Columbia Theatre welcomes back acclaimed Broadway tenor Ivan Rutherford as Jean Valjean in Fuhrmann Performing Arts’ “Les Misérables.” Rutherford has performed the role of Jean Valjean more than 2,000 times on Broadway. Junior vocal performance and opera major Jarred Frey, along with other Southeastern students performing at the concert, was able to meet and perform with Rutherford.
“Ivan had come in April for a concert with the wind symphony and the concert choir, which I was in,” said Frey. “So that’s how we met, and I friended him on Facebook.”
Production and planning for Les Misérables had already begun by Fuhrmann Performing Arts.  When Jarred Frey was cast as Marius for the performance, he posted his excitement on Facebook.
“So he messaged me on Facebook saying, ‘Jarred, it’s so great to hear what’s going on. I’m so proud of you. Let me know who Jean Valjean or Javert are or if they drop out, I’d be happy to come down and play them.’ I’m thinking to myself, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!'” said Frey.
Directors Randy Perkins, Southeastern alumni, and Lynn Perkins were notified of the offer immediately.  
“We, of course, said yes,” said Randy Perkins, “He is doing three performances with a local cast on Aug. 30, 31 and Sept. 1 at the Columbia Theatre.”  
Showings will be at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 and 31 and at 2 p.m. on Sept. 1.  General admission will be $32, and student admission will be $15 with a current student I.D. Southeastern alumna Bethany Putman will play Cosette alongside Frey in the production. Frey expressed his excitement in the casting since he and Putman have known each other and have been friends since his freshman year at Southeastern.
“It’s cool because we finally get the opportunity to work together on something like this,” said Frey. “We have to have a massive amount of chemistry, I mean the relationship between Marius and Cosette is that it is love at first sight and then develops, and then there’s conflict in Marius’ life that he goes through in the show, and I don’t want to ruin the ending but of course it all ends happily…for the most part. I mean the show is Les Misérables.”
The cast and crew have been preparing for the show without Rutherford until he arrives Wednesday, Aug. 28. That night will be the first dress rehearsal with Rutherford in attendance. Then Thursday, Aug.  29, the cast and crew will perform for a small audience before opening night on Friday, Aug. 30.  
“When you do something like this it really helps the cast get acclimated for getting the response of an audience,” said Frey. “For months we’ve been rehearsing without an audience, and we don’t know when applause is going to come or if they’re going to laugh, so get the feel of what it will be like.”
Tickets will not be available at the Columbia Theatre box office. For more information or to purchase tickets call Fuhrmann Performing Arts
at 985-276-0465 or go to www.fpa-theater.com.