Dawson Theatre grad starred in 51-show run of Les Misérables this summer
Nathan Bois-McDonald, a 2023 graduate of Dawson College’s Professional Theatre program, has spent the summer playing Marius Pontmercy in a 51-show run of Les Misérables in Montreal and Quebec City. The production’s popularity in Montreal led organizers to add 18 extra performances.
Nathan describes Marius as “a young romantic rebel” whose arc moves from idealism and loss to resilience. “He goes to the barricades and all his friends who are there with him get killed,” he says. “He has some survivor’s guilt but decides to push on and live fully. He marries the daughter of Jean Valjean. His arc is incredibly satisfying to play as an actor.”
Nathan’s path to the stage wasn’t linear. After a year in Health Science, where he “did very well,” he realized he lacked the resolve to continue. The pandemic year and the shift to online learning also played a role. “My wonderful parents suggested that I do something I want to do,” he said. “I had seen a few Dawson Theatre shows and I decided to do a complete 180 and apply to Theatre.”
That first year was mostly online during the pandemic but returning to in-person classes in 2021–2022 “cemented my desire to pursue acting.” Alongside the intensity of the program, Nathan found community beyond the stage. A favourite Dawson memory comes from his time in the Green Earth Club, where he helped launch a project to collect and recycle used medical masks. In the first year alone, the initiative recycled 40,000 masks.
“A big plus was feeling like you were part of the larger Dawson community,” he says, noting that the club experience complemented the close-knit environment of the Theatre program.
The program’s intensity and professional focus helped him transition into the industry. “There is a strong element of professional development at Dawson,” Nathan said. “They teach you how to manage your career, manage your money, find an agent and build a resumé. The faculty gave me building blocks to start on the right foot.”
After graduation, he worked with Repercussion Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park in Cymbeline (2023), then took voice-over and dubbing work in English and French while auditioning. “I was not always dead set on being an actor. Making a living as an artist was never a plan. Then I received an interesting pay cheque and thought, yes, I could do this.”
Nathan credits Dawson’s culture of discipline and support for his momentum. “The work ethic required to succeed in Dawson’s Theatre program is what drove me. A lot of students drop out because it’s really intense. You have to show up to all the classes. You have to really want to make it happen. It’s the consistency, showing up, being punctual, brave and audacious.”
He also highlights the college’s resources for students working in more than one language. “A lot of my colleagues in Theatre were allophones. Dawson offers a lot of resources to non-native speakers to improve. In acting, you have to speak a language perfectly. That element is paramount.” For him, that meant digging into the text: “Understanding the language is equally important. If you do not understand a word, look it up, make it make sense, work on it and discuss it with colleagues.”
Beyond performance skills, he highlights the program’s broader impact. “Theatre is a program for people who want to become actors and for those who want to build their confidence, interpersonal and social skills, and for those who want to deepen their understanding of themselves emotionally and physically as well as others around them.”
He also points to the quality of mentorship: “The teachers at Dawson are so talented. I would pick their brains and every one of them is so generous with sharing their time and expertise. They are very keen on having passionate students. You get so much out of this program beyond the skills to be an actor.”
His parents’ advice still guides him: “Do what you want and do it very well.” He added: “My Mum wanted to be a doctor and there were things that were very hard. But if you want it, you do what it takes to make it. Find something that doesn’t feel like work. Find something that makes you want to get up in the morning.”
Looking ahead, after the final Les Mis performance on Aug. 22, he plans to rest, then pursue video game work, more dubbing, and TV/film auditions. “I look forward to showing up, doing the work and finding ways to enjoy it,” he says.
He sums up his outlook with a quote he admires from Denzel Washington: “I say luck is when an opportunity comes along and you’re prepared for it.”
