(Spoken by Jean Valjean, before Act I begins)Lights dim. A single spotlight on Valjean, standing alone. He holds a pair of silver candlesticks in his hands. The room is still.VALJEANBefore you see me steal, I want you to know—I did not begin as a thief.Before you watch me fall, I want you to know—I carried bread for a child with a hungry face.And before you judge … [Read more...] about The Silver Mercy: A Compassionate Retelling of Les Misérables