Broadway Tour of ‘Les Misérables’ Opens at Benedum; Kavsar Features Uzbek and Halal Fare (Tues., 11/26/19)

Red and black! sings Enjorlas (Matt Shingledecker) in the new touring production of ‘Les Miz.’ (photo: Joan Marcus)

1) Which Broadway musical is the GOAT? Some people would argue for various old classics, and some for the recent hit Hamilton, but a strong contender straddling the worlds of old and new is Les Misérables. Just recall that Les Miz isn’t really a “Broadway” musical. It is French, having premiered in Paris in 1980. An English-language version didn’t appear until 1985—in London. Finally in 1987 came the Broadway premiere, and the rest (as far as we Americans are concerned) is history. Keep in mind, too, that Les Miz is seldom considered a perfect musical. Lead writer Alan Boublil and co-writer Jean-Marc Natel took tremendous liberties in cutting Victor Hugo’s epic novel down to performable size. There are key characters not fleshed out; places where the narrative feels rushed. The writers and the composer, Claude-Michel Schönberg, caught flak from critics who felt Hugo’s story had been oversimplified and sentimentalized. 

So then, what’s so great about Les Miz? It has songs and scenes that are unforgettable: Fantine’s “I Dreamed a Dream.” The brief but fiery appearances of the revolutionary, Enjorlas. Every fan has a list of favorites, and by the way, the original story by Hugo is pretty darn good. The musical, despite its cuts, dramatizes many high points powerfully, creating an experience that has moved millions. The latest touring production of Les Misérables stops in Pittsburgh for an eight-show run. 7:30 p.m. Performances run through December 1. Benedum Center, 237 7th St., Cultural District. (MV)

2) Shiloh Street is one of Pittsburgh’s hidden gems. There’re bars, ice cream, even a barber/tattoo shop. But if you go to the end of Shiloh (away from that great view from Mt. Washington) and turn right, you’ll find the first Uzbek halal restaurant in Pittsburgh, called Kavsar. Halal means that the restaurant uses foods that observant Muslims may eat under Islamic law. The Uzbek cuisine includes palov, a dish that was traditionally cooked by men. It’s made of beef, carrots and rice. The restaurant serves not only Uzbek but also Russian foods, such as borscht. Kavsar, like the new Nepali restaurants in the region, is helping to turn Pittsburgh into a United Nations of culinary delights. 16 Southern Ave., Mt. Washington. (CM)

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