‘Les Misérables' taking on BJCC Concert Hall
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — 'Les Misérables' is taking the BJCC Concert Hall stage for eight performances.
CBS 42 News caught up with the crew at the BJCC on Tuesday as it rebuilt its sets. The actors learned to navigate a different theatre ahead of opening night.
Birmingham offers NCAA tournament fans historic sites to visit
'When 'Les Mis' sat at the Broadway Theatre and then the Imperial Theatre on Broadway and still in the West End for like 10, 15, 20 years, those things never change,' said production stage manager Ken Davis. 'But here we keep you on your feet, and it's a big part of the performers world is learning their backstage choreography as well as their on-stage choreography.'
The musical runs from Tuesday through Sunday. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Thin-Skinned Trump Snaps Over Kennedy Center Snub
Donald Trump snapped at a reporter who tried to ask about Kennedy Center actors who were planning to walk out rather than perform for him Wednesday night. He cut off the question, insisting, 'I couldn't care less!' 'Honestly, I couldn't,' Trump continued on the red carpet. 'All I do is run the country well,' he said, before launching into a lengthy list of his self-proclaimed achievements. Les Misérables cast members were offered the option to sit out the show on the night of Trump's attendance, and about a dozen performers were planning to do so, CNN reported last month. It underscores the ongoing conflict between Trump and members of the performing arts center, which he effectively seized control of in February. The president ousted much of the board, replaced them with loyalists, and appointed himself chairman, vowing to eliminate programming he deemed too 'woke,' such as events featuring drag performers. 'There's no inflation. People are happy. People are wealthy. The country is getting back to strength again,' said Trump, who was accompanied on the red carpet by Melania. 'That's what I care about.' In fact, inflation held largely steady in May at 2.4 percent. There are protests across the country as anger over Trump's immigration crackdown grows, especially in Los Angeles, which is contending with a militarized response from the Trump administration that local officials say they did not want or need. The Kennedy Center, meanwhile, has seen subscription sales plummet by more than a third year-on-year in the wake of Trump's takeover. But Trump has insisted his leadership will make the center 'great again.' Richard Grenell, the Trump-appointed president of the Kennedy Center, slammed the potential boycott last month and suggested actors who participated should be publicly identified, telling The New York Times, 'Any performer who isn't professional enough to perform for patrons of all backgrounds, regardless of political affiliation, won't be welcomed.' 'In fact, we think it would be important to out those vapid and intolerant artists to ensure producers know who they shouldn't hire—and that the public knows which shows have political litmus tests to sit in the audience,' he added. Loud boos could be heard from the audience as Trump waved from the presidential box, there were also cheers and a chant of 'USA! USA!' There was applause earlier for several drag queens as they arrived at the event. A group of drag performers had been expected to attend in protest after some attendees gave up their tickets following Trump's shakeup. Vice President JD Vance also attended the event with his wife, Usha Vance, and joked on X that he had no idea what the iconic musical was about. Trump, too, appeared to lack knowledge of the plot when he couldn't say whether he identified more with the protagonist or antagonist.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Booed at Kennedy Center, Drowned Out By 'USA' Chants
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump got a mixed reception at the Kennedy Center theater, where he watched the opening night performance of "Les Misérables" on Wednesday evening, but the boos and jeers were soon drowned out by chants of "USA". Trump waved and clapped as he entered the theater to the sound of both cheering and booing, a video posted to social media showed. A woman in another video can be seen shouting "felon" and "rapist" at Trump as another theatergoers urges her to "stop it". The president attended the performance with First Lady Melania Trump. .@realDonaldTrump gets cheered and booed at the Kennedy Center. — Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) June 11, 2025 "I couldn't care less" is what @realDonaldTrump said when asked what his response was to some Les Mis cast and crew potentially boycotting his attendance at the @kencen tonight This was the reaction to him walking in - a mix of cheers and boos More on @wusa9 — 𝙆𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙚 𝙇𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙤 (@KatieLusso) June 12, 2025 This is a developing article. Updates to follow.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump both booed and cheered attending Les Misérables at Kennedy Center
President Donald Trump was greeted with boos, as well as cheers, and chants of 'USA!' as he took his seat for the opening night of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday. It's the first time Trump has attended a show at the venue since he fired the Kennedy Center's leadership, putting MAGA loyalist Richard Grenell in charge of the famed performing arts institution and naming himself chairman of the board. He promised to scrap 'woke' programming that aligned with what he called leftist ideology, which includes drag shows and 'anti-American propaganda,' the president wrote on Truth Social. The move upset some of the center's patrons and performers, and it was reported that several cast members planned to skip the show in protest of his attendance on Wednesday. When one group of ticket holders found out that Trump, Vance and their wives, Melania and Usha, would be in attendance, they donated their tickets to a group of drag performers, according to Qommittee, as reported by Houston Public Media. Videos posted on social media show the drag performers being cheered before Trump arrived. Other videos showed the president taking his seat to a combination of boos and cheers from the audience. When Trump walked the red carpet with first lady Melania Trump ahead of the show, he said he was not bothered by the reported boycott. 'I couldn't care less, honestly, I couldn't,' Trump said. 'All I do is run the country well. The economic numbers you saw them today, they're setting records. We took $88 billion in tariffs in two months, far beyond what anybody expected. There's no inflation. People are happy. People are wealthy. The country is getting back to strength again. That's what I care about.' Trump also spoke about his plans for the Kennedy Center, whose board he replaced with loyalists, some of whom were in attendance Wednesday, including Usha Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. 'We want to bring it back, and we want to bring it back better than ever,' Trump said from the red carpet. 'As you know it needs a little help from the standpoint of age and fitness, but it's going to be fantastic.' Trump has previously proclaimed his love for Les Misérables, telling Fox News: 'I love the songs; I love the play. I think it's great.' He has played the musical's rebellion anthem, 'Do You Here the People Sing?' at past events and rallies. The story revolves around revolution in France, and has been a massive smash for decades. Trump also suggested that 'we may extend' the show's run. Currently, Les Misérables is slated to run at the Kennedy Center through July 13. The political drama at the center comes just two months after audience members booed the Vances and they took their upper-level seats at the National Symphony Orchestra. Back in 2016, incoming vice president Mike Pence was booed when he attended a production of Hamilton with his family. Pence acknowledged that he heard 'a few boos" and "some cheers" and told his kids at the time, 'that's what freedom sounds like.' The ethnically diverse cast of the popular and sold-out musical, which tells the story of America's Founding Fathers, asked Pence not to leave the venue before he listened to what they wanted to say – which was that people were worried that Trump would 'not protect them.' While Trump demanded an apology from the cast at the time and called the show "overrated", Pence told Fox News at the time that he, his daughter and cousins "really enjoyed the show".
