Veritas Prep Students “Dreamed a Dream” For Their Production of Les Misérables

Veritas Prep raised the curtain on Les Misérables, dazzling audiences in what Director of Fine Arts Jenny Rathsburg describes as “miraculous.”

“This has been a musical that the kids have been asking to do for many years,” Rathsburg shared. “It was a big leap of faith, and there were many nights where I woke up in September and October going, ‘How are we going to pull this off?’ But the kids just kept rising to the occasion.”

This cherished musical is based on a classic French novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. Set in 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells the story of a society divided between the rich and poor, with revolution brewing in the streets. At the center of it all is Jean Valjean, a former convict seeking redemption, whose journey intertwines with the struggles of the people fighting for justice and freedom.

Les Misérables is a sung-through musical, meaning there are no spoken lines. Only music from start to finish. This adds to the complexity of the performance but also makes it an extraordinary challenge for both the cast and the orchestra. Junior Danny Rubenstein, who plays the lead, Jean Valjean, in the production, explained, “It’s all music and there’s just so much of it, and it’s much longer than most musicals. It was fairly difficult, but I think we did a pretty good job.”

And audiences have agreed, with great reviews of the casts’ execution of the musical and especially impressed with Rubenstein’s performance. Surprisingly, this is his first time on the musical theater stage.

Something that makes Veritas Prep’s musical productions so special is the use of a live pit orchestra. “I didn’t realize that was a unique thing to do until I went to other schools,” shared a cast member. “Having the orchestra is really magical.” This is something that Rathsburg says she will not compromise on, agreeing that the orchestra with professional musicians adds so much to the productions and elevates the performances.

Performing Les Misérables with a live orchestra presented an even greater challenge. “The musicians don’t ever stop,” Rubenstein explained. “Whereas some musicals, you know you have about 10 minutes of dialogue where they can just kinda sit and rest, but it is straight through for two hours and 15 minutes.” Despite the intensity, the collaboration between students and musicians has made the experience even more rewarding.

For many students, this production has been a growing experience, giving them the chance to step out of their comfort zones and embrace the stage in a whole new way. “[In musical theater,] you get to really shine. You’re allowed to be yourself and be loud,” shared Reubenstein. “That’s part of the magic.”

The opening weekend has come and gone, but as the final weekend approaches, the excitement continues to build. “I’m just so proud of them,” Rathsburg said. “Incredibly proud.” There is still time to catch the final three performances on Thursday, January 30^th at 7:00 PM, Friday, January 31st at 7:00 PM, and the final performance, which is expected to sell out, on Saturday, February 1st at 7:00 PM.

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Don’t miss the chance to witness this extraordinary production brought to life by the hard work and passion of these talented students.

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