AFTER a lengthy audition process the cast of the Ararat Musical Comedy Society production of Les Misérables has been announced.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Over 65 people auditioned and director Pam Wright said it was a tough job choosing who the roles would go to.
“Vocal director Leanne McCready and I were overwhelmed by the talent and passion that people brought to their auditions,” she said.
“It was an incredibly difficult job to select the roles but we believe we have an amazing cast of talent, some of whom our audience will be familiar with, but some newcomers who absolutely blew us away.”
Leading the cast will be Ballarat’s Stephen Armati in the iconic role of Jean Valjean, who comes to Ararat with a wealth of experience.
He is currently directing Ballarat Lyric Theatre’s production of Jekyll and Hyde.
Mr Armati has a long association with theatre in Ballarat and Albury Wodonga, also directing Ballarat Lyric Theatre’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar last year.
Mr Armati said that when he saw the opportunity to audition for the role he “jumped at the chance.”
“It’s one of those ‘must do’ shows that’s always eluded me throughout my career,” he said.
“He’s a very complex role. I fell in love with the score when it was first released in the 1980s and I’ve seen it several times.”
Jean Valjean’s nemesis Javert will be played by Russell Purdie, who joined Ararat Musical Comedy Society this year as Johnny the stage manager in Curtains.
The majority of Mr Purdie’s theatre experience is with Shepparton Theatre Arts Group, playing lead roles in Grease and other productions as well as directing and acting in many plays in the group’s short play festival.
Mr Purdie also played Audrey 2 in Little Shop of Horrors with Tongala Little Theatre and Jud Fry in Numerkah Singers’ Oklahoma.
Other major cast include:
- Christine Bulger – Fantine,
- Luke Smith – Marius,
- Melissa Sanders – Cosette,
- Michael Peter – Enjolras,
- Erin Peter – Eponine,
- Ian Wright – Thenardier,
- Joyce Clery – Madame Thenardier,
- Greg Turnbull – Bishop of Digne,
- Jude Bulger – Gavroche,
- Maiara Barry-Goncalves – young Cosette,
- Erin Sanders – young Eponine,
- Jack Bartlett – Gavroche’s understudy,
- Natalie Kumnick – young Cosette’s understudy.
Set in early 19th century France, Les Misérables is the story of Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his quest for redemption after serving nineteen 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 kindly bishop inspires him by a tremendous act of mercy, but he is relentlessly tracked down by a police inspector named Javert.
Along the way, Valjean and a slew of characters are swept into a revolutionary period in France, where a group of young idealists make their last stand at a street barricade.
Read more:
While you’re with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox each Friday morning from The Ararat Advertiser. To make sure you’re up-to-date with all the news from across the Ararat shire, sign up here.
