Actor Haley Dortch has been raising audiences to their feet as Fantine in the record-breaking North American tour of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning smash musical Les Misérables.
After graduating from Guyer High School in Denton, Texas, Dortch went to study at the University of Michigan where at age 19 she auditioned for Les Miz. The rest, as they say, is history, and Dortch, now 21, has been wowing audiences with her roof-raising rendition of the Les Miz signature song “I Dreamed a Dream”.
We recently caught up for a quick Q&A ahead of the Montreal run of Les Miz at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier from July 30 to August 4.
Did you always want to be in musical theatre?
Dortch: I actually grew up doing sports. I didn’t even take my first theatre class until I was in my sophomore year of high school. Then I just fell in love with theatre. But I was always in a choir and I loved to sing.
What is it like for you to be on your first National Tour?
I started doing this musical after my sophomore year of college and it definitely was a big adjustment. It’s been a crazy couple of years but it’s been wonderful.
What is the camaraderie like amongst the cast traveling on the road?
You work with people that you also live and eat with. They are your only companions on the road – unless you have a dog like I do – so you have to be each other’s family. It’s also a challenge eating healthy on the road. I do have regimens. I like to work out. I recently started running and I also find it’s really important to have hobbies while you’re on the road. I love to read and crochet.
Has being out affected your career in any way?
I don’t think so. I hesitated about it at first because of family. And I come from Texas which is a very conservative state. So I was nervous about being out on such a grand scale. But yeah, I think that if anything, being out has affected me in a positive way because I’m able to relate to so many young queer artists and be that voice and representation for them.
What is your favourite number that you like to perform?
I love “I Dreamed a Dream” but I also really enjoy “One Day More” because it is iconic and I feel like I’m a part of such a huge legacy doing that number.
Why is Les Miz a must-see?
Because Les Miz is a timeless story. Live theatre is important because it speaks to so many people and can be a wonderful escape. It’s not made to perfection. It’s a bit different every day, but I think that’s really exciting and beautiful.
Les Misérables performance schedule at Salle Wilfred Pelletier:
- Tuesday, July 30 at 8 p.m. (Opening night)
- Wednesday, July 31st at 8 p.m.
- Thursday, August 1st at 8 p.m.
- Friday, August 2nd at 8 p.m.
- Saturday, August 3rd at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- Sunday, August 4 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
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