'Les Miserables' returns to Philadelphia, directed by Bucks County native Brendan Stackhouse

"Les Miserables" is one of the world's most popular musicals.

It's been seen by over 130 million people around the world and Tuesday night, it returns to the Academy of Music in Center City Philadelphia.

This production has a very special local connection.

"I saw it for the first time in 2001 at the Forrest Theater," says Brendan Stackhouse. "It was actually one of the first shows I saw ever saw."

And now, Stackhouse, a Bucks County native, gets to see "Les Miserables" almost every single day - sometimes twice a day.

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He's the current resident director for the touring production, which opens at the Academy of Music this week.

"It's surreal to be able to do this," he says. "I've seen so many shows at the Academy and at theaters across Philly growing up. To be able to be part of one of them is really awesome!"

Stackhouse has been touring the country with the show for the past seven months.

"I go city to city every night with it, and I am basically in charge of making sure that the show looks good and stays tight and is artistically maintained," Stackhouse explains.

Stackhouse says seeing the show at the Forrest Theater more than two decades ago was like a calling.

"I thought, 'I could potentially do that! This is what I want to do,'" he recalls.

Those moments can be quite formative, especially for young people. He sees his younger self in each crowd, knowing how so many kids will leave the theater with that same dream.

In fact, his younger brother will see the show for the first time this week at the Academy of Music.

Many of the current cast members have also toured at the Academy of Music before and are eager to bring it back.

"Everyone is saying it is their favorite theater and their favorite city to play," Stackhouse says. "To be able to do two weeks there is great. I'm really proud of that, actually. I take a lot of ownership of that!"

"Les Miserables" opens Tuesday, August 27 at the Academy of Music and runs through September 8th.

Ensemble Arts Philly is offering our 6abc viewers an exclusive discount where you can save 20% on select performances with the code LESMIZ6ABC.

For tickets, visit EnsembleArtsPhilly.org.