Casting Announced for Les Mis
Casting Announced for Les Mis
#0Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 5:59pm
PRINCIPAL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR
CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S NEW PRODUCTION OF
LES MISÉRABLES
OPENING THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9 ON BROADWAY
AT THE BROADHURST THEATRE
Producer Cameron Mackintosh announced today the principal cast for his new production of Boublil and Schonberg’s legendary musical LES MISÉRABLES, which opens on Broadway Thursday, November 9 at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) for a special limited six-month engagement. Previews begin Sunday, October 22. Rehearsals for the new company will begin in early September, under the direction of co-director John Caird.
“I am delighted that we have found nine exceptional and diverse performers – a wonderful combination of seasoned pros and exciting young talent -- to help bring a fresh perspective and vitality to this new production of LES MIZ at the elegant and intimate Broadhurst,” said producer Mackintosh.
Alexander Gemignani, currently featured as ‘Beadle’ in the acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd, for which he received a Drama Desk nomination, has been selected to play ‘Jean Valjean.’ The 26 year-old Gemignani made his Broadway debut in the revival of Assassins as 'John Hinckley,' winning a Theatre World Award for his performance. He was also featured on Broadway as 'Brian' in Avenue Q.
Norm Lewis, acclaimed for his performances in such Broadway shows as Side Show, Miss Saigon and The Wild Party, has been cast as ‘Javert.’ Lewis received a Helen Hayes Award for his performance as Sweeney Todd at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA. Other New York credits include Billy Flynn in Chicago, and the musicals Amour and Dessa Rose.
Gary Beach, a Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics’ Circle Award winner for his performance as Roger DeBris on Broadway in The Producers, has been cast as ‘Thenardier.’ Beach reprised his Producers role in the recent film adaptation. He has also received Tony nominations for his performances in La Cage Aux Folles and Beauty and the Beast. Beach originated the role of ‘Thenardier’ in the original Los Angeles production of LES MISÉRABLES.
Daphne Rubin-Vega, a two-time Tony nominee (Rent, Anna In the Tropics) will play the role of ‘Fantine’. Rubin-Vega made her Broadway debut as ‘Mimi’ in the original cast of Rent, for which she was nominated for the Tony Award as Best Actress in a Musical and received the Drama Desk Award for Best Actress. Other stage credits include The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Anna in the Tropics on Broadway, The House of Bernard Alba at Lincoln Center, and Two Sisters and a Piano and F***ing A at the Public.
Jenny Galloway, a London stage favorite who recently originated the role of Mrs. Brill in Mary Poppins, has been selected to play ‘Madame Thenardier’. Galloway played the role to great acclaim in the West End production, as well as in the legendary 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. She has also starred in Mamma Mia, Oliver!, Mrs. Lovett’ in Sweeney Todd at the Derby Playhouse and ‘Sarraghina’ in Nine at the Donmar Warehouse, directed by David Leveaux. She also appeared in the films In Transit and About A Boy.
Aaron Lazar, currently starring as ‘Fabrizio’ in the acclaimed musical The Light in the Piazza at Lincoln Center, has been chosen to play ‘Enjolras’. Lazar was also featured in the ensemble of Mackintosh’s production of Oklahoma! on Broadway as well as ‘Raoul’ in The Phantom of the Opera.
Adam Jacobs, a 26 year-old native of New Jersey and graduate of NYU Theatre Program, has been selected to play ‘Marius.’ Making his Broadway debut here, he has numerous regional theater credits at such theaters as The McCarter, Bucks County Playhouse and Marriott Lincolnshire.
Lea Michele, 19 years old, has been cast as ‘Eponine’. Michele, who was recently featured in the Broadway production of Fiddler On the Roof, made her Broadway debut in 1995 as ‘Young Cosette’ in the original Broadway production of LES MISÉRABLES.
She also appeared on Broadway as ‘The Little Girl’ in Ragtime.
Ali Ewoldt, a 24 year-old native of Westchester, will play ‘Cosette’. Ewoldt, who is a graduate of Yale University, also performed as ‘Jasmine’ opposite George Pellegrino in Disney’s Aladdin at Disneyland in Anaheim.
Four of the principals – Gemignani, Lewis, Ruben-Vega and Lazar – will be performing in LES MISÉRABLES for the first time; five have performed in the musical previously – Beach in the original Los Angeles production, Galloway in the West End production, Jacobs and Ewoldt in the show’s national tour and Michele on Broadway.
LES MISÉRABLES is the third longest-running show in Broadway history and will, on October 9, pass the 21 year old record of Cats in London to become the longest-running musical ever on the West End or Broadway with 8,372 performances; a run nearly three years longer than Broadway’s record-holder The Phantom of the Opera, all three shows having been produced by Cameron Mackintosh. LES MISÉRABLES has been seen by over 53 million people in 38 countries and 21 languages since its first London performance in October 1985. The original Broadway production opened on March 12, 1987, at the Broadway Theatre, winning seven Tony Awards that season, including Best Musical. The show went on to play a total of 6,680 performances.
