| Random facts: |
Of all the programs that Kurt has used and modified over the years,
Bring Him Home probably has taken on the most distinct versions. In
the 1989-1990 season, Kurt skated to Bring Him Home as one of his
exhibition programs (to the "Complete Symphonic Recording" version).
The costume was very appropriate to the musical - that of a student
revolutionary - while the choreography was particularly interpretive
of some of the lyrics in the song - such as Kurt miming hopscotch to
the line "he is young, he is only a boy." In 1992, Kurt revived this
program for the Stars on Ice tour, and in Toronto was able to skate a
beautiful performance to Michael Burgess (Toronto Jean Valjean)
singing live at center ice. Fast-forward eight years to Kristi
Yamaguchi's breast cancer benefit show, A Golden Moment. Gary Morris,
who played Jean Valjean on Broadway and was featured in the Complete
Symphonic Recording of Les Miserables that Kurt used originally, was
one of the guest singers for that show. At this show, Kurt went back
and recreated the magic of Bring Him Home from an older, more mature
perspective. Instead of literally interpreting the lyrics, Kurt
skated a beautiful slow program with long sweeping edges and deep
emotion while Gary Morris sung and accompanied himself on the guitar.
With a different costume (grey flowing blouse over grey pants) and
entirely new choreography, Kurt was able to create essentially an
entirely new program to the same song. Then, in 2011, the Royal
Glenora Club put on their 50th Anniversary Club show, looking back to
previous shows the club had done, including their 1989 Les Miserables
on Ice show, where Kurt played Jean Valjean. For the 2011 show, Kurt
reprised his role, and skated to yet another version of Bring Him
Home, wearing his original costume from 1989, but in a silver wig,
embodying the weary, mature Jean Valjean.
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