If you love musicals, you’re in luck. Parkland High School Theatre will present “Les Miserables — School Edition” for its spring 2025 musical. Parkland’s performances are 7 p.m. April 2-5 and 3 p.m. April 6 in the school auditorium, 2700 N. Cedar Crest Blvd., Allentown.

‘“Les Miserables’ is the world’s longest running musical — a true modern classic based on Victor Hugo’s novel and featuring one of the most memorable scores of all time,” Parkland School District says on its website. “In 19th century France, Jean Valjean is released from years of unjust imprisonment but finds nothing in store for him but mistrust and mistreatment.

“He breaks his parole in hopes of starting a new life, initiating a lifelong struggle for redemption as he is relentlessly pursued by police inspector Javert, who refuses to believe Valjean can change his ways.

“Finally, during the Paris student uprising of 1832, Javert must confront his ideals after Valjean spares his life and saves that of the student revolutionary who has captured the heart of Valjean’s adopted daughter. Epic, grand and uplifting, ‘Les Miserables — School Edition’ packs an emotional wallop that continues to thrill audiences all over the world.”

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit parklandsd.org/departments/arts/ticket-information.

I can remember sitting in the back of my grandparents’ station wagon when I was young and listening to a cassette tape of “Les Mis.”

(I wonder what my son, Benjamin, would think of a station wagon. Would he even know what a cassette tape is?)

While listening, I got really excited when “Master of the House” came on. Is that not just the most fun song ever?

(I cannot confirm or deny if my grandfather turned down the volume for the cursing and adult content.)

I looked up, and my Pop Pop and I locked eyes in the rear view mirror, and I gave him a big smile, which he returned back to me. It is a memory I have kept with me for years, and I know I’ll never forget it.

Now, my son is beginning to become quite fascinated with “Les Mis,” particularly the “Master of the House” song.

(I can confirm I do turn down the volume for cursing and adult content.)

Music has some pretty powerful effects on people, research shows.

“That idea — that art has a measurable effect on the brain and its structure — has support from a growing number of scientific studies,” Jon Hamilton wrote in an April 3, 2023, NPR article titled “Building a Better Brain through Music, Dance and Poetry.”

He interviewed Ivy Ross, vice president of hardware design at Google and coauthor of The New York Times bestseller “Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us.”

“Creativity is making new connections, new synapses,” Ross said.

“[He] cowrote the book with Susan Magsamen, director of the International Arts and Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Magsamen says art’s effect on the brain is most dramatic in children,” the article states.

“Children [who] are playing music, their brain structure actually changes and their cerebral cortex actually gets larger,” Magsamen emphasized.

In their book, the authors talk about the changes in brain activity in response to art, music, theater or poetry. Ross and Magsamen also discuss why it is believed these changes in the brain correlate to better acquisition of “a wide range of skills, including math and science.”

‘“Children who engage in the arts are better learners,’ Ross says. ‘Students with access to art education are five times less likely to drop out of school and four times more likely to be recognized with high achievement,’” the article continued.

The arts in schools are important, beneficial and should be supported.

If “Les Mis” isn’t your vibe, here is a list of some other school musicals coming up in the Lehigh Valley.

• “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”: 7 p.m. March 27-29 and 2 p.m. March 30 at Whitehall High School

• “Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical”: 7 p.m. March 28, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. March 29 and 1 p.m. March 30 at Northampton Area High School

• “Mamma Mia!”: 7 p.m. April 2-4, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 5 and 2 p.m. April 6 at Emmaus High School

• “Shrek the Musical”: 7 p.m. April 3 and 4 and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 5 at Allentown Central Catholic High School

• “Nice Work If You Can Get It”: 7 p.m. April 11, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 12 and 1 p.m. April 13 at Freedom High School, Bethlehem

• “The Addams Family: School Edition” 6:30 p.m. April 10-12 and 2 p.m. April 13 at Saucon Valley High School, Hellertown

• “Mamma Mia!”: 7 p.m. April 24 and 25 and 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 26 at Liberty High School, Bethlehem

• “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”: 7 p.m. April 25 and 26, 3 p.m. April 27 and 7 p.m. May 2 and 3 at Bethlehem Catholic High School

Stacey Koch

editorial assistant

Whitehall-Coplay Press

Northampton Press

Catasauqua Press