Les Miserables

Based on Victor Hugo's novel of the same name, Les Miserables is a musical drama composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel. Set against a backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Miserables tells the story of Jean Valjean, a thief who has just been released after serving 19 years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread. Once he is free, he changes his identity and interacts with several other characters in a complex plot that explores themes of war, love and sacrifice. With no spoken dialogue outside of the musical numbers, the show has achieved immense popularity in the US as well as Europe with songs like "I Dreamed a Dream" and "On My Own," and has won several awards including a Tony for Best Musical.