Dallas Theater Center's modern-dress LES MIS (video)

I saw this the other day. I'm not sure why Thenardier is beyond Thunderdome. And the dubstep seems jarring...but I admit that it could have been set up earlier in the production and pays off.

However, the rest seems totally intriguing in a good way.

Yeah, I was expecting to find the whole thing off-putting, and it wasn't. I don't know (esp w/o seeing it obv) if it's, like, "justified," but it doesn't look too icky.

---

Sharp has developed a method to ruin the camcorder footage shot by pirates in movie theaters. By placing mega IR lights behind the screen (which are invisible to the human eye, of course), the light can tunnel through tiny holes that are already in screens for the passage of sound. The result is a wash of light protruding from the screen, ruining camcorder footage.

I would imagine this technology could also work in theatre. Unseen intense bright infrared light focused toward the audience from the edge of the stage and around the proscenium. The bright light going into the camera would muck everything up.
Movie Theaters Will Fry Us All with Infrared to Stop Pirates

I was in the unique position to be able to see Les Mis in New York last month, and the Dallas Theater Center's "modern version" this past weekend. I enjoyed the show in Dallas. The set was fantastic, it was built on a thrust stage. The actors used the stage and audience space well. I was sitting in the front row, and at one point during Master Of The House, Mrs. Thenardier sat in my lap ... maybe not as thrilling as NPH in Hedwig pulling a patron's hair while gyrating on their face, but worthwhile nonetheless!

I think the director proved her point that good music and a good story of love, forgiveness and courage are truly timeless. I recommend you see it if you get the chance. One caveat, the Lovely Ladies scene is a bit more graphic than it is typically played, so I would recommend not bringing kids or if you do, maybe just bring a sleeping mask for them to wear over their eyes for those few minutes. There was a lot of doggy style gyrating all over the stage, including a transgender prostitute ... Fun Times!

Updated On: 7/25/14 at 01:30 AM

I'm still trying to figure out who blew whom at Playbill to give this production seemingly dozens of articles over the last few weeks. Rocky or Bullets, or any other regional production, would've killed for this attention going into the summer.

---

The set looks beautiful, the multi racial cast is fabulous, but being dressed in a hoodie or slim cut summer suit makes zero sense for this show.

You're not ok with the modern dress but ok with a multi racial cast…which also makes zero sense. You can't have it both ways.

^ ^ That.

^ Thank you, that's exactly correct. Of course I can "have it both ways" and my statement makes 100% sense. Colorblind casting doesn't equal modern dress, sorry.