LES MIZ BEGINS ITS SECOND DECADE IN TRIUMPH

The new Broadway company of Les Misérables gave its debut performance Wednesday night at the Imperial before an adoring audience of family, friends, show creative staff, and over 600 contest winners. For the show’s curtain call, the new cast was joined on stage by the show’s authors, Claude-Michel Schonberg, Alain Boublil and Herbert Kretzmer; co-directors John Caird and Trevor Nunn, producer Cameron Mackintosh; lighting designer David Hersey, and costume designer Andreane Neofitou.

Alain Boublil told the crowd, "Long ago I dreamed a dream that Claude-Michel and I would be able to write a decent musical, and look what happened." Claude-Michel Schonberg added, "I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who have given us so much love during the past decade."

The audience was then treated to a moving encore of "One Day More," begun in French, as "Le Grand Jour," by Robert Marien (the new Jean Valjean.), and then joined by the entire company and creative team. Finally, fireworks exploded over the stage and over 1,000 balloons were dropped from the rafters.

Later on, the Les Misérables company and guests partied the night away at Sardi’s. Sting, a friend of co-director John Caird, was surprise guest.