Jean Valjean (Anthony Butterfield) in the Levin Performing Arts Society show Les Miserables.
Jean Valjean (Anthony Butterfield) in the Levin Performing Arts Society show Les Miserables.
Tears were shed when the final curtain came down on Les Miserables at Levin Performing Arts Society at the weekend.
Cast and crew gave Horowhenua Chronicle a peak backstage minutes before curtain call, revealing a gamut of raw emotion that can come from the shared experience of being involved in community theatre.
The cast of Les Miserables ahead of one of the final shows at Levin Performing Arts Society.
The enormity of taking on a classic show like Les Miserables was tangible backstage, the massive amount of team work required obvious. That sense of spirit and support was thick in the air, like a rugby changing rooms before the whistle, minus the smell of liniment.
Any pre-perfomance butterflies only served to heighten the sense of accomplishment when the crowd clapped the final scene. It was then that the 50-strong cast, aged between 6 and 70, who had spent the last four months rehearsing and the last three weeks performing, could reflect on what they had achieved.
Not to mention the large support crew responsible for one of the stars of the production, the set. The show demanded multiple set changes. It was hard not to let emotions bubble to the surface.
Some of the cast of Les Miserables behind the scenes at Levin Performing Arts Society.
Show director Lorraine Lepper and her husband Mike had been involved with Levin Performing Arts Society for 45 years and in that time had worked behind the scenes in countless shows.
She said when the final curtain came down, it was hard not to be caught up in the emotion that the show was over for a cast that had been together for months and shared the high and lows of performing.
“This was a particularly tight cast and they worked so hard together. Some are strangers when they start, but quickly form bonds so it can be emotional when it ends,” she said.
Stephanie Greenslade applies makeup backstage ahead of Levin Performing Arts Society's performance of Les Miserables.
Les Miserables was Lorraine Lepper’s favourite, having been involved when LAPS first staged it nearly 20 years ago. They were directer and stage manager respectively of both shows.
As a classic show Les Miserables was a huge challenge for small community theatres and with 19 set changes there were doubts they would pull it off in 2004.
“Everyone said it couldn’t be done,” she said.
Stephanie Greenslade helps carry off Hemi Harrington during one of the more emotional scene of Les Miserables at Levin Performing Arts Society.
The show was a huge success, which gave confidence that they could do it again almost two decades later. Of all the shows that Lepper had been involved with, Les Miserables was her favourite, closely followed by Jesus Christ Superstar.
In all that time Lepper had only ever taken the stage once herself, a very small cameo role in the production of Grease.
“Hell no. I can’t sing to save myself. People say “please stop’,” she said.
Gavroche (Hemi Harrington) on stage during Les Miserables at Levin Performing Arts Society.
Her satisfaction came from seeing the enjoyment in others.
“We joined for the kids and just carried on,” she said.
“I just love seeing a cast grow in confidence. I have seen kids and adults blossom and it can often carry on into everyday life.”
“It’s always good to see new faces too. There is so much talent out there.”
Thenardier (Rawiri Wehipeihana) and Madame Thenardier (Sjan Giles-Oza) during a scene of Les Miserables at Levin Performing Arts Society.
In addition to Lepper’s involvement, there were several of the cast and crew from the 2004 involved again. Stephanie Greenslade, Sjan Giles-Oza, Anthea Canty and Stephen Knight were again on stage, as was musician Colin Taylor.
Thomas Heyes and his father Julian were involved this time, while his mother Jan and brother Alexander were both on stage in 2004.
Lead character Jean Valjean was performed by Levin man Anthony Butterfield. It was his third show with LPAS. He was Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar and Stacy Jaxx in Rock of Ages.
Fantine (Joanne Harrington) during a scene of Les Miserables at Levin Performing Arts Society.
After 40 years of musical theatre he said finally having the chance to play Valjean was “a dream come true”.
For anyone not familiar with Les Miserables, it would have helped a newbie to have a basic understanding of the story-line before the show. In failing that, it didn’t matter too much. The music and strength of performance carry the show anyway.
Each show was a sell-out, which went some way to offsetting the expense of staging the show, estimated to be in the tens of thousands. Any surplus went to maintaining the theatre and paying the bills.
AJ Wehipeihana applies the finshing touches to Joanne Harrington backstage at Levin Performing Arts Society ahead of the Les Miserables.
The audition process earlier in the year drew a large reponse. It was one of the world’s most popular musicals, seen by an estimated 130 millions people in 53 countries and had been performed in 22 different languages.
The attention of LPAS now turns to Grease - a school version version for younger actors, with auditions held earlier this week for a show due to hit stage in late April next year.
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.
