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PBS Presents U.S. Television Premiere of 'Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2'

- The Legendary Musical Celebrates Its 25th Birthday With a Stellar Cast -

ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- No one could have guessed on October 8, 1985, when Les Miserables opened in London at the Barbican Theatre that it would become a worldwide phenomenon, but audiences embraced it from the start, creating a "people's musical" that has played in 42 countries and has been seen by nearly 60 million people. In 2010, the legendary musical celebrated its 25th birthday, and to mark the occasion, producer Cameron Mackintosh staged an extraordinary concert at the O2 Arena in London. LES MISERABLES 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT AT THE O2 will be seen in the U.S. for the first time on Sunday, March 6, 2011, 7:00-11:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101019/DC84639LOGO)

"PBS offers every American a front-row seat to great arts and culture programming, and the Les Miz 25th anniversary concert allows viewers across the country the chance to experience some of the best-loved music of all time. PBS is proud to present the U.S. broadcast premiere of this remarkable production," said PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger.

With more than 500 actors and musicians -- including Alfie Boe, Jenny Galloway, Katie Hall, Nick Jonas, Norm Lewis, Matt Lucas, Lea Salonga and Colm Wilkinson -- LES MISERABLES 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT AT THE O2 includes the October 2010 cast of the long-running Original Production at London's Queen's Theatre and members of the original 1985 London cast. This concert was also shown in cinemas worldwide.

Based on Victor Hugo's 1862 novel of the same name and set in early 19th-century France, Les Miserables features the stories of individuals struggling for redemption and revolution. The magnificent score includes the songs "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," "Stars," "Bring Him Home," "Do You Hear the People Sing?," "One Day More," "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," "Master of the House," and many more.

Cameron Mackintosh's production of Les Miserables is written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, and is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It has music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, and original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton. The original London 1985 production of Les Miserables was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.

More information about PBS' LES MISERABLES 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT AT THE O2, the extraordinary musical theatre event that will have Broadway fans buzzing, is available at http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2011/pbs-les-miserables.

About PBS

PBS, with its nearly 360 member stations, offers all Americans -- from every walk of life -- the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches 117 million people through television and 20 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS' premier children's TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents' and teachers' most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet.

SOURCE PBS