SOUTH PORTLAND — “Les Miserables” is now available to local community theaters and The Portland Players has announced auditions will take place at 6 p.m. June 3, 4 and 5, at 420 Cottage Rd., for nine performances to take place in September of 2014.

Set in early 19th-century France, it is the story of Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his quest for redemption after serving 19 years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread for his starving sister’s child. Valjean decides to break his parole and start his life anew after a kindly bishop inspires him by a tremendous act of mercy, but he is relentlessly tracked down by a police inspector named Javert. Along the way, Valjean and a slew of characters are swept into a revolutionary period in France, where a group of young idealists make their last stand at a street barricade.

Auditions will be closed vocal auditions. If auditioning for a principal character, audition with the music section provided for that part found at: http://portlandplayers.org/Audition_Announcements.html

Children six to 16 will be considered for roles featured and ensemble. The performance requires a 35-40 person cast.

Everyone auditioning for a role other than those listed or for ensemble, bring a prepared piece, 16 bars, of a modern musical in the same genre. No auditions without music.

Rehearsals begin July 14 and are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7-10 p.m. Show opens Tuesday, Sept. 16.