Monumental musical ‘Les Misérables’ returns to Dayton

The plot centers around ex-convict Jean Valjean, imprisoned after stealing bread to feed his family. After breaking parole, he hopes to change his ways and raise Cosette, a young girl entrusted to him by her dying mother. Jean is pursued throughout the story by police Inspector Javert, the show’s relentless villain.

The Broadway tour, which will be at Dayton’s Schuster Center Feb. 3-8, has been seen by more than 130 million people worldwide, in 53 countries, 438 cities and 22 languages.

Dayton Live Chief Operating Officer Lisa Japs says “Les Miserables” is arguably one of Dayton’s favorite musicals. The show is will be returning to Dayton for the seventh time.

“This timeless story that features breathtaking music pulls at the heartstrings of so many in our community,” she said. “Whether it’s their first time seeing the show or their fourth, people will leave the theatre in awe of this Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon."

Making arrangements

Company manager Chris Danner is charged with the logistics of moving the mammoth show from city to city and says it’s one of the country’s largest touring productions. He’s also responsible for the business aspects of the tour.

It has literally been a “long ride” for Danner who’s served as company manager for 20 national tours including “The Lion King,” “My Fair Lady,” “Kinky Boots” and “The Addams Family.”

Danner estimates he’s been to Dayton between eight and ten times over the years and was here with “Les Miz” the last time it came to Dayton in 2023.

“I have an associate and, as a team, we do everything to move everybody. We travel 85 people around the country and 11 semi-trucks of equipment. We deal with all the trucking, flights, hotels.”

After a director hires actors, crew members and musicians, those employees are turned over to Danner who will do everything required to get them started on the road.

While on tour Danner and his assistant come to the theater each day when no one else is around to take care of business—working with the box office, doing payroll.

“We make a very big economic impact on a city. We hire 100 local crew as well as wardrobe and hair people. We pay for advertising and local hotels. Everybody has to eat and drink. A few people in Dayton will stay at an Airbnb because we have families who travel with us or people who bring their dogs or cats. When we come to Dayton, it’s our home for a week so we want to be comfortable.”

Because he’s travelled to so many cities over the years, Danner is often called upon to recommend local attractions, restaurants, coffee shops.

“I still love my job, love traveling, love working with people,” he said. “When I have a have a bad day, I love to go out into the audience and watch their reactions and their enjoyment.”

Danner grew up in Michigan, then headed for culinary school. Ironically, he got tired of working holidays and weekends and ended up as a box office manager in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“I’d always loved theater but I come from a broken home and we didn’t have the money to go to plays,” said Danner." My brother and I would go once a year. It’s hard to imagine that now I’m doing it every day.”

When magician David Copperfield came through Grand Rapids, Danner struck up a conversation with his company manager. That connection eventually led to a job offer and Danner toured with Copperfield.

“I knew I was able to manage people and had a business mind,” he said. “I’m a good planner and am able to be prepared for the good and the bad.”

When he’s on the road, Danner listens to the show every night from his office, often a converted dressing room at the theater.

“I work until the end of the show in case people have questions. We’re there to help them. These people have lives so they may have a death in the family or they may need to see a doctor.”

Danner said what’s cool about “Les Miz” is that it’s generational.

“You may have seen it 20 years ago with your parents or a friend and now you have children or friends you want to experience it with. ‘Les Miz’ has a freshness that continues to evolve with the show. It’s quite current in our society and across the world. It’s a love story about redemption and about a group of people that want better for themselves. You can identify with so many stories within the show — whether its students rebelling and wanting better for their community or somebody trying to do good in the world or two young lovers."

Playing Cosette

One of those young lovers is Cosette, the orphan adopted by Jean Valjean.

“She is a source of light in so many of the characters’ lives,” said Alexa Lopez, who plays the role. “She is a really strong woman who wants answers. You can’t always relate to the circumstances in a story but you can find qualities that you relate to. I relate to Cosette’s strength and sensitivity.”

“Lez Miz” is the first national tour for Lopez, who grew up in South Florida and first saw “Les Miz” when the movie version came out in 2012.

“It’s such a timeless story and applies to people in all ages and any walk of life,” Lopez said. “It’s a universal message about love and redemption and survival of the human spirit. Two of the songs I sing are ‘In My Life’ and ‘A heart Full of Love.’ ”

At 23, she’s enjoying life on the road.

“When else are you going to be in a different city every week?” Lopez asks.

Monday is a travel day when she unpacks, settles into her hotel, and picks up some groceries. On performance days, she tries to sleep in and exercises at the hotel gym.

“We arrive at the theater at 5:30 p.m. on weekdays for a meeting and then have a sound check where audio levels are adjusted for each theater. I set up my dressing room station and put my hair in pins curls so they can do my hair and put on the wig. We all do our own make-up, but nobody wears a lot of makeup in this show. A lot of characters are covered in dirt.”

On weekends, there are two shows a day.

For Lopez this show is a love story in more ways than one. Her boyfriend plays opposite her as Marius, a student revolutionary who falls in love with Cosette.

The two met onstage when both were on Broadway in “Old Friends,” the recent Stephen Sondheim tribute featuring Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga.

“Sometimes we explore new towns together,” she said. “It’s amazing and so nice to have your partner with you on the road.”

A forewarning: Arrive on time

Chloe Johnson, who manages social media and public relations for Dayton Live, advises audience members to be on time for this show.

“Each Broadway show encourages patrons to arrive on time,” she said. “If they arrive after the show begins, we wait to seat them in the theater until the first suitable break to avoid disrupting the performance and other guests.”

She said the practice is common for all shows and is widely known as a “hold time.”

“The first musical number often starts right away, so it’s important for patrons to arrive promptly to ensure they do not miss anything happening on stage. We have a long hold time for ‘Les Miz’ so if you’re not seated when the show starts, you’ll miss the first 18 minutes of the performance.”

HOW TO GO

What: “Les Misérables” presented by Dayton Live.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 3 through Sunday, Feb. 8

Where: Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, 1 West Second St., Dayton

Tickets: $53 and up. Call the Dayton Live Box Office at 937-228-3630 or visit daytonlive.org/les-mis.Tickets are also available for groups of 10 or more by calling Group Sales at 937-977-7160 or by completing the form on daytonlive.org/group.

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