Maybe he's just posting about the show without revealing his exact role? I'd assume because of his age, he'd be cast as one of the Friends of the ABC if he had a "named" part. I believe someone earlier had posted that he was going to be a Marius cover. If he's a JVJ cover, JVJ is now rather...youthful.
Chris McCarrell is going to be Joly as well as the u/s for Marius as mentioned before. I've heard that one of Laura Osnes's understudies in Cinderella is going to be the Cosette u/s. I hope it's Heidi Giberson!
Once More with Feeling 2 wrote, "If [Chris McCarroll is] a JVJ cover, JVJ is now rather...youthful."
Ramin Karimloo is something like 34. He's the youngest guy to play JVJ, according to what I remember reading, and I think the youngest Phantom as well. I'm not sure where this push is coming from to cast actors who are far younger than the characters they play -- it makes some sense in POTO, because many Raouls graduate to playing the Phantom, but I really can't see it for JVJ, who is about 40 at the beginning of the story and who dies of old age at the end.
Wasn't John Owen-Jones in his late 20s when he started? Regardless, that still means Ramin is on the young side. I had my doubts about Peter Lockyer too (as he's similarly on the young/not-built-like-a-truck side), but he very pleasantly surprised me.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Valjean has been cast on the younger side for a while now. John Owen-Jones first played the role at 26, Drew Sarich would play the role at age 32, and Karimloo currently at age 35.
There have been a bunch of Valjean's who were in their 20's when they took on the role full time-Dave Clemons, Rob Evans, and Calvin Stone come to mind. Tim Shew also I think. It has to do with look and voice quality.
I think early to mid 30's was more of the norm though in the past (Ivan Rutherford, Craig Schulman, William Solo and Donn Cook for example).
That being said, I don't why advertising that someone was the youngest Phantom or the youngest Valjean or the youngest Engineer is important. How does that make anybody want to see a show more? So, Dave Clemons was 26 when he played the role? And? Or John Owen Jones was 25? Ok. Cool for him, but and?
Me too. They were wonderful. Do wish Jason was Enjolras- he was phenomenal on the tour. On to the now-announced casting: not particularly surprising, but I think it could be a really good cast.
'"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
Radio interview with Ramin Karimloo, Melissa O'Neal and Earle Carpenter from this morning. There are in-studio performances of Bring Him Home, On My Own, and Stars. (Ramin is up first, Melissa and Earle come in about 50mins in) Link
Yes, Karimloo is 35, the youngest to play the role. But what he said makes sense- any age is the correct age of the character at some point in his life. Ramin said he's glad he's on the younger side of it.
Canada is so lucky - Karimloo sets the bar at a new high.
I was searching to find if Heidi Giberson was going to be in the revival and when I typed her name in with Les Miserables on google, a Facebook page came up. The google caption had these names:
Bridie Carroll, Erik Cheski, Taylor Collins, Rick Desloge, Trevor Downey, Preston Ellis, Heidi Giberson, Neil Haskell, Cody Scott Lancaster, Lauren Linville.
It looks like someone deleted the post but I think this might be some of the ensemble.