“Les Misérables" at the Timber Lake Playhouse -- June 12 through 28.
Friday, June 12, through Sunday, June 28
Timber Lake Playhouse, 8215 Black Oak Road, Mt. Carroll IL
A legitimate stage classic and winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, the international smash Les Misérables enjoys a June 12 through 28 staging at Mt. Carroll's Timber Lake Playhouse, the production featuring such unforgettable songs as "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Do You Hear the People Sing," and the area presentation boasting a Jean Valjean portrayed by John Michael Finley, the critically acclaimed star of the film smash I Can Only Imagine.
With music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, and a book by Boublil and Schönberg, Les Misérables is based on the 1862 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. Set in early 19th-century France, this legendary epic tells the story of Jean Valjean, a French convict, and his desire for redemption. After stealing a loaf of bread for his sister's starving child, Valjean is imprisoned for 19 years and released in 1815. When a bishop inspires him with a tremendous act of mercy, Valjean breaks his parole and starts his life anew and in disguise. He becomes wealthy and adopts an orphan, Cosette, while a police inspector named Javert pursues Valjean over the decades in a single-minded quest for "justice." The characters are consequently swept into a revolutionary period in France, in which a group of young idealists attempts to overthrow the government at a street barricade in Paris.
Timber Lake's new production will be one of the first licensed productions of Les Misérables in over a decade, and also the only licensed production of the musical in the state of Illinois happening this year. Directed by Timber Lake's artistic director Tommy Ranieri, in his third year, he states, “Les Misérables is the definitive musical of the 20th century and is the piece that made so many of us fall in love with theatre. IIf there has ever been a show at TLP I’ve implored our community to see, it will be this epic musical, accompanied by a 14-piece orchestra of local musicians. What a way to celebrate our 65th anniversary season!”
The production stars Broadway’s John Michael Finley as Jean Valjean, the artist and star of the I Can Only Imagine movies (as MercyMe lead singer Bart Millard) having famously played the role on Broadway in its most recent revival. Alongside Finley, Danny Rothman steps into the boots of Javert for the fourth time after being featured on Broadway in the 2024 revival of Sweeney Todd.
Returning to the TLP stage as Fantine is fan favorite Channing Weir from Saturday Night Fever, and seen on the national Tour of Pretty Woman. James Schultz, best known for playing The Grinch on the National Tour of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical, and Faye Beane, who just starred in Disney’s Newsies at The Argyle Theatre, are the infamous innkeepers Thenardier and Madame Thenardier, A local actor from Mt. Morris, John Chase will also return to TLP this season as the Bishop. Welcoming Benjamin Stasiek from the National Tour of The Sound of Music, with family background in Mount Carroll as Gavroche, Makalah Knutti as Little Cosette, and Taylor Jakobs as Little Eponine who both return after last summer’s production of Disney’s Frozen.
Making their debuts at Timber Lake Playhouse as the 2026 Resident Company; Joey Baciocco as Marius, Jazmin Rhodes as Eponine, Allie DeMatteo as Cosette, Kaden Hawkins as Enjolras, Greyson Taylor as Combeferre/Ensemble, Isaiah Baston as Grantaire/Ensemble, Carter Minor as Courfeyac/Ensemble, Jose-Emilio Escoto as Lesgles/Ensemble, Connor Ziedman as Prouvaire/Ensemble, with Nat Wiley, Carly Garcia Walton, Elana Simard, Favor Buchi, and Danielle Serrano-Bremer featured in our ensemble. Timber Lake also welcomes Justin Autz as Feuilly and Edwin J. Perez II as Joly in their Mt. Carroll debuts, with local talent Kynnedi Smith and Sam Stasiek on hand as standby performers.
Les Misérables runs at the Mt. Carroll theatre May 29 through June 7, with scheduled 2 and 7:30 p.m. performances Wednesdays through Sundays. Admission is $36-64, and more information and tickets are available by calling (815)244-2035 and visiting TimberLakePlayhouse.org.
