There were a ton of people that didn't get to see Les Mis, so for those folks (shame on you) I thought I'd post some production photos to give you a taste of what you missed and a couple of behind the scenes random nuggets.
I love that I wasn't on right at the beginning. It gave me time to relax and listen to the show to get myself going.
Before the dudes of the cast got in their places, they would do a chant of Row, Row, Row Your Boat like football players in a circle down in the pit. Dorks.
"I've done no wrong, Sweet Jesus hear my praaaayer!"
Jesus, I mean, Valjean.
OH, SNAP! He gets caught. This was when I would head down to the pit to get ready to ride the stage up for At the End of the Day.
Casey (who is Jesus/JVJ) is nailing a high note right here. "Another story must begiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!"
Cue the rest of us down in the pit. It was during this note that it was time to load the stage below Casey (the rest of the stage other than that circle he is on, is lowered). We usually were scaring each other, saying inappropriate things, having dance parties, etc., as we were getting into our places. There were also some shoving and stepping on each other's feet on purpose, burping.... just for fun. You know, being professional and getting into character.
"At the end of the day your another day older. And that's all you can say for the life of the poor!"
"Fantine better give it up to the foreman, or she's gonna be outta here..."
"Totes. And I hate her."
"Fantine has a little brat! OMG!"
"We just wrestled on the ground and I LOST! UGH! Oh, and she started it. Bible."
"That's right. She totally started it. Plus, she's a slut and has a kid. Doesn't that make you supes jellie?"
"I'm freaking pissed someone had you before me. I gotta show that I'm in charge so you are the weakest link. Goodbye!"
"I just got fired, I'm wearing a purple Barney dress, and it's SNOWING?!!? FML!"
Erin Carlson has the stupidest voice. She killed I Dreamed a Dream every. single. performance. It's a challenging song and she made it sound easy. I need a moment for her low notes. So rich and powerful.
Her song was also the time when all the other ladies, including myself, had a quick change into our Lovely Ladies get up. I wore my complete whore costume under my factory dress. It was crazy hot.
Before we went on, we had our own huddle (like the boat dudes), but we just said a word. Our word was related to being prostitutes. For example, syphilis, herpes, boobs, whore. Again, we are all professionals.
Back to Fantine.
During this cart scene, the girls in my dressing room were changing from prostitutes into our named roles (Eponine, Cosi, Madame T) and we would mock this scene a little. Not because they didn't do a good job, just because it was funny to here an ensemble sing, "The load is heavy as hell!" and there were these random electric guitar "whaaam"s when Javert is contemplating if the Mayor is actually JVJ....which he is. Maybe you just had to be there.....
Guitar WAAAAAM!
2-4-6-0-1!!!!!
Fantine is dying. Probably from chlamydia.
I told Erin to make sure she never went full E.T. with her death makeup (you know when he's all white and dying in the little stream....) She listened. Plus, she really rocks the Bon Jovi hair-do.
Testosterone!
Enter mini-me. Her Castle on a Cloud was freaking heartbreaking.
Debauchery ensues with Master of the House.
JVJ finds poor Cosi, plays with her rag doll to make her tell her where she lives (creeper), bargins with the T's to buy her from them (creeper) and carries her away with promises of other children to play with and castles (creeper).
Our little Gavroche was the freaking cutest and super smart on stage. One time his mic went out and he went right to Enjolras and sang in his mic. He's eight.
Every performance after Stars, I would find Mr. Adam Dietlien (above) and slow clap for him. I would be in the back hallway, in his dressing room, right by his exit, in the green room, just slow clapping for him. I had a lot of time on my hands, OK....
"The color of depaaaaaaaaaaaair!"
Do You Hear the People Sing was my cue to finally get on stage and sing my little heart out as Cosette. I would enter right where this angry mob leaves and I would always get grabbed in all locations as I made my entrance. WE ARE PROFESSIONALS!
Singing faces are always special. Plus, see that first row right behind me? Perhaps now you can appreciate this post a little more.
This was only my second time wearing this dress. Since the first time I fell to my death (well, to my tailbone's death), I was still traumatized and lifting that skirt for all it's worth. I soon became much more elegant....I hope.
With that first row so close, we could hear them talking about us as if we weren't right in front of their faces and in clear ear-shot. People would say things like, "He's voice is so good." "She's a good actress." What's that in his beard." "That dress is pretty." "How do they memorize all those lines?!!?" Also, when Casey and I would exit to let Marius and Eponine enter, we would leave arm in arm and Casey would always flex his massive bicep and saying stuff like, (while we're still on stage, mind you) "The Shake Weight is really helping." Or we'd comment about urinating in the street. If the audience even knew.....
While the following scene was going on. Brad (Marius) and I would sit on opposite side of the gate and say so much crap. The audience thought we were flirting and being in love, but we would talk about inappropriate things between Cosi and JVJ (obviously), about our real lives, make up more crap about other characters, find words in the "poetry book" which was really a dictionary.....obviously we would go to inappropriate words. So much professionalism, guys!
"Must be Javert! He's found my cover at last! I've got to get Cosette away before they return!" These lyrics were constantly in my head. Seriously, they never left. I would find myself saying, "Must be Javert!" for no reason. Don't ask me why....
Whenever I came off stage to run up a flight of stairs to get to my spot for One Day More, Mr. Javert aka. Adam, would be at the door to the stairs and open it for me. He would also ALWAYS say, "Hurry, Cosette!". So dumb!
"One Day Moooooooore!"There you have it, Act One! Looking at these pictures made me miss these crazy fools. So much talent on that in-the-round stage. I wanna get together and do a sing-thru just to listen to all their gorgeous voices. Not one screeching cat in the bunch! You really missed out if you didn't see the show. Act Two will be next!
