Les Misérables programme from Palace Theatre purchased for £3 in July 2003.

Les Misérables on Broadway (Imperial Theatre, February 2003)

Les Misérables, commonly known as Les Mis, is a musical based on the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. It tells the story of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his attempts to start a new life and make the world a better place. Notable theatres called the Palace Theatre include: Palace Theatre, London Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea, EssexA real play house with Edwardian splendour. ... The Imperial Theater can also refer to the Imperial Garden Theater in Tokyo, Japan The Imperial Theater was the Schubert brothers fiftieth theater in New York City. ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theater combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ... Les Misérables is an 1862 novel by the famous French novelist Victor Hugo, set in the Parisian underworld. ... Victor Hugo Victor Hugo (February 26, 1802 - May 22, 1885) was a French author, the most important of the Romantic authors in the French language. ...

The musical's emblem is a picture of the waif Cosette, usually shown cropped to a head-and-shoulders portrait with the French national flag superimposed.

Well-known songs from the musical include "I Dreamed a Dream", "Master of the House", "Do You Hear the People Sing?", "On My Own", and "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables".

The musical was written by the composer Claude-Michel Schönberg and the librettist Alain Boublil. It opened in September 1980 at the Palais des Sports in Paris for a projected eight-week season; such was its success that it ran for sixteen weeks, closing only because the venue was already committed to other projects after that point. Claude-Michel Schönberg is a French record producer, actor, singer, popular songwriter, and musical theatre composer, best known for his collaborations with the librettist Alain Boublil. ... Alain Boublil is a librettist, best known for his collaborations with the composer Claude-Michel Schönberg. ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

In 1982, English producer Cameron Mackintosh began work on an English language version, with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. The first English production, produced by Mackintosh and directed by Trevor Nunn, opened on October 8, 1985 in the Barbican Theatre, London. It starred Colm Wilkinson as Valjean, Rebecca Caine as Cosette, Patti LuPone as Fantine, Roger Allam as the persistent Inspector Javert, and Alun Armstrong as the villainous rogue Thenardier. On December 4, 1985 it transferred to the Palace Theatre, and moved again on April 3, 2004 to the Queen's Theatre. On October 8, 1995 the show's 10th anniversary was celebrated with a concert at the Royal Albert Hall; one of the finalés was a performance of "Do You Hear the People Sing?" sung a line at a time by seventeen Jean Valjeans, each from a different production in a different country. Sir Cameron Mackintosh (born October 17, 1946) is an English theatrical producer. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Herbert Kretzmer (born October 5, 1925) is an English songwriter and journalist, best known for the English lyrics of the hit musical Les Misérables. ... Sir Trevor Nunn (born 14 January 1940) is a theatre and film director. ... October 8 is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years). ... London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. ... Colm Wilkinson (born June 5, 1944 in Dublin) is an Irish musical theatre actor and singer, probably best known for playing the role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. ... Patti LuPone (born April 21, 1949 in Northport, New York) is an American singer and actress. ... Roger Allam (born October 26, 1953) is an English actor, best known for his stage career. ... December 4 is the 338th day (339th on leap years) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Notable theatres called the Palace Theatre include: Palace Theatre, London Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea, EssexA real play house with Edwardian splendour. ... April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ... October 8 is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years). ... Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences is an arts venue dedicated to Queen Victorias husband and consort, Prince Albert. ...

The Broadway production opened on March 12, 1987, and won the Tony Award for Best Musical in that year. Colm Wilkinson and Frances Ruffelle (as Eponine) reprised their roles from the London production. It ran at the Imperial Theatre until May 18, 2003 (its scheduled end on March 15, 2003, having been postponed by a surge in public interest). After 6,680 performances in sixteen years, it is the third-longest-running Broadway musical after Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. Note on spelling: While most Americans use er (as per American spelling conventions), the majority of venues, performers and trade groups for live theatre use re. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (72nd in Leap years). ... 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... What is popularly called the Tony Award® but is formally the Antoinette Perry Award is an annual American award celebrating achievements in theater, including musical theater. ... Colm Wilkinson (born June 5, 1944 in Dublin) is an Irish musical theatre actor and singer, probably best known for playing the role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. ... The Imperial Theater can also refer to the Imperial Garden Theater in Tokyo, Japan The Imperial Theater was the Schubert brothers fiftieth theater in New York City. ... May 18 is the 138th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (139th in leap years). ... CATS The Musical is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber (ALW) in 1981 based on Old Possums Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. ... The Phantom of the Opera is a musical based on the novel The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. ...

In 2002, a student edition of the musical became available. This is notable since, unusually, this is while London and US touring productions are still showing. However, all the actors in the school edition must be students, to prevent theatre companies from performing the show. It is also shorter than the "official" version, although no major scenes or songs have been removed. The official poster and cover art for the student edition features Cosette wearing a letterman jacket and holding a textbook. West End, see West End (disambiguation). ... Note on spelling: While most Americans use er (as per American spelling conventions), the majority of venues, performers and trade groups for live theatre use re. ...

Links

• Cameron Mackintosh: Les Misérables (http://www.lesmis.com/)
• A Resourceful Les Mis Fan Site (http://members.aol.com/REELMACK/LesMisClub1.html)