richly voices the humble, ardent Bishop of Digne. Lancelot of Drury Lane's recent Camelot, terrific Travis Taylor makes his Paramount debut as handsome, fiery Enjolras, galvanizing the students of The June Rebellion in Paris of 1832. George Keating returns and Marya Grandy makes her Paramount debut to create an evil portrait of The Thenardiers. In gorgeous, raven-haired Hannah Corneau, seen in our Fiddler on the Roof, is a leading lady of remarkable vocal beauty, Fantine. Our handsome, brooding Javert, Rod Thomas, will stun with his powerful baritone as a black-hearted and very human soul, at once righteous and lost.

"Naperville native, New York actor, Robert Wilde is our leading man in the impossible role of Jean Valjean. A supremely gifted and compelling singer of extraordinary range and actor of staggering prowess and vulnerability; this is a very exciting occasion for Robert's return to Chicago Theatre. He is in a word, superb."

The cast also features singers/actors/dancers Aubrey Adams, Ben Barker, Victoria Blade, Nathan Gardner, Jesse Grider, Sophie Grimm, Jason Kraack, Molly Kral, Elizabeth Lanza, Russell Mernagh, Jeff Meyer, Brandon Moorhead, Chelsea Morgan, Rob Riddle, Patrick Rooney, Steve Russell and Patrick Tierney. Young actors include Shane Frantz, Madeline Hotham and Gianna Groh.

In true Paramount tradition, the 14-member Paramount Orchestra, conducted by Tom Vendafreddo, will play the full, original Broadway orchestrations for LES MISERABLES.

The design team includes Trent Stork, assistant director; Kevin Depinet and Jeff Kmiec, set; Theresa Ham, costumes; Jesse Klug, lights; Nick Belley, assistant lights; Adam Rosenthal, sound; Ethan Deppe, assistant sound; Sarah Ross, props; Lauren Cecil and Katie Cordts, wigs; and Rick Gilbert and Victor Bayona, R&D Choreography, violence design. Rose Marie Packer is Stage Manager and Rebecca Louise Fischer is Assistant Stage Manager.

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