Les Misérables cast excited
Ararat Musical Comedy Society has announced a cast for its 2019 production of Les Misérables.
Leading the cast will be Ballarat’s Stephen Armati in the iconic role of Jean Valjean. He comes to Ararat with a wealth of experience and is currently directing Ballarat Lyric Theatre’s production of Jekyll and Hyde.
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.
He has had lead roles in Lyric’s Rock of Ages and Ballarat Light Opera Company’s Miss Saigon and Chicago.
He also played the Beast in Albury-wodonga Theatre Company’s Beauty and the Beast.
Armati has performed in concerts across the region and at many corporate events.
Jean Valjean’s nemesis Javert will be played by Russell Purdie, who joined Ararat Musical Comedy Society last year as Johnny the stage manager in Curtains.
The majority of 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.
Purdie also played Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors with Tongala Little Theatre and Jud Fry in Numerkah Singers’ Oklahoma.
Other major cast members include Christine Bulger as Fantine, Luke Smith, Marius; Melissa Sanders, Cosette; Michael Peter, Enjolras; Erin Peter, Eponine; Ian Wright, Thenardie; Joyce Clery, Madame Thenardier; Greg Turnbull, Bishop of Digne; Jude Bulger, Gavroche; Maiara Barry-goncalves, young Cosette; Erin Sanders, young Eponine; Jack Bartlett, Gavroche understudy; and Natalie Kumnick, young Cosette 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 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 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.
Overwhelming support
Director Pam Wright said she was thrilled with the response to the production.
“We had more than 65 people audition for the production and 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 our audiences will be familiar with, but some newcomers who absolutely blew us away.
“I cannot wait to start working with this cast early this year and bring to the Ararat Town Hall in June the biggest and most spectacular production Ararat Musical Comedy Society has ever staged.”
The society is still filling ensemble-chorus places and has invited anyone keen to be involved to attend the first rehearsal in February. The society will announce dates in coming weeks.
Anyone keen to be part of the Les Misérables band can call musical director Stephen East on 0417 530 450.