StageGR - WKTV Journal

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.

By Kate Moore

Grand Rapids Public Museum

Just in time for the holidays the Grand Rapids Public Museum, in partnership with Stage GR, will present Clark Gesner’s classic musical, “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” which ties into the Public Museum’s current exhibit “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown.”

Visitors will enjoy six of the Peanuts characters; piano prodigy Schroeder, Bossy Lucy, Sally the perfectionist, Blanket toting Linus, beloved Snoopy and of course the old “blockhead,” Charlie Brown. Brief vignettes through the show span the months from Valentine’s Day to Beethoven Day, from wild optimism to utter despair.

The show will run on various dates and times starting on Saturday, Dec. 10, and continuing through Dec. 31. All shows will take place in the Meijer Theater at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Show-only tickets are $10 for non-members, and $5 for museum members. Show tickets with general admission to the GRPM included are $18 for adults and $13 for children. Tickets may be purchased at grpm.org, by calling 616-929-1700 or at the Museum’s Front Desk.

The cast includes Kevin O’Neil as Charlie Brown; Sarah Dickens as Snoopy; Carter Strobel as Schroeder; Pheobe Dawson as Lucy; Hayden Strobel as Linus; and Alyssa Rose Mason as Sally. The stage director is Ella Morgan and music director is Bethany Schutter.

“Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown” Exhibit

In addition to “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,” visitors can also plan to see the special holiday exhibit “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown” now open at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Admission to the exhibit is included with general admission to the Museum.

“Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown,” which is at the Public Museum through Jan. 29, is made up of high-quality digital reproductions of Charles M. Schulz’s original Peanuts strips with thematic graphics and features 3D Peanuts novelties. Kids can write to Santa at the interactive letter writing station, and the whole family can take a photo with the iconic Snoopy’s Doghouse outside the exhibit! Visitors see a behind the scenes look at the making of the animated classic, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”