The Moonlight Amphitheatre is going out with a bang in more ways than one this weekend.

The old stage of the outdoor theater will be demolished after the final performance of Les Misérables on Sunday, to make way for new, expanded and spiffier digs slated to open in June 2009.

Meanwhile, there’s a splendid show to be seen through Aug. 31. Moonlight scored a real coup, snapping up the rights to the Southern California regional theater premiere when they became available last winter. And they’ve cast it well, with Broadway veteran Danny Gurwin (Urinetown, The Full Monty) as Jean Valjean and a fine supporting cast.

The show, adapted from Victor Hugo’s sprawling epic novel, is a sort of cat-and-mouse game between Valjean, just sprung from prison after serving 19 years for stealing bread to feed his sister’s child, and police inspector Javert (Sean Smith), who wants Valjean back in jail in the worst way.

When Valjean steals silver from the first person willing to take him in (his yellow passport marks him as an ex-con), Javert thinks he’s triumphed. Foiled by the victim, who claims to have given the stuff to Valjean, Javert continues to stalk his prey throughout. But something has changed in Valjean: he’s come to realize the importance of kindness and generosity.

Love, friendship, loyalty and revolution take center stage in this melodramatic morality tale covering a 20-year time span beginning with Waterloo. Full of colorful characters and ethical dilemmas, it’s a great plot for an opera – or a musical.

Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil’s score is fine, the lovely song “Bring Him Home” especially poignant (and appropriate today) and movingly sung by Gurwin.

Gurwin is more than ably assisted by Sean Smith (Javert), Anne Fraser Thomas (Fantine), Laura D’Andre (Eponine) and the married team of Richard and Sarah Bermudez, playing the young lovers Marius and Cosette. James W. Gruessing, Jr. and Debbie Prutsman provide comic relief as the Thénardiers in the rollicking “Master of the House” number.

There’s some great technical work here, too; kudos to set designer Gene Dent, lighting designer Eric Lotze and sound designer Chris Luessmann.

Congratulations to Moonlight on obtaining and doing such a fine job on this beloved show.

Les Misérables plays through Aug. 31 at Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista. Shows Wednesday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m. For tickets call 760-724-2110 or visit www.vistixonline.com.