Victor Hugo’s novel “Les Misérables” had many admirers when it was published in 1862, but the soldiers of the Confederacy were arguably its most curious fanbase.
Ignoring the French author’s vocal disdain for slavery and support for abolitionist John Brown, Confederate soldiers gobbled up a pirated translation that was printed on “sheep’s wool paper” by Richmond publisher West & Johnston. This soldiers’ edition eliminated or changed Hugo’s abolitionist sympathies within the novel. By one account, some Confederates reflecting on their predicament began referring to themselves as “Lee’s Miserables,” a play on the title.
On Tuesday, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel’s musical adaptation of “Les Miz” comes to the Altria Theatre as part of the Broadway in Richmond series. While the musical doesn’t directly confront American slavery, its portrayal of Jean Valjean engaging in penal labor is far from a positive one.
Both the novel and the musical relate the story of Valjean and his journey for redemption in 19th century France. After being imprisoned 19 years for stealing bread to feed his sister’s starving children, Valjean assumes a new identity and becomes a successful businessman. Javert, a fanatical police inspector, is dedicated to recapturing him. Valjean’s story serves as the throughline in “Les Miz” that connects characters high and low during a revolutionary period in Paris.
“It’s an absolutely epic story and it’s supplemented well by a very epic score,” says Jaedynn Latter, who plays Éponine in the production coming to town this week. “It’s a show about redemption and the survival of the human spirit and unrequited love.”
The daughter of innkeepers, Éponine is initially portrayed as a spoiled child. Later in the show, Éponine falls on hard times. She pines for her neighbor, Marius, who loves someone else.
“Éponine herself is a very complex and complicated and tragic,” Latter explains. “She’s basically every teenage girl combined. Éponine is somebody who hides behind a mask of toughness in order to conceal her identity. The thing about her is we get to see that vulnerability expressed as the show goes on.”
The role is highly relatable for many audience members, Latter says: “She is a teenager who is hopelessly in love with a guy who does not see her for who she is and does not love her back.”
Portraying Éponine onstage is a dream for Latter.
“I have always envisioned myself playing this role, as most young girls in theater do,” she says. “‘On My Own,’ her big song near the top of act two, is the one that most young girls dream of singing.”
A native of Southern California, Latter is a recent graduate of Ohio’s Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music. Latter was cast in this Broadway tour just three months after moving to New York City to pursue her career onstage.
In addition to performing in musicals, Latter is a songwriter. Her first album, “Point of You,” was released last October; the album’s song “Nothing Really Matters” has received nearly two million streams on Spotify.
Compared to the world of musical theater where she’s usually singing long established songs written by other people, Latter says creating the album was a much more personal endeavor.
“It was a lot like releasing my diary into the world, and that was absolutely terrifying,” she says. “It’s probably the most vulnerable thing I’ve done creatively.”
Asked about the enduring appeal of a Broadway musical based on a 19th century romantic novel, Latter says the depth of the story and its characters keeps bringing people back.
“There truly is something for everyone within this show,” she says. “The scenes within it are applicable to almost every stage of life.”
Broadway in Richmond’s “Les Misérables” plays Dec. 2-7 at the Altria Theatre, 6 N. Laurel St. For more information visit broadwayinrichmond.com.
