Tag Archives: Les Miserables

Broadway Grand Rapids announces 2023-2024 season

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By John Gonzalez
WKTV Contributor

Broadway Grand Rapids President and CEO Meghan Distel and Bob Bucci from Broadway Across Grand Rapids announces the 2023-2024 season. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

Not one, but two Michigan premieres highlight a “thrilling”new season for Broadway Grand Rapids, which announced its 2023-2024 shows on Monday as part of a preview at DeVos Performance Hall.

Celebrating its 35th anniversary, BGR will bring the Michigan premiere of Broadway’s most Tony Award-winning new show of the season, “MJ,” and the musical comedy revival of “Funny Girl,” announced president and CEO Meghan Distel.

Other shows include: “Disney’s Aladdin,” the entertaining “TINA- The Tina Turner Musical,” and the critically acclaimed new play, Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird.” In addition, patrons will have the option to add the ever-popular “Les Misérables” and “Wicked.”

“We are thrilled to celebrate our 35th anniversary season with such a stellar line-up” Distel said. “From ‘MJ’ to ‘Aladdin,’ the season is diverse, wildly entertaining, and truly offers something for everyone. It’s the very best of Broadway, adds vibrancy to our city, and keeps Grand Rapids on the map as a cultural destination.”

Ticket Prices

Five-show season packages which include “Funny Girl,” “TINA-The Tina Turner Musical,” “Disney’s Aladdin,” “To Kill A Mockingbird,” and “MJ,” start at $225 and are available now at BroadwayGrandRapids.com/Subscribe, at the Broadway Grand Rapids box office located at 122 Lyon St NW (Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) or by calling the dedicated subscriber hotline at 1-866-928-7469 (Monday – Friday 10a.m. – 5 p.m.).

Season ticket holders have the option to add “Les Misérables” and “Wicked” to their package now. All subscribers are guaranteed the same seats for each show in the five-show package and receive exclusive benefits including interest free payment plan, flexible exchanges, online ticket management, and ability to auto-renew year after year.

For current season ticket holders, the deadline to renew is Monday, March 27.

All performances will be presented at DeVos Performance Hall in downtown Grand Rapids.

Subscription Series

Broadway Grand Rapids President and CEO Meghan Distel and Bob Bucci from Broadway Across Grand Rapids announce that “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” will be part of the 2023-2024 season. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

FUNNY GIRL – Featuring one of the greatest musical scores of all time, including classic songs “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People,” this bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway.

TINA – The Tina Turner Musical – “TINA–The Tina Turner Musical” is the triumphant story of the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits. “TINA–The Tina Turner Musical” presents Tina’s journey against all odds to become one of the world’s most beloved artists of all time. Featuring her much loved songs, “TINA–The Tina Turner Musical” is written by Pulitzer Prize award-winning playwright Katori Hall and directed by the internationally acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd.

Disney’s ALADDIN – Discover a whole new world at ALADDIN, the hit Broadway musical. From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of ALADDIN, a thrilling new production filled with unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle. It’s an extraordinary theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite.

Jacob Dickey, who stars as Aladdin in the Broadway production of Disney “Aladdin.” performs during the season announcement event. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

Harper Lee’s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD – All rise for Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork. The New York Times Critic’s Pick TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is “the most successful American play in Broadway history” (60Minutes). New York Magazine calls it “a real phenomenon. Majestic and incandescent, it’s filled with breath and nuance and soul.” With direction by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD has quickly become “one of the greatest plays in history” (NPR).

MJ – The music. The moves. The icon. Now, the unparalleled artistry of the greatest entertainer of all time comes to Grand Rapids. MJ, the multi–Tony Award-winning new musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, begins a tour of its own. Created by Tony Award-winning Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, MJ goes beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, offering a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Michael Jackson into legendary status.

Package Add-Ons

LES MISÉRABLES – Cameron Mackintosh presents the acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Tony Award- winning musical phenomenon. LES MISÉRABLES. Set against the backdrop of 19th century France. LES MISÉRABLES is a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages. LES MISÉRABLES still undisputedly “one of the greatest musicals ever created” (Chicago Tribune).

WICKED – WICKED, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle. Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin — smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.” From the first electrifying note to the final breathtaking moment, WICKED—the untold true story of the Witches of Oz—transfixes audiences with its wildly inventive story that USA Today cheers is “a complete triumph! An original musical that will make you laugh, cry, and think.”

For more information about events visit www.BroadwayGrandRapids.com

Locally Entertaining: Talking theater with some of the cast of StageGR’s ‘Les Miz’

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Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma visits with four of the cast of Stage GR’s “Les Miserables” production (from left): Jack Reeves, Alexa Wollney, Rocco Maggi, and Jaclyn VerHulst. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

More than 60 area students from 26 different schools have come together to present the world’s second-longest running musical, “Les Miserables” as part of the StageGR season.

