COEUR d'ALENE - Love. War. Deceit. Pain. Forgiveness.

Victor Hugo's beloved classic, "Les Miserables," will be taking audiences by storm when it opens on the Lake City Playhouse stage for the first time tonight at 7:30.

"It's an impactful piece of material," said LCP artistic director George Green.

Green, who is directing the operetta, said "Les Mis" was not available for smaller theaters to perform until about a year and a half ago. It was restricted to professional theaters, but now it is available worldwide to be performed in community venues.

LCP's cast includes more than 30 actors and plenty more behind the scenes working to create a beautiful production with Zack Baker as the show's musical director.

"We're excited to take on the challenge of doing a production of this size," Green said.

"Les Mis" was originally written as a book in 1862, but its story is one that still resonates with audiences and individuals across the globe. The play has earned eight Tony Awards since it originally opened in the early 1980s.

It is the tale of protagonist Jean Valjean as he embarks on a journey to change from a low-life thief into a better person. It's a turbulent ride as he has run-ins with the police and ends up becoming the adoptive father of a little girl named Cosette. "Les Mis" is set in early 19th-century France in the midst of political problems and social uprisings, a time plagued by repercussions from the French Revolution.

"It's 'Les Mis,'" Green said. "It's one of the most popular plays in history."

Green said LCP's production of the famous show will leave audiences breathless.

"The music alone has its own merit to move you through various emotions throughout the show," he said. "Finding the moments to make you really hear the words and understand the meaning of the words is what we are gravitating toward."

"Les Mis" will include intricate lighting and sets that will transport audiences across the ocean and back in time. And Green is more than pleased with his cast. A few of the key players are: J.R. Haynie as Jean Valjean, Daniel J. Bell as Javert, Brendan Brady as Enjolras, Briane Green as Fantine, Allyson Taylor as Little Cosette, Caitlin Duffey as grown-up Cosette, Aaron Baldwin as Marius and Amber Fiedler as Eponine.

"They're an amazing group of people," he said. "Each individual has a wonderful arc that these performers are displaying flawlessly."

Although the film version of "Les Mis" was released and highly popularized in 2012, Green said the live version will triumph with audiences.

"The play is by far better than the movie," he said. "We have real singers."

The first showing of "Les Miserables opens tonight at 7:30 and runs until Oct. 12. Tickets range from $17 to $25.

Info: www.lakecityplayhouse.org.