The week of 11/15/2021, practices for the Arrowhead production of Les Miserables began. Then, after auditions, the cast list was posted on 11/13/2021. 

Vivian Powers, a senior at Arrowhead, was cast as Cosette—a witty young woman with a difficult past. Vivian says that she is “looking forward to bonding with [her] castmates and understanding [her] role in the show and how she plays a part in the story.”

Powers is a part of an over 40-member cast for the musical. Each member of the cast had to audition for their role by memorizing different songs that were based on their vocal range and the type of part that they wanted.

Alex Cluka, a student director for Les Miserable and a senior at Arrowhead says that they “called everyone back, [which] is a rarity and such an extraordinary thing.” After the initial auditions, every student who auditioned was called back. Furthermore, Cluka said that at the callbacks “the vibe of that room was entirely positive and supportive.” Although students were competing against each other, they were still cheering for their peers.

After callbacks, the cast was chosen by the team of three adult directors and one student director. Although Cluka said the choice was difficult, the cast list was posted and actors got prepared for their first rehearsals. 

Powers, along with other actors, is excited to add her own spin to the production. Adding their own voices to the production Arrowhead is prepared to take on Les Miserable with their plethora of, as Powers says, “many amazing voices and talents in this production.” 

Cluka further says her excitement towards the cast as she says the casting experience is “gratifying, as I was introduced to the plethora of talent within our school.” 

From the technical side of the production, only three roles have been filled so far. The Stage Manager and two Assistant Stage Managers are chosen around the time of casting so that they can attend rehearsals and get used to the show.

Stage manager Erika Graf, a junior at Arrowhead, says her excitement towards the musical. Graf says that she looks forward to seeing progression through “the building of the set and slowly adding props to scenes.” 

While most of the feelings surrounding the production are of excitement from the actors, Cluka says such a big production can create daunting expectations. 

Graf explains that “the hardest part about starting a show is the very beginning and trying to pick a place to start, especially since this show is so big.” She says that while starting the production is nerve-wracking she feels that “the cast will be very supportive of each other and it will come together very well.”

The Les Miserables production has large expectations, with such a complicated production, and such a large cast. The outcome, however, will undoubtedly be a passionate performance by all involved. 

Shows begin February 2, 2022. When the shows get closer, tickets can be found on the Arrowhead drama website.