Les Miserables; the student version

[boatsintheghetto]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:27pm

Has anyone here done the Les Miz student version? I think it's terrible, how much they changed it. I just came back from like the 2nd rehersal, but i dunno if i'm going to do it... I'm 17 years old...it's like 45 min away from where i live. I'm not rich, i dont have enough money for gas to go all the way ou t there all the time. Especially if it's for a show that i dont enjoy. It's sorta depressing because les miz has always been my favorite show since i was like 7. But yea, what do ya'll think of the student version?

[apdarcey]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:29pm

who are you playing?

[harris007]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:33pm

Do it anyway, look at it this way YOUR IN YOUR FAVORATE SHOW. it's only the 2nd reh. It will get better.

[whenyoureajet]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:34pm

is the student version really all that different from the original? i'm not really familiar with either one (how uncultured of me) but i've heard from a few people there are only a few minor changes...

[apdarcey]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:35pm

yeah, i had always heard that there weren't many changes, just that it was shortened a little. unlike the stupid junior version of into the woods which is just the first act, and no second act. can you believe it. the whole point of that show is the second act!

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:49pm

The student version isn't really that much different acctually. I did it this past summer. One of Thenardier's solos is cut from in the sewers, one of cossette's solos i think, and Gavrosh's little people song is shortened. most of the great songs are kept in though. It doesn't MAJORLY alter the whole show. It shouldn't be that different. If it's your FAVORITE show, then don't give up on it. Make it the best you can. I LOVE les mis too, and it's a beautiful story. Just the feeling of being in this show is awesome. I was just chorus, but I still did it, and it's a pretty long show with great songs that aren't cut. But if you absolutely are disappointed with it, don't do it if it won't make you happy.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 5:56pm

LMSE = butchered piece of crap that symbolizes the evils of the almighty buck (or pound, if you will)

[WildhornFanatic]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 6:37pm

I played Jean Valjean in the school version of LES MISERABLES. There's not that much missing at all. The show flows just the same, if not a little better.

The ONLY thing that I really, truly, deeply missed was THE CONFRONTATION. I don't know what would possess them to cut that part of the show. That is one of the best parts of "Les Miserables."

Other than that, I didn't miss any of the minor line cuts.

- Michael

[phantom_tenor]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 7:43pm

They cut the CONFRONTATION!? Why would they do such evil?
It is one of the best moments in theatre.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 7:59pm

I was Jean Valjean in it as well. Yes, they cut about a half hour out, but we put stuff back in. Here are main things they cut:

First half of "What Have I Done" (we put this back in)
First part of "Come to Me" (we put this in)
"Confrontation" (sadly, left this out )
Some of "Castle on a Cloud"
Some of "Stars"
Pretty much all of "The Sewers"
Some of "Javert's Suidice"
Like half of "Turning"

That is all I remember now, i'll add some more stuff later... Updated On: 2/12/05 at 07:59 PM

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 8:40pm

yea i've been in it as Marius, they cut a lot out for time sake and the creators didn't think that teens and kids could take on a 3hr show, other than that i thought the changes were efficient and the show turned out really well...it was fun...
ric

[RumTumTugger22]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 10:59pm

WHen they did the school Edition the confrontation was still there. I didn't really notice a difference.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 11:08pm

The intro to the con. is there (VALJEAN, AT LAST, WE SEE EACH OTHER PLAIN...."

The part where they sing together was cut.

It's not terribly different...although Master of the House has been changed a lot and (very sad) the beginning of Stars is gone (it starts at "Stars...in your multitudes...."

[Joshua488]

Posted: 2/12/05 at 11:09pm

The second act of INTO THE WOODS JR. is cut?! That is ridiculous! I was asked to be in a production of it this upcoming summer and I turned it down... Boy, am I glad that I did! I'll probably go see it now and leave angry.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 12:18am

I'm not sure if this was a choice on the part of my director, but Master of the House was split between Mme. et M. Thenardier. I didn't like that because when Mme.Thenardier started singing, "I used to dream that I would meet a prince..." it took a lot away from what I thought was a great entrance.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 12:26am

I was in it two years ago, and at first was aprehensive b/c i thought so much was changed, but in its entirety, it is still awesome!!! If it's one of your favorites, you will still love it, i promise.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 12:28am

It hasn't changed that much. sometimes, the directors' will make their own personal changes in order to add more people or make a part larger. But, originally, the show only differs in the tempo of most of the song and some lines that are cut out. However, once again, a director of the show is what truly makes ur experience good or bad. For instance, in our show, so the producer could have her 7 year old daughter in the show, the director had to give Gavroche his own little gang, who didn't do anything, they just stood around and hung out with Gavroche, then during the barricade scenes, like went away. It was completely pointless, and disciplining those kids took up about 20 minutes of rehersal each day. BUt the overall production in the end was great.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 12:37am

It really isnt that much different. Basically they cut out a few verses of some songs and they shortened a lot of the barricade songs. All the major songs are still in there, and the plot is exactly the same.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 12:58am

Gypsy, as I said in my post before, it was changed...

And you are right, it took away from that enterance...oh, well!

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 4:16am

"they cut a lot out for time sake and the creators didn't think that teens and kids could take on a 3hr show"

Although they still force boys with freshly changed voices to crack their way through Bring Him Home...

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 4:42am

Our Marius was the only one that had some pubescent issues...

[boatsintheghetto]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 2:09pm

I'm doing it next year in school anyway, so i'll still be doing it even if i dont do this one, the distance is sucha problem too though.

[edenespinosalover]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 2:32pm

We did it at our school last year, and I stage managed it. I've never seen the actual show, but from the recordings that I have, I don't think there's a huge difference between the two. I thought that a lot of the song titles were changed. But that was really only one of the big differences.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 2:55pm

yeah, Master of the House is now the Inkeeper's Song...

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 2:56pm

I'm hoping on doing this show this summer. Luckily, you've put many of my apprehensions at bay.