This story was originally published by ArtsATL.
A week before the staging of “Les MisAmerica” — a political comedy based on “Les Misérables” but set in the United States and less serious — a handful of cast members met at Village Music in Avondale Estates to run through songs with Nick Edelstein, their music director. As Edelstein pressed “play” on a score recording, the semicircle launched into songs such as “Look ‘Round” and “Masters of the House” — familiar to fans of “Les Misérables” but with bold, hilarious updates.
Staging this weekend at Limelight Theatre on Nov. 1 and 3, “Les MisAmerica” was created out of a group effort. The 14 songs and three-act script were developed by five writers: Marcela Benítez, Rachel Garbus-Benítez, Erica Anthony-Speed, Maurie Speed and Summer McCusker. Their ideas aligned perfectly with performing arts group Sketchworks Comedy’s plan to develop another work similar to “Vape,” the popular parody of “Grease.”
“Erica reminded me I’d been wanting to do a political satire, and then Marcela mentioned ‘Les Misérables,’” said Garbus-Benítez. “Sketchworks Comedy was excited about it like we were.”
Photo courtesy of Sketchworks Comedy
Photo courtesy of Sketchworks Comedy
Writing the musical took several months, but time flew as the group made the work fun, scheduling weekly dinners and divvying up songs according to each person’s particular preferences. Next, they recruited Edelstein, who has directed musicals such as “Rent” for the Henry Players and “In the Groove” for BUICEntennial Productions. “Rachel and I have a mutual friend who reached out and said I’d be perfect,” Edelstein said. “And I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m in love with this project!’”
Of the 14 satirized songs, the group agreed that a handful needed to be included because they were the most well-known from “Les Misérables.” But even those who have never read Victor Hugo’s novel, watched “Les Misérables” on stage or viewed the 2012 film are sure to get laughs out of “Les MisAmerica.” Anthony-Speed admitted that she developed a new love for the material while working on their version.
“I saw [the film] in high school and wasn’t interested,” she laughed. “I had to be strong-armed into joining the group, and I really like it now. It’s all in my head nonstop now — earworms of our lyrics and the original lyrics.”
Added Edelstein, “I think fans of ‘Les Misérables’ will appreciate how smartly it’s interwoven. It pays homage to the original musical but is creative at the same time.”
“Les MisAmerica” spans decades of American history, with Act I covering the 1980s, Act II all about the 2010s and Act III depicting the latter part of the Trump era, ending with that perilous day in early 2021. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger makes an appearance for the infamous phone call, and other characters — including a personified version of the U.S. Constitution named 1776, Brett Kavanaugh, Elon Musk, Sarah Palin and a puppet version of Donald Trump — show up.
The writers wanted the musical to start with the 1980s Reagan administration and conclude with the insurrection, while hinting at the fact that the United States has an ongoing story, Garbus-Benítez said.
“Writing it and then seeing people cast it and put their own vocal and comedic talent to it is so much fun,” she said. “Especially because it’s all happening right now!”
THEATER PREVIEW
“Les MisAmerica”
A Sketchworks Comedy presentation on Nov. 1 and 3. 8 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Sunday. Advance tickets: $16 plus ticketing fee. Limelight Theatre, 349 Decatur St. SE, Atlanta. sketchworkscomedy.tix.page
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Denise K. James is an ArtsATL senior editor.
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