Les Miserables is not just for teenagers. Elementary school children have joined the HHS musical, Les Miserables. The play contains three roles for small children; Young Cosette, Young Eponine, and Gavroche. The character Cosette lives with the Thenardiers, a conniving and abusive innkeeper couple. There is Eponine, the favored daughter of the Thenardiers and Gavroche, the youngest Thenardier child who they turn out to the streets. All three of these roles are significant and the children are in important scenes.

Kate Cummings

Nine year old Kate Cummings plays Cosette, which requires her to sing. This is not a problem for Cummings, as she is part of the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir, has performed in the past, and loves singing.

“I have to sing. I can’t go a day without singing,” Cummings said.

Cummings has wanted to be in a high school musical since she saw Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat two years ago.

“I was excited when I learned there would be kids in Les Mis,” Cummings said.

She says she could not be happier with her role and cannot wait until opening night
Elizabeth Burzumato

The role of Young Eponine is played by Elizabeth Burzumato, a nine year old student at Stone Spring. Young Eponine does not sing but Burzumato gets plenty of stage time in the song Master of the House. Burzumato enjoys singing in her spare time and has taken a shine to performing.

“Rehearsals are fun. I’ve always been a fan of singing and music. It’s fun to see it come together,” Burzumato said.

The hardest part of acting, according to Burzumato, is memorizing lines and where to be on the stage.

“It is easy when you have learned it though,” Burzumato said.

Stanley Inoyue

Gavroche, played by Stanley Inouye, is the lone boy in this trio of children.  Inoyue comes from a musical family. He and his siblings sing and his older sister Jayme has been a leading actress in many of the middle school musicals. In fact, his sister helped him learn and perfect his songs.

Inoyue likes his character but feels that they are not at all alike. He feels that if Gavroche was a real person, they could be friends provided Gavroche wouldn’t “think [he] was annoying and beat [him] up.”

“He’s kind of tough and used to having what he wants. He’s very spunky,” Inoyue explained.