Chip Zien going into Les Miz — Page 2

#26

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 12:14am

Ben can look older though Marianne, he's a very tall, broad man. I have no idea about the other guys. I think Ben is primarily Javert u/s but I don't know where in line he'll be for Valjean. Alright I'm done w/ this threadjack. Wish I could see Zien in the show.

Cheers,

C.

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www.christopherviolett.com

#27

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 12:37am

Oh yeah, he looks like he'll age a lot better than Drew--maybe not to the point of being old-man Valjean, but at least he won't look fifteen. And who knows, maybe his voice goes up solidly to B flat. But I still went "buh?!" when I saw that he was going to be Valjean u/s.

/threadjack

#28

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 8:31am

So Beach's last day is June 30th?

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"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611

#29

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 10:48am

Robert Hunt is returning to the show as Javert , I guess the powers that be weren't aken by Ben Davis' performance. To address the issue of it's called acting in regard to young Valjeans, I think there is something truly missing when a young man plays the role. Maturity,weight(as in life experience),and a paternal quality,are qualities makeup can't provide. I think they've gone amiss with casting young peope in the role.

#30

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 12:13pm

I thought Rob Hunt was already playing Javert in St. Louis this August.

#31

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 1:57pm

https://benjaminjaydavis.blogspot.com/

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#32

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:03pm

I wasn't aware of Cameron Mackintosh being so difficult...Wow.

#33

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:15pm

That's so disappointing. I didn't know Cameron was so harsh! Jeez! I love Ben Davis.

#34

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:18pm

WTF?

All the reviews of Ben I've read have been good to excellent. Shouldn't the audience reception to Ben be a factor? The “excuse” CamMack gave sounds a load of bunk to me.

#35

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:18pm

Wait, what? Didn't he only just go in? O_o

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Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

#36

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:26pm

Yeah he began on the 22nd of April.

Updated On: 6/17/07 at 02:26 PM

#37

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:29pm

Mackintosh really is on a firing spree. He's let go Davis, Bruno, and Harada, all of whom he just hired in April.

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Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.

#38

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:47pm

How could Robert join, he has three other jobs this summer? And if he is coming back, when would it be? Bummer for Ben though, always sucks.

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2008 European Tour
London: Les Mis, Lion King, Sound of Music, Joseph, Hairspray, Billy Elliot
France: Le Roi Lion, Cabaret
Germany: Der Konig der Lowen
Holland: Tarzan & Les Mis

#39

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:49pm

He let Bruno and Harada go too? Wow.

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

Updated On: 6/17/07 at 02:49 PM

#40

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:53pm

I'm surprised he just didn't go 4 for 4. I guess he's happy with Max then.

#41

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:56pm

I'm really stunned. For me, Ben Davis and Lea Salonga were the two people giving real, concrete performances in a kind of a mess of a revival.

... Mackintosh should probably take a long look at his London cast while he's on a firing spree.

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'"Contrairiwise," continued Tweedledee, "if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."' ~Lewis Carroll

#42

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:57pm

"He let Bruno and Harado go too? Wow."

Who will replace them?

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"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop

#43

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 2:58pm

How bizarre and yes, even though talk of this kind of this instance has been making it's way around, I'm still surprised.

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#44

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 3:01pm

Who will replace them?

It's not like there's a lack of past Eponines and Mme. Ts out there, but WILL THEY WORK WITH THE ORCHESTRATIONS? That seems to matter most to him right now.

Jeez. (That's not to you; that's to Mackintosh.)

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#45

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 3:05pm

I thought Davis gave a very solid performance when I saw the show last Tuesday and his voice sounded wonderful and contrasted very well with Gemignani's during the confrontations. Mackintosh is crazy.

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http://avdagen.blogspot.com/

#46

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 3:07pm

Since the over-use of drums in the new orchestrations gave me a headache, I just can't wait to see what sort of vocal type "goes" with them.

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'"Contrairiwise," continued Tweedledee, "if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."' ~Lewis Carroll

#47

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 3:10pm

Cammack should've kept Ben Davis and canned the orchestrations. Dear god. Ben and Lea were the only strong performances in the Les Mis revival after the cast change.

On the other hand, now all the cast shuffling is no longer mysterious; Ben, Mandy, and Ann are leaving this weekend, Kate Chapman and Marya Grandy are leaving next weekend, Ben Crawford is changing tracks and covering Valjean, Gary Beach is on medical leave, and in all likelihood one of the female ensemble members is stepping into one of the now-vacated Madame Thénardier understudy positions.

#48

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 3:12pm

Since the over-use of drums in the new orchestrations gave me a headache, I just can't wait to see what sort of vocal type "goes" with them.

Sebastian Bach?

#49

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 3:13pm

Ahhhhhh! I'm laughing, but there are tears underneath.

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'"Contrairiwise," continued Tweedledee, "if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."' ~Lewis Carroll

#50

re: Chip Zien going into Les Miz

Posted: 6/17/07 at 3:18pm

Wow, this revival is just going from sloppy to chaotic as far as casting.

Updated On: 6/17/07 at 03:18 PM