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• Students of all ages bring an authentic feel to "Les Mis"

Last weekend the Champaign Urbana Theatre Company (CUTC) presented the Student Edition of "Les Misérables" at the historic Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign. The show opened to a packed house of enthusiastic community members who gave the performance a standing ovation. With impressive teen leads, contributing younger actors and a powerful chorus there was indeed a great deal of talent on the stage.

The cast was comprised of students ranging from eight to 18 years old from schools in the surrounding area. The variety of ages allowed for flexibility and authenticity, as younger children were able to play the roles of Young Cosette, Young Eponine and Gavroche.

Despite performing the student edition, shortened for length and some unsuitable content, the actors did not shy away from embracing the more adult content of the musical. The audience laughed at innuendos in the “Lovely Ladies” number, performed by a pimp, sailors and prostitutes, as well as the drunken debauchery and comedic Thénardier couple in “Master of the House."

It was especially refreshing to hear “I Dreamed a Dream” performed by someone other than Susan Boyle from Britain’s Got Talent. Laura Welle, an incoming UI freshman, played Fantine. Her rich alto voice delivered the song with a great deal more inflection and expression than Boyle. The other female leads were equally as engaging: the lead playing Cosette had an impressive range, and the lead playing Eponine performed “On My Own" with clear and sound vocal intonation.

Elaborate costumes and male wigs provided a true sentiment of the time. The set was simple, yet versatile: three separate brick walls framed the stage in an oval shape, and various props and set pieces would make appearances throughout. The stage’s rotating turntable also provided opportunity for quick prop changes and clever entrances. Toward the end of the production, many of the soldiers die on a barricade that was placed on this turntable. After the deaths, the turntable slowly rotated the barricade 360 degrees, providing a dramatic moment of reflection.