It’s a family affair in the Picketwire Players’ production of Les Miserables July 31, August 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 2014. It’s always more fun when family members do plays together – especially during the summer musical.

This year, there are even more relatives than usual singing and emoting on the Picketwire stage. Tom Seaba, who plays Javert, shares the stage with his son, Benjamin Mieklejohn, one of the revolutionary students, and his wife Julie who plays several chorus roles. Even their two-year old daughter Lily gets some stage time.

Scott Goheen, Marius, is choreographed by his wife, Desiree. Tracey and Cameron Salzbrenner are director and assistant director, respectively. Even the orchestra gets into the act with Sandy Maluoff, pianist, and her son Stephen, percussionist.

The Summers family has four family members in the cast: mother Natalie plays Fantine, daughter Teagan plays young Cosette, son Noah plays the youngest revolutionary – Gavroche, and daughter Lexi is in the chorus.

The Lagergren family has three cast members: mother Katie plays the romantic lead – Cosette, son Evan and daughter Kaydence are in the chorus, and father Eric is head of the stage crew.

Sharing student revolutionary duties are Levi Grundhill who plays the head of the revolutionaries (Enjolras) and his sister Janika who is a student (Courfeyrac) and a lovely lady. Two couples share the stage: Jenny and Stephen Mathews (as the Thenardiers), who auditioned on their 25th anniversary, and Laura and Todd Hillstad (ensemble/chorus). Rounding out our family affair are mothers/daughters: Cira Fowler and Courtney Ayala and Jessica Rebel and Alexia Nunez-Rebel. Two sisters Alecia and Kaylee Rumrill.

Even though they have no relatives in the cast, Picketwire is thrilled to have returning to its stage Darlene Blackford (a return after over a decade) and other crowd favorites: Grant Elliott, Tim Baublits, Dawn Pollmiller, John Eubanks, Brenda Erwin, Melody Bryan, Henry Kelley and Susan Shand. They join a cast of nearly 60 to bring this powerful musical to the Arkansas Valley.

Picketwire’s production of Les Miserables opens July 31 and continues its run August 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 at the Picketwire Center for Performing and Visual Arts, 802 San Juan Avenue in La Junta, Colorado. The play begins a half hour earlier than usual – at 7:00 pm. For tickets, call 719.384.8320. You can also purchase tickets online beginning at www.picketwireplayers.org. Ticket prices are $15.