About the Play:

Les Misérables is a full-length drama adapted for the stage by Tim Kelly, from the epic novel by Victor Hugo. It tells the tale of Jean Valjean, imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's sick child, and his journey throughout many years to become a well-respected citizen. A classic story about class, justice, forgiveness and integrity, Les Miserables still tugs at the heartstrings of audiences.

Les Miserables is the story of ex-convict and his relentless pursuit by a "law and order" police inspector. Tim Kelly's theatrical adaptation of of the epic, socially conscious Victor Hugo novel is focused on the story's protagonist, Jean Valjean. Spanning the years 1814 to 1835, it tells how Valjean, imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread, escapes and finds love and mercy from a kindly priest. His life takes a turn for the better from this moment on, as he vows to become a man defined by that same love and mercy. Eventually becoming a successful businessman and mayor, he brings jobs, a hospital, and a future to his town. Sadly, his efforts to build a new life under an assumed identity are dogged at every turn by Inspector Javert, who has devoted his life to the pursuit of criminals. He can never forget the ex-convict who broke parole many years before and is determined to bring Valjean to justice, no matter what his life has become since those days. The script boasts a brilliant cast of characters who intertwine throughout the play, each one imprinting the story in their own unique way. Special emphasis has been placed on the many small roles and female characters – the tragically victimized factory worker Fantine and her daughter Cosette, who Valjean raises as his own child, and the wretched Madame Thenardier, the lovelorn Eponine – among others. Les Misérables is a powerful and truthful tale of the life of the poor in France leading up to and during the great Revolution, with an inspirational message as relevant today as it was when first published in 1862. The novel sold out its first edition and has never been out of print since.

Les Miserables is a non-musical retelling on the classic novel by Victor Hugo, which has been designed for very simple production (basically a few tables, chairs, and a bench). Under two hours in length, it is highly recommend for all groups – high school, college, amateur and professional.

Cast: 16 female, 14 male; alternate casting 17, 18, or 19 female, 11, 12, or 13 male (optional extras, much smaller with doubling)

What people say:

"Jean Valjean, Inspector Javert, Fantine, Cosette, Marius and the Thenardiers are all there, but playwright Tim Kelly has cut to the chase, without music and Broadway spectacle, for his stage adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. The play uses minimal props and lots of imagination to tell the core story of Valjean, a man whose theft of a loaf of bread to feed his starving family leads to 19 years in prison and a subsequent life of false identities, noble convictions and dramatic consequences in 19th-century France." — Courier & Press

"Though it was written more than 150 years ago, Victor Hugo's Les Miserables continues to ring true. The story about class, justice, forgiveness and integrity still tugs at the heartstrings of audiences and readers. [The] dramatization by Tim Kelly of the Hugo classic ... is the sweeping saga of the life of the poor in France leading up to and during the great Revolution." — Brantford Expositor

"Jean Valjean, Inspector Javert, Fantine, Cosette, Marius and the Thenardiers are all there, but playwright Tim Kelly has cut to the chase, without music and Broadway spectacle, for his stage adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables... The play uses minimal props and lots of imagination to tell the core story of Valjean, a man whose theft of a loaf of bread to feed his starving family leads to 19 years in prison and a subsequent life of false identities, noble convictions and dramatic consequences in 19th-century France." — Evansville Courier & Press

About the Playwright:

Tim Kelly (1931-1998) is often regarded as the most-published playwright in America, with over 300 titles to his credit under both his real name and at least four pseudonyms (Vera Morris, J. Moriarty, Robert Swift, Keith Jackson). Many of his plays, like Les Miserables, M*A*S*H and The Uninvited, are adaptations of novels, films. or television series, although he also wrote a host of parodies a well as original scripts and musical libretti. While his plays have been performed off-Broadway and by such companies as the Royal Court Rep, the Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) and Seattle Rep, he is best known for writing for university, community and school theatre.