LES MISÉRABLES continues to be produced around the world. There are over 1,000 productions of the LES MISÉRABLES School’s Edition scheduled or being performed by over 100,000 school children in the U.S and U.K, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools. In November 2004, a historic gala performance of LES MISÉRABLES took place at Windsor Castle, in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen and French President Jacques Chirac, celebrating 100 years of the Entente Cordiale. LES MISÉRABLES became the first full-scale Western musical to play in China in the English language when it opened for a limited run at the Shanghai Grand Theatre in June 2002, where it sold out to a rapturous reception. Plans are well advanced for a Chinese language production of LES MISÉRABLES, to be co-produced by Cameron Mackintosh and the Shanghai Grand Theatre, in a theatre built specially for musicals in 2008.
Produced by Cameron Mackintosh, LES MISÉRABLES is a musical by Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It features music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, with original French text by Alain Boublil & Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton. Directed by Trevor Nunn & John Caird, the musical is designed by John Napier with lighting by David Hersey, costumes by Andreane Neofitou and Elise Napier and sound by Andrew Bruce and John Weston.
LES MISÉRABLES was first presented by Cameron Mackintosh and The Royal Shakespeare Company at the Barbican Theatre in October, 1985. The musical transferred to the West End’s Palace Theatre later that year, where it played for 19 years. The production transferred to the Queen’s Theatre in April, 2004, where it continues today.
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Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#2re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:02pmWow. I actually think Daphne will be really good. Different, but good.
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#3re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:02pm
Wow, Daphne! I have to see this now.
~Steven
#4re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:03pmLea Michele is starring in SPRING AWAKENING right now and she is stunning! I'm thrilled that she will be a part of this revival.
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
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"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
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-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
colleen_lee
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/16/05
#5re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:03pm
Whoooooaa. My jaw totally dropped when I saw Daphne's name.
Just....whoa.
Totally unexpected.
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. "
--Sueleen Gay
#6re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:03pmHope she sounds better than she did in Rent10.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#7re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:03pm
This is exciting! Thanks for sharing 
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
#8re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:05pmHoly ****! This is so unconventional, I love it! This show is gonna be amazing!
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#9re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:06pmHow long will it be running? I really hopre they reconsider the limited run to an extended run, so then we can have another 17 years of it on Broadway.
#10re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:08pm
Alexander Gemignani??? He's one of the most talentless, boring people I've ever seen on a stage.
He's got a lot of impressing to do, at least as far as I'm concerned. The rest sounds fun though!!
#11re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:08pmUm yeah, Daphne would have been the farthest person from my mind... but the cast overall sounds good. I'm excited for the show.
helloagain
Understudy Joined: 2/22/06
#12re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:09pm
I am so exited about
Alexander Gemignani and Jenny Galloway
Jenny was amazing in Mary Poppins, by far the best thing about it, and i liked MP she was just so amazing.
thevolleyballer
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
#14re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:09pm
Seeing the tour when it comes to L.A. on Friday night. First time hearing it and seeing it. Then maybe I'll be excited. 
C is for Company
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/16/05
#15re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:11pmHow perfectly eclectic, this is like a dream
MusicAndPassion
Broadway Star Joined: 9/14/05
#16re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:12pm
WHAT A DREAM CAST!
Mr. Beach will be stunning. I can not wait! When do tickets go on sale!?
tz0o
Leading Actor Joined: 11/10/05
#17re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:12pmReading this makes me wish that they would release a Revival Cast Recording.
You insult me, I ignore you. That's how the system works around here.
maybethistime
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/3/04
#18re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:15pm
I'm speechless. For the cast alone, however, I'm not yet excited about this revival. I heard they're using the sets and costumes from the current tour, which basically means they're bringing back the original production (with a new cast that was originally supposed to have "names"). Honestly, none of these will attract un-Broadway-educated tourists. While the show's name and reputation might make it a financial success, artistically I'm not sure what to make of this yet.
Updated On: 6/5/06 at 06:15 PM
gustof777
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/8/04
#19re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:15pmthey might release a recording...right?? Well this is a different cast but i could see it working...we'll have to wait and see.
RIP Natasha Richardson. ~You were a light on this earth ~
#20re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:18pm
Wow. I'm pretty suprised about Daphne, but happy that she's in the show. I think she can do Fantine justice. But the main reason I'm excited for this is for a man who's last name is a fun place to go to.
Gary Beach.
Hahahaha I'm lame.
#21re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:18pm
Alexander is so brilliant, seeing him in Sweeney was great. Some may call him boring, but that is the style of that show and the character he plays. He is however a fantastic vocalist and actor.
Aaron Lazar is one of my favorite tenors at this time and I just LOVED seeing him in Piazza as Fabrizzio. His Energy on stage and his charm will be perfect for Les Miz.
#22re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:20pm
Oh my god... I just realized the comedic implications of having Jenny Galloway and Gary Beach playing opposite each other. That will make it worth it enough for me to see the show.
And this is Cameron Mackintosh... expect three different cast albums from this production.
#23re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:20pm
How long will it be running?
AmEx presale page says April 22. Yeah right.
http://broadway.yahoo.com/shows/show.php?s=lesm
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Theatreboy33
Broadway Star Joined: 5/19/03
#24re: Casting Announced for Les Mis
Posted: 6/5/06 at 6:20pmNot very excited for Alexander Gemignani. He had a good sense of dry to the bone humor in Sweeney and was passable as Hinkley in Assasins, but i guess I just wanted someone, i dont know, bigger. The rest however has me very excited. Especially Beach.
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