Review: LES MISERABLES at Kennedy Center

For the next two weeks, The Kennedy Center hosts one of the most classic Broadway National Tours, Les Misérables (dubbed "Les Miz"), to share the story of a man who continues to run from his past as we watch the struggles of living in 19th century France intertwine with his story. From the story's first conception by Victor Hugo in 1862, to the first musical performance on the West End, and then on Broadway, Les Miz continues to be a show that people of many ages will go out of their way to experience, and this production continued to prove why.

As someone who has seen the show many times over the years, this rendition of the classic musical stuck out from the rest. With a relatively new (and young) cast, a different energy was brought to the story that was intriguing to watch. On its own, Les Miz is a beast of a show to take on. A long and difficult score, high emotional intensity, large moving set pieces, and the run time by itself is not an easy feat. With this new energy, there was a shift on stage that made those difficulties seem easy for this cast.

With material that has a very serious tone throughout the majority of the show, there was a unique sense of playfulness the cast seemed to present. Everyone seemed very engaged with each other, as well as the audience. Ad libs that I had not noticed in previous runs became apparent in this production that made the story flow with authenticity and transported you even further into it. The audience shared many gasps, laughs, screams, and smiles throughout the entire performance because of how captivated they were. It was very entertaining witnessing the emotional effect this cast had placed upon the audience.

Les Miz veteran, Nick Cartell, continues his reign as Jean Valjean and, as always, stuns everyone in the theater. Having seen Cartell in other runs of Les Miz, I was very excited to see his performance again. This time, he brought a deeper sense of maturity to the role that was very enjoyable to watch. You watch Jean Valjean's life unfurl with Cartell's storytelling as he shows how much he has endured as the years continue on in the story. Continuously having a stellar vocal performance, we do see Valjean age as he tires from avoiding his past, which indicates how much Cartell has been able to grow with this character and embody Jean Valjean to his fullest potential.

To continue the praise for vocal performances, Les Miz newcomer, Haley Dortch, blew everyone away with her performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" as Fantine. Dortch immediately brought everyone in to see and feel Fantine's struggles, and the second she began the popular tune, everyone was hooked. Her tone was absolutely fantastic, adding a more modern feel to a song sung for many years, which added more depth and emotion to the story as well.

Another amazing vocal performance was that of Christine Heesun Hwang's as Éponine. Another newcomer to the tour, Hwang stood out with her immense talent in this role. Portraying a character whose life didn't end up how she had hoped is an emotional task. Especially when this character also has to act like it doesn't get to her. Hwang took those feelings in and made Éponine her own. Eventually, letting it out in the well-known "On My Own," and executing it flawlessly.

Each person in this cast displayed their talent and showed us why they were on that stage. Performances from Gregory Lee Rodriguez as Marius, Addie Morales as Cosette, Preston Truman Boyd as Javert, and Devin Archer as Enjorlas were impressively done as well. Along with those, we can't forget about our Master of the House and his wife - Matt Crowle (Thénardier) and Christina Rose Hall (Madame Thénardier). Being the comic relief in such a heavy show can be a daunting, yet exciting task. We can all use a break from the darkness and solemness once in a while, and these actors were the perfect remedy. "Master of the House" was the lively and upbeat number that we were all waiting for. The work between Crowle and Hall was so fun to watch, and you could tell they had fun doing it. Their character choices were top notch and spot on throughout the entire show. I found myself watching them, even if the attention was not supposed to be on them, because they were so entertaining and provided that sense of lightheartedness that was sprinkled throughout the performance.

Of course, Les Misérables was a wonderful show to see again, and I highly recommend grabbing tickets before they sell out. You will be in for a night of amazing vocals, great music, wonderful acting, and a memorable story.

Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes with one intermission

Les Misérables runs through April 19th, 2023 at the Kennedy Center, located at 2700 F St., NW, Washington, DC 20566 in the Opera House.

For more information on the Les Misérables national tour, click here.