I dreamed a dream in days gone by . . .

Once upon a time, my mother told us the story of Jean Val Jean when we were on a car trip--she never continued the story with Fantine, Eponine, Marius or Cosette--but I loved Val Jean's story right away. When I was sixteen years old, my eldest sister Julianne discovered the Les Miserables the musical and shared a CASSETTE  of the Original Broadway Recording with us. I must have listened to it hundreds of times. Something about it spoke to my soul. A touring production was presenting in Salt Lake City and Julianne managed to get THREE tickets--one for her, one for Mom, and one for Dad. My envy was palable. I was further taunted when discussion turned to the fact that Dad might not be able to make the trip and I could go in his place, but that decision was also over turned. Mom and Dad went to Salt Lake to see the production with Julianne. To make matters worse, Dad slept through it (or so he claimed. I could never figure out if he was just messing with me or if he really did. Knowing him and how hard he has always worked and how easy it is for him to drift off, I think he really did!)

So I missed it, but continued to love the music. Five years later, when Chris and I joined BMG music, one of my "8 CD's for a penny" was my own CD copy of  Les Miserables. I had also decided that I should read the book, that actually might have been the beginning of my read-the-book-in-order-to-see-the-movie rule. I must confess, I read the abridged version, but I didn't feel shortchanged, it was plenty long and filled in so many details that I couldn't get from the music alone. After reading the book and owning my own CD, I wanted so desperately to see the production but it didn't come back to SLC for a long time, and being a very poor college student, I don't imagine that I could have afforded the tickets. But I bought a book with the sheet music for the piano and learned to play "A little fall of rain" and "I dreamed a dream."

Fast forward a few years of singing Les Mis, mostly in the car to when I needed to stay awake, to 2005. Great news is broadcast over the radio--Les Miserables is coming for a very limited engagement to Albuquerque. I called Jennifer, my sister who also loved the cassette but was not invited to the production. We were so excited that we could FINALLY see our beloved musical live. We started planning and checking calendars to make in work. And then tragedy struck--Eric, our only brother, proposed to Aubrey and set a date for their wedding in Grand Junction, Colorado. Of course it was on the second day of the three-day engagement. There was no way to make it to any of the shows and still participate appropriately in our brother's joyful day. Family came first, and the dream of seeing Les Mis had to take a back seat.

Again we fast forward to 2011, Les Mis is coming to Denver. My best friend of forever is going for the third time. Tickets are still available. I look at the dates and the bank account. I want to make it work but Kennedie needs a surgery, Emilee has soccer, Jonah has football, and someone must keep Kate in line. My dream will have to stay a dream for a little longer.

And now we are to Saturday May 5, 2012 at Piedra Vista High School's Spring Shindig (An amazing musical, well, shindig, combining singing and dancing and humor and . . . well a LOT of things) and suddenly the stage is filled with 100 kids dressed in white shirts and blue or red sashes and I hear the absolutely familiar note pattern of the overture. I was completely unprepared for my reaction. I was overcome to hear just a few of those pieces performed live. I couldn't stop the tears, even now there are tears again as I recall the moment. It was breathtaking and moving and wonderful. (It was momentarily interrupted by Kate wanting to sit on my lap and Kennedie asking "what exactly is Les Mis about?" which made me feel more than a little bit like Miggery Sow--does NO ONE care what I want?--but that was very temporary.) Thank you Mrs. Nichols, and Maquel, and Robin and Rike and all the rest of you for giving me what has eluded me for 21 years. I hope one day to see the production in its entirety, but what a gift I had from you in the meantime.

I had intended to end my post with the last paragraph.  I went to google to find some images to enhance the beginning of my post and would you believe the first entry on google . . . Les Mis at POPEJOY in Albuquerque in June! I bought my tickets! I am going!! But I would never have looked it up if I hadn't experienced what I did at Shindig, so thank you, again.