BWW Blog: Kelly McCormick of PTC's LES MIS - Dirt On, Dirt Off

Ah, that first day of rehearsal . . . you arrive in a really cute outfit, eager to meet all the other attractive people you'll be in the trenches with for the next few months . . . the Designers make their presentations, showing everyone how beautiful the stage will look and how gorgeous the cast will be in costume. Oh, if only that bliss of knowing that you look good could last. *Sigh.*

Day one of rehearsal for PTC's Les Mis: during the Designers' presentations, our Resident Hair and Makeup Designer, Amanda French, stood up and said, "I have a mantra for you all: dirt on, dirt off." For anyone that has ever done Les Mis, you know how true this is. Everyone, with the exception of Javert, looks like they've been rolling around in a pigpen for weeks. This dirt goes so deep that Les Mis alumni have been known to be scrubbing it out of their pores six months after leaving the show. Amanda estimated that in 2007, we went through 10,000 baby wipes - about 1,000 per week! There are more "dirt changes" in this show than costume changes! Since we've been steeping in that dirt for a little while now, I'd like to introduce you to our very pretty cast . . . we cleaned up so well for the Opening Night Party! These photos are as much for us as for you . . . so that we remember what we really look like! Enjoy!

Our beautiful Opening Night Party at Ichiban's - the best sushi in Salt Lake City!

Reunited and it feels so good: Charles Morey (Director), Kelly McCormick (Fantine) & Karen Azenberg (PTC Artistic Director & Les Mis Choreographer).

Sarah Killough (Factory Girl), Christianne Tisdale (Mme. Thenardier) & Jane Killough (Sarah's awesome mom!)

Matt Stokes (Ensemble), Perry Sherman (Marius), Billy Hagee (Ensemble), Jeffrey Scott Stevens (Ensemble) & Michael Jablonski (Grantaire)

Kelly McCormick (Fantine), Amanda Vortmann & Kevin Vortmann (Enjolras). The Vortmanns claim they're not photogenic . . . um, what?!???

Josh Davis (Javert) & Joe Cassidy (Jean Valjean)

Dustin Bolt (Ensemble) with Lauren Rathbun (Crew)

Dara Hartman (Ensemble) with Joe Cassidy (Jean Valjean)

Lindsea Garside (Ensemble) with her husband, Brandon Garside; Darlene Agle with her husband, Erik Agle (Ensemble)

Dale Hensley (Thenardier) feeling strong after all that sushi!

Michael Jablonski (Grantaire) shows us how to multitask with chopsticks.

Manna Nichols (Eponine), Abigail Scott (Young Eponine), Melissa Mitchell (Cosette), Maggie Scott (Young Cosette) & Zoe Heiden (Young Cosette)

Sushi makes us silly!

Manna Nichols (Eponine), Zachary Brown (Gavroche), Melissa Mitchell (Cosette)

Kelly McCormick (Fantine), Jeffrey Scott Stevens (Ensemble), Lindsea Garside (Ensemble)

Billy Hagee (Ensemble), Kelly McCormick (Fantine), Jeffrey Scott Stevens (Ensemble), Lindsea Garside (Ensemble)

Jeffrey Scott Stevens (Ensemble), Chad Coudriet (Ensemble), Ashley Gardner Carlson (Ensemble) & Mary Fanning Driggs (Ensemble)

Josh Davis (Javert) & Erin Hiatt

David Spencer (Bishop) & Jeffrey Scott Stevens (Ensemble)

Christianne Tisdale (Mme. Thenardier) & Abigail Scott (Young Eponine)