1) What is the general story line of Les Mis?
After nineteen years on the chain gang—five years for stealing a loaf of bread and the rest for trying to escape—Jean Valjean finds that the ticket-of-leave he must display condemns him to be an outcast. Saved from hatred and bitterness by the Bishop of Digne’s kindness and sacrifice, Valjean starts his life anew. As he faces multiple moral challenges and triumphs over his lesser self, Valjean helps many others as wretched (misérable) as he once was and discovers the redemptive power of love.
More at the official website: http://www.lesmis.com/uk/about/synopsis/
2) What are Schönberg’s and Boublil’s professions? How are they each involved in making the story of Les Mis come to life? I believe the original story came from a novel written by a different person, but you may have to correct me on that!
Claude-Michel Schönberg is a composer. Alain Boublil is a librettist, lyricist, and author.
They were inspired by Victor Hugo’s nineteenth-century epic novel Les Misérables to create the musical Les Mis (as it is fondly known around the world). Alain Boublil tells how he was thrilled by seeing the British musical Oliver! and walked the streets of London for hours afterwards, imagining Gavroche, the young hero of the barricades in Les Misérables, singing on stage.
Boublil and Schönberg wrote the original musical in French, their native language. It was a sell-out in its original 1980 Paris production, showing to a half million people in the large sports arena, the Palais des Sports, the only venue available at the time.
A couple of years later, British producer Cameron Mackintosh, amazed by the innovative brilliance of the music, worked with Schönberg and Boublil to bring the musical to the London stage, in English, in 1985. That Barbican Theatre production was directed by the award-winning Trevor Nunn and his co-director, John Caird.
Their work has received probably over 100 awards, including Golden Globes®, Tony Awards®, Grammys®, and a British Olivier Award® for best musical. Les Misérables—the world’s longest running musical—has won 76 international awards, played in 42 countries, in 330 cities, in 22 languages, and been enjoyed by over 70 million people. Miss Saigon first ran in London for a decade and has since played in 300 cities in 15 different languages and been seen by over 40 million people.
3) What will Schönberg and Boublil talk about when they come to U.Va.? Will anyone else speak at the event?
On Tuesday evening, September 30, 6:30 pm, in Culbreth Theatre, they will talk about their careers in musical theater, their collaboration for over 46 years, their experiences writing and reinventing their most famous musicals: Les Misérables and Miss Saigon. They will share their thoughts on turning their stage musical into the 2012 film Les Misérables, directed by Oscar-winner Tom Hooper and starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, and Russell Crowe. They will likely also tell us about what they are working on these days.
I will orchestrate the Tuesday evening conversation with Mr. Schönberg and Mr. Boublil.
The University Singers, directed by Professor Michael Slon, will open the Tuesday evening event by singing a few songs from Les Misérables and Miss Saigon.
During their multi-day visit, Mr. Schönberg and Mr. Boublil will also talk with students and faculty in these settings:
- Les Misérables: From Page to Stage to Screen, DRAM 3559
- London Study-Abroad students who saw Les Mis at Queen’s Theatre
- students who studied Les Misérables a year or two ago (in this course, for instance: http://news.virginia.edu/content/first-year-seminar-explores-why-les-mis-rables-remains-relevant)
- Arts Scholars
- Songwriting course students, MUSI 3370
- Masters of Fine Arts students in Drama
- University Singers
https://news.virginia.edu/content/creators-award-winning-les-mis-rables-take-center-stage-uva
4) Who do you expect to be in the audience? Students? Drama majors? Faculty and staff?
Yes, all of these, and also people from the community. Live Arts Theatre will perform Les Misérables this December and January, so community interest may be especially high this fall.
5) What is your title? How are you involved with this event?
Professor. I teach in the Drama Department.
I initiated and organized these events. I invited Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil to visit U.Va. to talk with students and faculty working on Les Misérables and in music and theater. In June I met Claude-Michel Schönberg when he graciously accepted my request to talk with him about my current book project. I am exploring what Victor Hugo and Les Misérables tell us about living a life of conscience and love. Victor Hugo put much of himself into the novel, and the artists who have reinvented his story in this world-renowned musical can share great insights about it.
6) Where did the idea for this event come from?
In early June when composer Claude-Michel Schönberg and I were talking about our experiences with Les Misérables, he was interested to learn that I teach Victor Hugo’s novel in conjunction with the musical. He offered to come to U.Va., and I found the co-sponsors (see below for list). He is interested in talking and working with students.
7) What is the cost of tickets?
Free, but all the tickets are currently claimed. Any tickets not picked up by 6:15 pm on Tuesday will be given to people in the standby line.
8) When will this event happen and where?
Tuesday, September 30, 2014, 6:30 p.m., Culbreth Theatre
It is important to acknowledge the co-sponsors: the Office of the Provost & the Vice Provost for the Arts, the Department of Drama, the Department of Music, the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the Institute of the Humanities and Global Cultures, and the Center for Global Inquiry and Innovation.
9) What do you expect to come out of this event?
- Inspiration for my Les Misérables students to engage even more deeply with the universal themes in Hugo story, whether in the novel, on stage, or on screen
- Inspiration and perhaps practical suggestions for music students interested in songwriting
- Insights into musical theater for interested students
- Rich conversations among all participants about the power of the arts to touch us deeply and improve our lives.
- Enhanced connections between UVa and Live Arts Theatre
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