Show dates are April 25 -27 with all of the evening shows sold out. However, tickets are still available for the 11 a.m. and the 3 p.m. shows which are at Calvin College’s Gezon Auditorium, located on the Calvin College campus, 3201 Burton St. SE.

For the current segment of “Locally Entertaining,” I sat-down with four of the cast members of the production:

To listen to the “Locally Entertaining podcast, click here.

Jack Reeves, a senior from Grand Rapids City High School, plays the lead, Jean Valjean. Reeves may be a familiar face to many as he most recently was part of the Actors’ Theatre production of “Burnt Part Boys,” and received high praise for his portrayal of Quasimodo in StageGR’s “The Hunchback of Norte Dame.”

Check out the video recording of the podcast.

A hand-drawn poster by Jacob Kenny, another “Les Miserables” cast member. (StageGR)

Alexa Wollney, a junior at Byron Center High School, plays Madame Thenardier. She recently completed the role of Sebastian in Byron Center High School’s production of “The Little Mermaid,” and was just cast in Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s summer production of “All Shook Up!”

Rocco Maggi, an exchange student from Italy attending Byron Center Charter School, is in the ensemble. Prior to September 2018, Rocco had never been involved in theater (or even a musical) before. He has performed in three community theater productions, most recently as part of the ensemble of Grand Rapid Civic Theatre’s “Mamma Mia!”

Jaclyn VerHulst, a junior from Lowell High School, is in the ensemble. Jaclyn has performed in several local community productions and was recently in the Ionia Community Players’ production of “Legally Blonde.” She will be part of Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s summer production of “Alice in Wonderland.”

Story Synopsis: Based off the book by Victor Hugo (who also wrote “Hunchback of Norte Dame”), “Les Miserables,” also known as “Les Miz” in most English countries, follows Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his desire for redemption after serving 19 years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving child. Valjean decides to break his parole and start his life anew after a bishop inspires him by a tremendous act of mercy, but he is relentlessly tracked down by a police inspector named Javert. Transformed by the bishop’s generosity, Valjean’s restored humanity moves him to adopt the orphaned girl Cosette and makes a vow to her dying mother that he will protect her with his life. Pursued by Javert, Jean leads a cautious life in Paris and along the way, he and a slew of character are swept into a revolutionary period in France, where a group of young idealists attempt to overthrow the government at a street barricade. 

The musical, which has won a number of awards, includes such songs as “On My Own,” “I Dreamed A Dream,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” and “One More Day.”

Check out the cast signing “One More Day.

Tickets are $13. For tickets, visit the StageGR Facebook page, and click Events.

Grand Rapids Civic Theater presents the classic Les Miserables

Local Entertainment

Le MisIt’s a must see and tickets are going fast.   Don’t miss this wonderful production as it takes the stage from February 28 – March 30 at Grand Rapids Civic Theater.

 

Les Misérables opened at the Barbican Theatre in 1985, to immediate success; so much success Community Theatres around the world have never been granted the rights to produce. That all changed in 2012, when Music Theatre International (MTI) made a call to the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts. “The licensing company was interested in knowing if (community) theatres would want to produce this piece. Their first call was to our very own Civic Theatre,” beamed Executive and Artistic Director, Bruce E. Tinker. “Let me be clear, there was no hesitation in our saying YES.”

 

Accepting the challenge to produce a theatrical masterpiece is no small undertaking. The Theatre had a narrow window to produce (June 2013 – March 2014, due to a return to Broadway in March) and selected March 2014 as the treasured Spring Musical of an outstanding 2013/2014 season line-up.

 

“This play brings responsibility,” Tinker notes. “The community’s high expectations of such a well-known show will be met by the music and talent of our West Michigan singers.” More than 360 people auditioned for the 47 roles available. “We are so blessed to have so many talented West Michigan performers,” stated Tinker, “we could have cast this show with nearly everyone who auditioned.”

 

Based on the Victor Hugo 1862 French Novel, Les Misérables is a testament to the human spirit. The story follows accused hero Jean Valjean and his loving daughter Cosette through 1815-1832 France. Tinker states, “This play is a clarification of the story, rather than a reinterpretation, and we do this through the beauty of song”

 

The show opens on February 28th and runs through March 30th.

 

Ticket Prices $18 – $35

 See events calendar for specific days and times: http://grct.org/eventschedule.html

 For information on the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre or to purchase tickets, call 616-222-6650 or visit www.GRCT.org.