Young Star Musical Theatre to present "Les Misérables School Edition" in Winter Garden

When Alizeica Gaspar-Smith joined Young Star Musical Theatre in 2020, she was in need of an audition song.

Lexy Shepherd-Cizek, theater director, suggested she sing “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Misérables.”

Gaspar-Smith went on to sing the song for several auditions, at least three showcases and theater district competitions for her school. 

But she said she had never seen “Les Misérables” and didn’t know anything about the popular musical. 

This weekend, Gaspar-Smith will sing “I Dreamed a Dream” not as an audition song but rather as Fantine as Young Star Musical Theatre performs “Les Misérables School Edition” at Dillard Street Theatre.

“I always knew it was a really sad song, but because I’m actually playing the character, I know I can do the song justice better than I ever could have done beforehand,” Gaspar-Smith said. 

Photo by Matthew Immler

Performance to remember

Shepherd-Cizek said Young Star Musical Theatre usually produces performances that are “high-dancing, colorful and flashy,” but with a group of strong and talented performers in the YSMT Company, which consists of students 13 years and older, Shepherd-Cizek wanted to be able to show off their talents. 

“Les Misérables School Edition” gave students an opportunity to learn the dynamics of a serious, more classic and darker themed musical, she said. 

For the first time, Young Star conducted virtual auditions for “Les Misérables School Edition,” which allowed more people to audition. Out of about 120 people who auditioned, Shepherd-Cizek said the cast consists of at least 60 students, with many being new to the theater company. 

The company decided to double-cast some roles and even have as many as four students playing a role to allow more individuals to participate in the musical.

“We believe everyone should have a chance to be a part of it,” Shepherd-Cizek said. “We call them ‘tracks’ instead of cast, so we have four different tracks that rotate through so not only do they learn their lead part, but they’ll also learn the ensemble part and switch so they support their opposite leads in the ensemble.”

With many of the cast having never seen or heard “Les Misérables” before, Shepherd-Cizek said it was interesting to see the cast grow to understand the story as rehearsals progressed.

“It was beautiful to hear all of their voices kind of unite in this show that is about unity and family,” she said. 

Carter Jacobi, who plays both Jean Valjean and Marius, said the more he learned about the show, the more he fell in love with it. He now listens to the songs and their instrumental versions from the musical in his spare time. The historical aspects of the musical also piqued his interest. 

“You throw in my love for history, you throw in a great story with incredible music, and I just get a show that’s probably my favorite show I’ve ever known,” Jacobi said. 

The musical has given students an opportunity to step out of their shells, embrace leading roles and find new passions. Jacobi wasn’t interested in musicals until his former basketball trainer had him volunteer for Young Star to teach the cast members of “High School Musical” how to play basketball. He was introduced to theater then, and after he injured his back and couldn’t play anymore, theater filled the void as he discovered his new passion. 

Now as Jean Valjean, Jacobi is driving the show. He said for many of the cast members, their characters are different versions of themselves off-stage.

“When it’s at rehearsals and we’re backstage, we’re all having fun, talking, laughing and making jokes,” Jacobi said. “But when it’s (on stage), it’s like our alter egos all come out. We’re like different people, and I love that feeling of being my alter ego. I love getting into that character.”

Nate Childers, who plays Enjolras, said he had to audition for “Les Misérables School Edition” because it’s rare for high school students to have the opportunity to perform a musical classic such as “Les Misérables.” On top of that, he will perform with his best friends, who he considers brothers. 

“It’s the hardest show ever written,” Childers said of “Les Misérables.” “Why wouldn’t I? I wanted to take that on with my friends, and I wanted to have that experience and put on a kick-butt show.”

He said he uses his personal experiences and appreciation for his friends to bring the emotions of Enjolras, a leader in the musical, to the stage. 

“It’s a role that very easily could fall flat, but I love adding so much depth to it that it doesn’t,” Childers said. “Getting to be there with my friends and be on the barricade, getting to fight with my friends and, in the end, spoilers, but turning around and seeing them all dead, it just breaks my heart on stage. It makes me shed a real tear on stage just like, ‘Wow, I feel this.’ It’s such an amazing role to get to play with your brothers, your best friends.”

Childers, Gaspar-Smith and Jacobi all said Young Star is like family, and they consider Dillard Street Theatre a home away from home. 

The cast for “Les Misérables School Edition” has embraced newcomers to the theater company to support each other as they take on the challenging music and emotions of the musical. 

Photo by Matthew Immler

Adding to a legacy

“Les Misérables School Edition” is Shepherd-Cizek and her mother, Shmaine Shepherd’s, favorite musical. 

“We really enjoyed getting to bring a story that we love to kids who had never listened to it or watched it,” Shepherd-Cizek said. 

Shepherd-Cizek is the third generation to run Young Star Musical Theatre. Her grandmother, Barbara Shepherd, started the theater company, and it was passed down to her mother until Shepherd-Cizek decided to join. 

Last summer, Shepherd-Cizek and the volunteers for Dillard Street Theatre worked to renovate the 108-year-old building. The theater houses a 105-seat theater, a dance studio room, costume racks and a large dressing room. 

As a small theater company, Shepherd-Cizek said having her own theater is a dream come true.

“It’s great to have our own space, because we can offer so much more to our kids,” she said. “A lot of people put a lot of work into the building and there’s still a lot to be done but getting to see it come to fruition has been a really big accomplishment for a company that has been in my family since before I was even born.”

Young Star Musical Theatre started in Florida after the company moved in 2018 from California with 11 students. Now the program has more than 200 students registered throughout the year as well as a summer camp. 

Shepherd-Cizek has seen some of her students grow up in the program, achieving milestones, and some of them have seen her achieve milestones including getting married and having a daughter. 

“It’s a really cool thing getting to impact them in their lives and in their future,” she said.