Members of St. Louis Symphony Chorus Will Join Muny Production of ‘Les Misérables’

ST. LOUIS — When Les Misérables opens the 106th Muny season this summer in Forest Park, the mega-musical will boast a larger-than-life feel with the lush sounds of a full chorus, thanks to a partnership with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Twenty members of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus — soprano, alto, tenor and bass-baritone — will join the Muny cast of 35 professional actors and 22 local youth performers, making a total company of 77.

“Les Mis champions the spirit of community, so it is fitting that the company we’re assembling will showcase so many gifted individuals from the St. Louis performing arts scene,” said Seth Sklar-Heyn, director of the Muny production of Les Misérables. “I am grateful to Michael Baxter and his colleagues for this special infusion of even more local talent through a partnership with the St. Louis Symphony Chorus. I know their voices will elevate this new production that we’re dreaming up exclusively for The Muny’s unique stage.”

Members of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus will appear as a courtesy and in partnership with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. The singers include sopranos Valerie Reichert, Megan Glass, Laurel Dantas, Hannah Nelson, Jei Mitchell Evens and Emily Mae Nelson (swing); altos Annemarie Bethel-Pelton, Mary Donald, Nicole Weiss, Rachel Buttram, Greta Rosenstock and Megan Nguyen (swing); tenors Philip Touchette, Brian Pezza, Lea Frost, Matthew Jellinek and Carlea Halverson (swing); and basses-baritones Nicholas Bashaw, John Herget, Tristan Wood, Robert Valentine, Matthew Stansfield and Paul Runnion.

“The SLSO is delighted that singers from the St. Louis Symphony Chorus and St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus will share their talents on The Muny’s stage alongside some of the finest actors and vocalists in musical theatre,” said SLSO President and CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard. “This collaboration is another milestone in our long and treasured partnership with The Muny and highlights our shared vision of providing unparalleled artistic experiences in the region.”

Members of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus will play a pivotal role as the supernumerary chorus in three of the show’s key musical numbers: “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” “One Day More” and “Finale: Do You Hear the People Sing? (Reprise).”

“Les Misérables calls for epic energy, epic emotion and epic stagecraft,” said Muny Artistic Director & Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “And we can do that now, thanks to our friends at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra — and with all the tools we have on our new stage. It’s going to be the ‘One Day More’ of your dreams.”

The Les Misérables creative team includes Director Seth Sklar-Heyn, Choreographer Jesse Robb, Music Director James Moore and Associate Musical Director Michael Horsley.

The Muny artistic staff includes Artistic Director & Executive Producer Mike Isaacson, Associate Artistic Director Michael Baxter, Production Manager Tracy Utzmyers and Music Supervisor Michael Horsley.

Les Misérables previously was produced at The Muny in 2007 and 2013. The show includes music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, with a book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg. Set against the backdrop of post-Revolutionary France and based on Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel, this celebrated musical follows the journey of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict seeking a fresh start, and his relentless pursuer, Javert. Its powerful songs and thrilling story of love, passion, sacrifice and redemption have been beloved the world over for generations.

Performances of Les Misérables begin at 8:15 p.m. nightly, June 17-23. New season tickets are on sale now at muny.org and at the Muny box office in Forest Park. Single tickets go on sale May 20.

Celebrated as one of today’s most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 144th year with the 2023/2024 season and its fifth with Stéphane Denève, the Joseph and Emily Rauh Pulitzer Music Director. Widely considered one of the leading American orchestras, the Grammy Award-winning SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact and community collaborations — all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music. Committed to building community through compelling and inclusive musical experiences, the SLSO continues its longstanding focus on equity, diversity, inclusion and access, embracing its strengths as a responsive, nimble organization, while investing in partnerships locally and elevating its presence globally. For more information, visit slso.org.

The Muny’s mission is to enrich lives by producing exceptional musical theatre, accessible to all, while continuing its remarkable tradition in Forest Park. As the nation’s oldest, largest outdoor musical theatre, we welcome more than 350,000 theatregoers each summer for seven world-class productions. Now celebrating 106 seasons in St. Louis, The Muny remains one of the premier institutions in musical theatre. For more information, visit muny.org.