By Lisa Y. Garibay
UTEP News Service
Make Plans:
UTEP Dinner Theatre production of Les Misérables
April 25–May 25, UTEP Dinner Theatre (Union Building West)
Dinner, discount dinner, matinee, and no-meal performances available.
Special pricing for UTEP students, faculty, staff and alumni association members; children, non-UTEP students and military.
Tickets available at the UTEP Ticket Center (915-747-5234) and all Ticketmaster outlets in El Paso.
Call the Dinner Theatre at 915-747-6060 for more information.
Javert. Fantine. Jean Valjean. Cosette.
Even though these names belong to fictional characters, they have become as familiar and beloved as real people. That’s the power of a show like Les Misérables, which comes to UTEP’s Dinner Theatre for the first time beginning April 26.
The popular musical, based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, runs through May 25 and already has added performances twice to accommodate the local demand.
“It just so happened that we are doing the show this year because it was finally released for amateur production,” said Dinner Theatre Director Greg Taylor of the book – a theater term for script – by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, Tony Award-winning music by Schönberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. “As soon as it was released, we paid the royalties and scheduled for the earliest date.”
Taylor was thrilled to bring this iconic show — which has become the most popular musical in the world — to campus as part of UTEP’s Centennial year.
“It works out well that we are doing a major production during a time of major celebration for UTEP,” he said.
Set in 19th century France during the revolution against the monarchy, the show tells the story of Jean Valjean, who is released after 19 years of unjust imprisonment and finds nothing in store for him but mistrust and mistreatment. Valjean breaks his parole in hopes of starting a new life, initiating a lifelong struggle for redemption. He is relentlessly pursued by police inspector Javert, who refuses to believe Valjean can change his ways.
Caught in between the men’s bitter clash are Fantine and her daughter Cosette. Their drama is expressed through unforgettable songs including I Dreamed a Dream, One Day More and On My Own.
Epic, grand and uplifting, Les Misérables packs an emotional wallop that has thrilled audiences all over the world and inspired critics to call it a modern masterpiece.
For Jaime Barba, who is participating in his 42nd UTEP Dinner Theatre production in the role of Javert, this is a dream come true.
“I have wanted to be in a production of Les Misérables since I first heard the music in the 1980s,” Barba said. “I first saw Les Mis on Broadway in 1992, and seeing it cemented it as my favorite musical of all time.”
“As an actor your have dream roles and Javert is that role for me,” he added.
Barba began performing with the dinner theatre in 1992 when he was attending UTEP as a student. He is now a faculty member in the Department of Theatre and Dance and says he has told all of his classes to date that his biggest goal was to perform in Les Misérables.
Being so familiar with the story and previous, big-name productions of the musical helped Barba prepare for his dream role. He also analyzed every line of the show, specifically looking at how his character would behave or react in every situation. Barba also came up with a backstory for his character to help solidify who he becomes. He was happy to take on his dream role while simultaneously fulfilling his duties as the dinner theatre’s official costume designer.
Auditions for the show were open to the public and were held in early December.
“We had more than 150 people come and audition, which was really exciting,” said UTEP Dinner Theatre Program Coordinator Beverly Kerbs-Ward. “We wound up with a wonderful cast. Everyone should hear how good they sound!”
The cast features more than 30 talented performers, including eight UTEP students, and a broad range of El Paso community members from stage veterans to children.
The rest of the cast includes Joe Estala as Jean Valjean, Josey Mitchell as Fantine, Jamille Brewster as Cosette, Avery Segapeli as Eponine, Selena Stair as Madam Thénardier, Danny Lopez as Monsieur Thénardier, David Mitchell as Bishop, William Gilbert as Grantaire, Ricardo Parra as Enjolras, and Taelon Stonecipher as Marius. Phoebe Lopez, Katia Steadman and Harmony Schlesinger switch off to portray Cosette and Eponine as children. Pablo Aun and Landon Pettit tackle the role of young Gavroche.
Rounding out the cast in ensemble roles are Emma Alcantar, Hugo Arreola, Jaime Carrasco, Dominic Chacon, Elise Edwards, Irvin Faudoa, John Guevara, Megan Hanner, Stephen Jackson, Lauren Lozano, Chris Mitchell, Tammy Partanen, Abraham Quezada and Carol Viescas.
The production crew is led by Dinner Theatre founder and director Greg Taylor and longtime music director Patricia Provencio. Behind-the-scenes talents also include choreographer Lisa Lopez, technical director Roy Lockhart, lighting and set designer Mike Spence, stagehand Armando Guerrero, house manager Richard Erskine, sound and video projection designer Don Cieslik and lightboard operator Tessa Spence.
Carlos Dominguez, Erik Myers and David Ruiz lend extra hands to the crew while Valerie Cadena, Anissa Granados and Allen Thompson handle wardrobe.