The SLC Arts Council and Pickens Hall sponsored a three week summer musical theater workshop that culminated in a two day performance of Les Miserables: School Edition. I was blessed with the opportunity to be present to photograph the performance at Pickens Hall & General Store in Heuvelton, NY on July 13th and 14th 2018. Until this performance, I was unaware that Pickens hosted events and musical acts! You can check out Pickens here: https://www.facebook.com/pickenshall1854/

There are many things that can be said about this, but the one thing that sticks in my mind is that this performance forever made me and many others fall in love with Les Miserables. Molly Ladouceur, Samantha Stinson, and Autumn Capocci are legends in my mind. I have heard that they are fantastic to work with and really work with each individual to cultivate and bring out their very best. Some, but not many of these kids knew each other at the start, but at the end they had all become as close as blood. It was heart wrenching to see the emotion pouring out on the final day after the performance had ended. It was beautiful what these ladies accomplished in such a short period of time. Some of these kids will go on to be really big in this and these educators have truly given them a gift towards that dream coming true.

The stage props. The coordination of multiple sets, costumes, and roles. The proximity to the audience. The multiple things going on at the same time. The separation of the people from the foreground and background but something going on in both; sometimes the action was in the background and sometimes in the foreground ... or off to the side creating a delightful surprise! But every single detail was extremely well planned out and executed. as you'd see in reality. Or the people in the foreground The talent of the kids. They were NOT "just singing" the songs. They were PERFORMING with an authenticity that you would NOT expect. I did not expect. You'd be focused on the act in front of you and then suddenly there was song from somewhere in the room. You'd look to see where and be captivated. All of it was stitched together in a flawless performance that truly captured what Les Miserables is all about.

I wish that this was longer than one weekend....

The following are images from the Opening night. July 13, 2018.