Heartwood’s production of “Les Miserables,” is, quite simply, c’est magnifique!

Victor Hugo’s tale of love, strife, pain, survival and redemption is brought to the stage brilliantly by this acting ensemble of both young and veteran performers. Director Griff Braley’s casting is spot on.

“Les Miserables,” is set in post-revolution Paris leading up to the insurrection of June 1832 in which hundreds upon hundreds of poor working class and not so poor revolutionary thinkers lost their lives.

Most of us know the story of Jean Valjean (Dennis St. Pierre), imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving niece and sister, paroled with his own "scarlet letter," a yellow paper proclaiming his ex-con status to any future employer and landlord. Police detective and Valjean’s arch nemesis, Javier (Paul Stickney), says Valjean will always be a criminal and that he will be ready and waiting to bring Prisoner 24601 back.

Valjean, oppressed by the "letter" decides to jump parole. He destroys the paper, his identity as prisoner 24601 — and runs.

Valjean’s life changes, ironically after he steals candlesticks and other silver table settings from the Bishop who offers him food and shelter for the night. Valjean is apprehended by the police for the theft, but the Bishop tells the officers he gave the items to the man. The Bishop urges Valjean to use this opportunity to turn his life around and do some good now that he has the means and a new identity.

Eight years later, Valjean is a factory owner and mayor of a small town. One of his workers, Fantine (Melissa Bills), is fired from her job after her fellow workers tell their boss of Fantine’s illegitimate child, Cosette (Elaine Landry).

Shortly after, Fantine sells her hair (and some teeth) for money to give the the nefarious innkeepers in the town, Monsieur and Madame Thenardiers (Joe McGrann and Dixie Wisemann), who are taking care of Cosette.

Bills had me weeping as she sang "I Had a Dream," an immensely sad song about lost dreams and chances for love and to be happy.

Fantine becomes a prostitute soon after to support her beloved child. She blames Valjean, now Monsieur Madeleine for her plight. On her deathbed she asks him to take Cosette into his care. Feeling responsible and truly repentant for his role in Fantine’s fate, he agrees. But again he must get away from Javier, who witnesses Valjean lifting a cart off of a man. Valjean is the only man Javier has ever known with such strength.

The innkeepers extract as much money as they can from Valjean for their little "treasure," Cosette. In truth, the child had been nothing but a burden to them, not worth the money her mother sent. Cosette was abused and turned into a slave, working night and day.

Wisemann and McGrann are deliciously devilish and dark as the innkeepers. The two work well together and shine in any scene in which they appear. Their song, "Master of the House," with the ensemble members of the cast is great fun — as it should be.

Valjean runs from Javier again, this time with his foster daughter, to a convent.

Around Paris, unrest rises between the lack of money, jobs, food and the recent cholera epidemic. Rebels exist in many places, including the colleges. One of these student revolutionaries, Marius (Isaak Olson), is involved, albeit unknowingly, in a love triangle with the now grown Cosette (Nancy-Grace Dersham) and Eponine (Noelle Timberlake), the daughter of the Theardiers. Marius rents a room at the inn, but considers Eponine a friend.

When General Jean Maximilien Lamarque, the champion of the poor, dies, the young street urchin Gavaroche, played by Andrew Lydecker, announces his death to the student revolutionaries.

A barricade is built in the city, blocking the funeral procession and the time of the rebellion arrives. Valjean is with the rebels in the barricade to watch over Marius after he learns of the young man’s love for Cosette.

Many characters are lost in the battle well executed by the players. Eponine, who joined the revolution by dressing like a boy, is killed.

There is some happiness in the musical, Cosette and Marius marry. Before Valjean dies, he tells Cosette the truth about his past and about her mother.

Each of the 20 beautifully scored and lyrically driven songs by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg are delivered with emotion and honesty by this talented cast.

When young Cosette, played in preview by Elaine Landry, sings "Castle on a Cloud" of the mother in white who sings to her of a mother’s love, you will feel the child’s pain and longing.

St. Pierre is Jean Valjean. St. Pierre’s performance is truly perfection. When Valjean sings "Bring Him Home," a plea to the gods to keep Marcus safe from harm and bring him home to Cosette, it is heart wrenching. In every scene in which he appears, Valjean’s truth is captured by St. Pierre.

Timberlake, who has the voice of an angel, tears at the heartstrings with Eponine’s "On My Own." The song tells of her strong love for Marius and acknowledges that their shared love is only real within her fantasy. Timberlake shines in this role.

Dersham, another gifted actor with a voice of an angel, gives herself up wholly to the embodiment of Cosette. During the curtain call that follows shortly after Valjean’s death, tears could still be seen on her cheeks.

Young  Lyndaker continues to exude stage presence and, the voice — superbe!

The ensemble numbers are smashingly strong. The united voices pierce through the viewer’s soul — much to its delight.

You will leap (albeit carefully) up from your seats at the conclusion of each of these brilliant performances satisfied, yet yearning for more! Vive le Heartwood!

“Les Miserables,” is staged at the Poe Theater in Newcastle at 81 Academy Hill Road.

Visit www.heartwoodtheater.org for tickets or call 207-563-1373.