Director’s Notes
I love this musical. I have always wanted to direct it. For several years, Les Miserables was brought to the table to consider doing for Enloe’s spring musical. The typical conclusion was: “No, not this year. We don’t have the students who can do it.” Last year, I made the difficult decision to make this year my last in the classroom. There may have been a moment of “it’s now or never if I’m going to direct Les Miserables at Enloe.” But did we have the actors, singers, technicians, and musicians who could do it justice? Ms. Ju and Ms. Hallihan confirmed that we did! As if divine intervention was involved, this particular group of students - my very last group of students - and this particularly fabulous musical I’ve always wanted to direct were the perfect match for each other.
Though the school year won’t end for another couple of months, the time we work together on the musical is such a formative experience for the students involved that it feels a little bit like my last big “lesson” to them. I’m not talking about lessons in character development or theatre design (though there were a lot of those lessons, too, with this epic show). I’m talking about lessons for life! I can’t think of a better last lesson than the truths taught in the story of Jean Valjean’s life and the other characters with whom he interacts.
Do you hear the people sing? Lost in the valley of the night?
It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light.
For the wretched of the earth, there is a flame that never dies.
Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.
They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord,
They will walk behind the ploughshare. They will put away the sword.
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!
A “ploughshare” indicates a tool that benefits mankind rather than something destructive such as a “sword”. Jean Valjean made mistakes in the past, and due to the judgment, shame, and condemnation he receives from the world, he almost commits himself to a life of crime and destruction seeing no way out of the darkness he experiences. However, the Bishop shows him mercy and forgiveness. Because of the kindness of that one man, Valjean realizes that it is never too late to change your life around and commit to love, forgiveness, mercy, hope, perseverance, charity, and redemption. It is the process of “climbing to the light” of these precious themes that allows us to remember that “even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise!" I hope that my students will remember, like Jean Valjean, it is never too late to turn your life around and dedicate yourself to being a positive influence on those around you. I hope that they learn to forgive and show mercy to others and themselves for mistakes that they will inevitably make because we are all human. I hope that they will climb toward light and goodness. They have been light and goodness in my life and I know they have so much more to give to the world!
...continued on next page...
