Boise: Les Miserables

When I was 16 I first saw Les Mis while on a trip to California. I liked it alright, but it seemed long. But then when I was 18 I had the chance to play a chorus role in the "school version" of the play. (The full production has never been released to armature theater, just a shortened version that is for ages 8-19.) During this time I learned every word to every song. I read the book. I became apart of the story as I told the tale every night we performed. And I loved it. It changed my life. The friends I made from that cast are still friends today. We all know that there is bond between us that is understood by few. The last night we preformed I remember we were all bawling on the stage during the last song.

And anyways, I'm going to be 27 in a couple months and that means that it has been nine years since that night. And since that time I have been dying to see the production again. It never worked out until now. Buck read the book during last Christmas break and also wanted to see it. So when we discovered it was touring and going to stop in Boise we didn't even hesitate. And away we went.

We got tickets to the Thursday matinee. Before the show Buck and I had lunch at a Parisian cafe to go with the theme of things.

The play was everything I imagined it would be and more. Never mind the fact that I know the story, word for word. It felt new. I'm different now. I was emotional and misty eyed throughout the whole thing. Some parts wrapped around my throat even tighter. Right now in my life the story of Fantine just about kills me. It's hard for me to even talk about. Now that I have June I related and feared for Fantine and Cosette in new ways. Sacred ways.

And there is a lot I could say about the whole thing but who knows what the five of you who read this blog know of the play so I wont ruin anything. Because everyone should see and know this story.

 Now. When we took this photo we just wanted a photo with some sign of the play but I don't think either of us really took the time to read the sign. And now this makes me laugh. Smile pretty! haha!

So I took a photo with our poster instead.

 Because of a huge football game that night we had to park aways away and take a shuttle. So after the play there were mobs of people trying to leave while crowds of orange and blue fans flooded the city. The shuttle was nowhere to be found. So Buck and I decided to walk to the car.

It was warm out but hazy. Buck carried my heels and we walked. We like Boise, it's more charming than Salt Lake. We enjoyed the atmosphere as we talked about how the play just changed us. What we loved and how we felt.

And I feel that this last photo I took sums up the story perfectly. 

While the story of Jesus Christ is the all time most wonderful, heart wrenching, and emotional time this planet has seen- I love the stories that piggyback on it- of those less perfect who show the whole reason of why Christ did what He did. Stories like Les Miserable feel like scripture to me. (I know, Victor Hugo is no prophet...) but it's good to hear the tales of how to use His atonement. To see that it is possible and that life is beautiful no matter how much darkness there may seem to be.

And to know, most of all, that "to love another person is to see the face of God."