The Artist Series Presents LES MISERABLES, 5/1-6

Tickets are on sale for Cameron Mackintosh's New 25^th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables at Jacksonville's Times-Union Center from May 1^st - 6^th for eight performances only.  The all new production of Les Misérables features glorious new staging and spectacular reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.  

To purchase tickets, visit www.artistseriesjax.org, call (904) 632-3373, or visit The Artist Series Box Office in person at 501 West State Street, Ste. #109, Jacksonville, FL 32202.  Ticket prices start at $27.00.  For more information on the production, engagement dates, and locations, please visit www.LesMis.com.  For a video sneak peek of the New 25^thAnniversary Production of Les Misérables, please visit www.LesMis.com/watch. 

Peter Lockyer portrays the fugitive Jean Valjean.  He is joined by Andrew Varela as Javert, Timothy Gulan as Thénardier, Shawna M. Hamic as Madame Thénardier, Betsy Morgan as Fantine, Jason Forbach as Enjolras,Chasten Harmon as Éponine, Max Quinlan as Marius and Lauren Wiley as Cosette.  Erin Cearlock and Juliana Simone alternate in the role of Little Cosette/Young Éponine.  Joshua Colley and Marcus D'Angelo alternate in the role of Gavroche. 

The ensemble includes Richard Todd Adams, Richard Barth, Natalie Beck, John Brink, Casey Erin Clark, Ian Patrick Gibb, Ben Gunderson, Siri Howard, Beth Kirkpatrick, Cornelia Luna, Nadine Malouf, Jordan Nichols, Weston Wells Olson, Jason Ostrowski, John Rapson, Rachel Rincione, Heather Jane Rolff, Hannah Shankman, Alan Shaw, Mavis Simpson-Ernst, Joseph Spieldenner, Joe Tokarz, Eric Van Tielen, Natalie Weiss and James Zannelli.

The New York Times calls Les Misérables "an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish." The London Times hails the new show "a five star hit, astonishingly powerful and as good as the original."  The Star-Ledger says "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." 

"I'm delighted that 25 years after Les Miz originally opened in London, the audience for this marvelous show is bigger and younger than ever before," said producer Cameron Mackintosh.  "Over the years, I have seen many successful but visually different productions, so it has been exciting to draw inspiration from the brilliant drawings and paintings of Victor Hugo himself, integrated with spectacular projections.  The new Les Miz is a magnificent mix of dazzling images and epic staging, driving one of the greatest musical stories ever told." 

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.

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, additional material by James Fenton and original adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.  The original Les Misérablesorchestrations are by John Cameron with new orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke and additional orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe and Stephen Brooker.  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 Rowlands, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Mick Potter, musical staging by Michael Ashcroft and projections by Fifty-Nine Productions.  

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 21^st 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 25^th 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 25^th 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 US 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 3^rd 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 25^th Anniversary Production.  The video of the 10^th 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, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools.  Cameron Mackintosh is currently developing the film of Les Misérables with Working Title and Universal. 

Tickets for the New 25^th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables begin at $27.00 and are available at The Artist Series Box Office at (904) 632-3373 or online at www.artistseriesjax.org.  Discounts are available for groups of 10+ by calling (904) 632-3228 or by emailing groupsales@fscj.edu.  

To watch a video sneak peek, please visit www.lesmis.com/watch.

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