By WENDELL BROCK / For the AJC
After a smash run in 2013, "Les Misérables," the mega-spectacle based on the Victor Hugo epic returns to Aurora Theatre on Jan. 15.
From a business and artistic perspective, the revival appears to be a smart move. Nearly 11,000 audience members saw the original run, and producing artistic director Anthony Rodriguez says the theater has already sold 7,000 tickets for the remount. In addition, the show was nominated for 15 Suzi Bass Awards and took home five.
“I think ‘Les Misérables’ helped us see that we could meet and exceed people’s expectations and continue to raise the bar for our production capability,” Rodriguez says.
Directed by Justin Anderson, the musical stars Natasha Drena as Fantine, Bryant Smith as Jean Valjean and Kelly Schmidt as Cosette.
One person you can expect to see in the house is Schmidt’s father, Andy. Rodriguez tells us: “He saw all 42 performances (of the original run) and will see every performance of the remount.”
Jan. 15-March 1. $20-$50. Aurora Theatre, 128 E. Pike St., Lawrenceville. 678-226-6222, auroratheatre.com.
Read more of contributing critic Wendell Brock's winter theater picks on our subscriber site, MyAJC.com.
