Staples Players’ production of “Les Misérables” last fall was magnifique.
Audiences thrilled to the acting, music, staging, sets, costumes … it was all nearly Broadway-worthy.
Yet it was not the first time directors David Roth and Kerry Long produced the iconic show.
In 2008, they debuted “Les Mis” — in the summer.
Retired media instructor Jim Honeycutt — who spent 2 decades videotaping Roth and Long’s shows — marvels, “To this day, I cannot figure out how they could do a show of this extensive musical complexity in a summer!
“Even the sets with rotating barricades were extraordinary for a summer show. How Tyler Paul learned all of this music in a month or two is beyond me.”
Honeycutt has done something quite impressive himself. He has distilled the epic production into just under 30 minutes. Click here or below, to hear — and see — the people sing.
Very, very, very well.
Many cast members have made careers in entertainment. Honeycutt also offers these updates, on some of the performers from the 2008 “Les Mis”:
Tyler Paul (Jean Valjean) retired from acting and moved to the other side of the stage lights. He is now head of human resources at ANC.
David Ressler (Javert) is an actor and singer. He is currently performing in a Bay Area Opera Collaborative production of “Pirates of Penzance.”
Audrey Twitchell (Eponine) has appeared in numerous commercials, print ads and on television. In 2006, she originated the role of Lee Bouvier in the Broadway musical “Grey Gardens.”
Megan Watt (Eponine) is a voice actor and commercial artist based in West Hollywood. She specializes in commercial, animation and audiobook narration.
Brooke Benedetto (Fantine) has acted in many shows, including “Merrily We Roll Along” and “Godspell,” at Muhlenberg College and the Music Theater of Connecticut.
Britt Hennemuth (Thénardier) is a Los Angeles-based actor. He recently joined Universal Pictures as senior vice president of production development and special projects.
Nick Boak (Enjolras) is an entertainment executive, involved with “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “Warcraft” and “American Hustle.”
Max Stampa-Brown (Grantaire) appeared in “The Third Man,” “FREUD” and “The Garret East,” after the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Chris McNiff (Feuilly) is an actor, singer, dancer and choreographer based in New York City. He has appeared in “White Christmas,” “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Hair.”
Matthew Van Gessel (Lesgles) is an actor, director and writer. He played Isaac Goodenow in the “The Sudbury Devil,” appeared in the film “Bookworm,” was featured as an actor in the project RedDrop, and was cast as Father Rand in “The Vampires of New Orleans.”
Charlie Greenwald is actor, voiceover artist, comedian, copywriter and children’s book author. He has appeared in the film “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and the TV special “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.”
Vinny Amaru (Joly) continued his interest in stage at Tufts, singing in the a cappella group Beelzebubs. He is now a global investment strategist at JP Morgan Asset and Wealth Management.
Matt Greenberg (Prouvair) is a tenure track assistant professor of theatre and dance at the University of Wyoming.
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