Jason Vest.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Jason Vest, Northern Kentucky University Professor, will play the role of Jean Valjean in the Department of Theatre and Dance’s upcoming production of the smash-hit musical, LES MISÉRABLES, directed by Department Chair, Ken Jones. Vest, an accomplished tenor, is on faculty in the Department of Music as an Assistant Professor of Voice.
The department contracts Guest Artists as an opportunity to further student learning by working alongside seasoned professionals. Vest says it is also a learning opportunity for him: “not unlike every performance I give… I’m learning so much from each and every experience. I think if that stops then I have nothing left to give on the stage.”
No stranger to the music of LES MISÉRABLES, Vest first encountered the unforgettable score at age 10 when he traveled to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall. “…Not long after that I had the cassette tapes. I bought the music and used to sing and play from it fairly often. By high school, I would sing “Bring Him Home” for little performances and it was at that age that I actually saw the show for the first time, a touring production that came through Indianapolis.”
Vest says Valjean is now a bucket-list role, but that wasn’t always the case. “When I was growing up, it was actually Marius that I liked the most… However, I think now as a father, having lived a little bit, I can finally connect to Valjean. His music is also so difficult that I don’t know if I could have done it justice earlier in my life.”
In preparation for the role, Vest has been reading the original novel in French and watching some of the film adaptations of the book. “I speak fluent French and lived in French-speaking countries for two years… I do feel a strong connection to not only the musical but also the places and themes in it… We find the story of Valjean so touching because it is a very human experience that we all live in [our own] way… I just hope to bring whatever of myself that I can to his character.”
Very few tickets remain, but a Wait List will begin 1 hour before each sold-out performance.
WHAT
LES MISÉRABLES
WHO
Northern Kentucky University | Department of Theatre and Dance
Directed by Ken Jones | Music Direction by Jamey Strawn
WHEN
February 19 – March 1, 2015
Wednesday – Saturday: 8pm | Sunday: 3pm | Saturday, March 28th at 2pm
WHERE
NKU | Corbett Theatre | 100 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41099
Ticket prices
General Admission: $14 | Senior (60+): $11 | Student (with a valid ID): $8
For more information call the NKU Fine Arts Box Office at 859.572.5464 or go to theatre.nku.edu
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 