Pullman High School’s Drama Club is performing the school edition of “Les Misérables” on two consecutive weekends from March 7–16. “Les Misérables” will show at 7 p.m. March 7–8, March 14–15 and 2 p.m. March 9 and 16.

Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children and students. The proceeds will go to the licensing rights and production costs of the show, said Andy Mielke, PHS music and drama teacher.

Based on writer and politician Victor Hugo’s book of the same name, “Les Misérables” deals with stronger themes like class oppression, revolution, suicide and desperation, Mielke said. The school edition mostly means an edited, shorter version of the three-hour-long show at Broadway.

“The show is literally ‘Miserable People,’” Mielke said. “But the overall theme is a beautiful one for redemption and forgiveness.”

The club chose “Les Misérables” to perform after club members recommended the musical, Mielke said. PHS has to pay for the rights of each show they perform, and “Les Misérables” happens to be affordable.

The club is huge, with more than 60 students. Mielke said coaching these students, arranging and tailoring costumes is a huge undertaking, and practice lasts at least two hours after school every day.

The cast is double, so every show will have different students playing the roles of Jean Valjean, Javert, Fantine, Eponine and other characters, Mielke said.

The actors are mostly ninth to 12th graders, with three middle school girls playing Young Cosette and Eponine, Mielke said.

The rehearsals began at the end of November 2023, and the club is now ready to stage the show.

“The show is fully sung through, like an opera,” Mielke said.

Mielke and assistant director Aryn Vance held three days of auditions to cast the show, which Mielke said was the most difficult part of the entire process.

Mielke said the club hopes to perform “Frozen” in 2025.