Les Miserables at Colony High

The most ambitious production ever attempted in Colony High School history will offer 12 performances: Thursday, Friday and two shows on Saturday. The performances continue with the same schedule Feb. 12-14 and Feb. 19-21. Showtimes are 7 p.m., and 1 p.m. for the Saturday matinees.

“Les Miserables” has touched millions of lives over its history-making run. The novel, in its original form by Victor Hugo, at 1,222 pages, is daunting to say the least. The movie with Liam Neeson, Uma Thurman, Claire Danes and Geoffrey Rush, produced in 1998, was a compelling effort to bring the redemption story to life. But the musical stage is the most powerful venue for this story. The music stirs the blood, the color and scope of a student protest emulates the French Revolution immerses the audience into the story of a common man, ex-convict, Jean Valjean, who must be transformed by the act of another to achieve his best self. All the while, the French people battle for freedom from tyranny on the streets of Paris behind their self-made barricade.

The show is now the longest continuously running musical in London, at more than 21 years.

Tickets can be purchased in advance by e-mailing dawn.brettrager@matsuk12.us, calling 861-5566 or going to the website showtix4u.com where you can purchase tickets with a $1 surcharge by credit card. Ticket prices can be bought for the show only at $10 for students and $15 for adults, or as “dinner theater”, $21 for students and $25 for adults.

Dinner, provided by the Colony High School Swim and Dive Team on Friday and Saturday evenings only, starts at 5:30 p.m. Proceeds for the dinner go to the Swim and Dive Team while show ticket proceeds go to the Colony High School Drama Club which has paid for all the costs of putting on the play.