"Look, Monsieur, Where All The Children Plaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                        Let's get started right away, girls, because I know the first thing you want to know.

                                       Megan Buzzard is a superb Fantine.  From her entrance during "At The End Of The Day," to when she takes center stage for the classic "I Dreamed A Dream," Miss Buzzard just does not play Fantine; she makes you feel she IS Fantine.  And she makes the audience feel compassion (as I have always felt, since first reading the Hugo novel, before seeing it on Broadway, back in 1987!  The night after it opened on Broadway, darlings!  With the Original Cast!!!!!!!!!!!) for Fantine; her eyes glisten with vulnerability and pain, her facial muscles tighten in agony.  If your primary interest in seeing this show is to see how the actress cast handles Fantine, let me go this far--she comes as close as anyone to my personal
favorite Fantine--the great Britisher, Ruthie Henshall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        The same goes for Bill Andrews, who inhabits Jean Valjean. There is always a litmus test for me, with the actor playing this role, which tells me whether or not he is going to work.  It is when he gets to the phrase, "My sister's child was close to death, and we were starving," and at that point I
felt a familiar tug at the heart which, coupled with how he held a particular note early on, told me he was going to be just fine.  And he is.  His rendition of "Bring Him Home" soars heavenward, as effortlessly as
though it were a small accomplishment.  But it is not; it is a large one, and Mr. Andrews occupies the stage, and sings the bulk of the score with insight and skill.  His death scene was the only one to move me since
He Who Owns The Role--Mr. Colm Wilkinson. For me, his shining moment was when he approaches the Thernardiers about Cosette, and sings about how he stands in Fantine's place!!!!!!  Damn right!!!!!  Don't miss Mr. Andrews as Jean Valjean!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Let me say something here about Joesph Bellino's Inspector Javert. Once he is on stage, who the hell is Russell Crowe?  Hell, who was he , anyway?  Well, let's not go there!  When Mr. Bellino was singing "Stars," as the tears poured down my face over the power of the song and the beauty of his voice, I leaned toward my partner, and whispered, "Now, THIS is how the song should be sung!"  He humanizes Javert in a way many do not; I have never been one to agree with his viewpoint, but Mr. Bellino's performance here makes it understandable, and indicates where it came from, and how it evolved.

                                          I am guessing Jacqueline Samaha is somehow related to the director, Jeff Samaha, but let me tell you, darlings, her Eponine stands on its own.  Of course, she handles that character's signature song, "On My Own," with the poignancy demanded, but my favorite Eponine moment has always been when she dies in Marius' arms during "A Little Full Of Rain."  It breaks the heart, and Miss Samaha does just that.  I just loved her Eponine.

                                            Who else?  Well, Sean Kincaid is vocally spectacular as Enjorlas, having one of the strongest voices on that stage.  And his is an impressive presence, which is just another way of saying, girls, that he is hot, recalling Michael McGuire in the Broadway original.  When he took the lead in "Do You Hear The People Sing," I thought the entire audience was going to stand up, and join in.  I know I was ready to, lambs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             Playing the role of those grifters par excellence, the Thernardiers, Kathy Valentine and John Panepinto achieve the remarkable feat of making them more characters than caricatures, which is why they have often annoyed me in other productions.  They are annoying when need to be here, but not in a way that made me want them to just get off the stage, as has been the case other times.  And I was happy that no one skimped on using my favorite phrase from "Master Of The House"--"Everybody have a glass/Raise it up the Master's ass!!!!!!!" Their delivery of that alone is priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             As is Mr. Panepinto when he shows us Thernardier's humanity in the sewer, when he raises his arms upward and utters that plaintive cry--"I raise my eyes to see the heavens. And only the moon looks down!"  These are Thernardiers one does not take for granted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            Now, for Marius and Cosette, played by John Patrick Sabatos and Beata Royzman. .   When, with Jacqueline Samaha, they do the triplet endning of "A Heart Full Of Love,": and their voices soar heavenward as though the angels were carrying them all, it is as achingly beautiful as it should be.  Same when Marius and Cosette duet--they are one pair of two exquisite voices!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             And, of course, I cannot forget, I would never have even been seeing this production, were it not for my theatrical friend, Daniel Burke, who plays the Bishop Of Digne.  A role done by Colm Wilkinson, in the movie, incidentally.  Now, I have done stage work with Danny, so I knew his voice would carry him..  But I had never really seen him act, and when he sings to Valjean, "I have brought your soul for God," it goes to the depths of one's soul.  Not to mention, girls that he is the cutest looking thing seen in a cassock in ages!!!!!!!!!  He'd have made some crazy cleric, but he is a moving Bishop.

                                             One must not forget the children.  Ryan Daniels not only commands the stage as Little Gavroche, his is one of the strongest voices up there.  And so young!  He is wonderful.  As is Abagail Summa as Little Cosette, whose "Castle In The Cloud" is as moving, in its own way, as "I Dreamed A Dream."  It is Little Cosette's version of that song, and Miss Summa delivers!

                                             Jeff Samaha and Kathy Valentine, among others, have guided a cast of 60--that is bigger than the Original Broadway cast of this show; even the 1971 "Follies," which only had a cast of 50!!!!!!!!!!!  The Ensemble is an assemblage of some of the most  gorgeous voices you will ever hear on a stage, and I loved the Understudies' Encore, at the end!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               In essence, what is on display here is understanding for and an impassioned dedication  to the material.  Something missing from a lot of musical theater across the river, darlings!!!!!!!!
This company is so accomplished, they could be sent there, to Paper Mill,,,,anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              If you have never seen the show, this is the production to see.  If it is not one of your faves, this one's professionalism and craftsmanship may win you over.  It has one more weekend round of performances, and, if I had the time, I would go again.  But I am telling my girls to get out to Bay Ridge and see this group bring to life, and help keep memories afresh, the splendors and pleasures of a true Musical Theater Classic.

                                             I began with Fantine, and will end with Fantine.  As one who still wants to play this role, but wouldn't dream of taking it from Miss Buzzard, I have got to say--

                                               Megan, honey, telll them to put some padding on that bed!  Fantine has gone through enough hell by that time!!!!!!!!  Why should she die in discomfort?????????  If ever I step into the part, I would insist on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!