Les Miserables Randal Keith interview --> Opening night review!

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 8:36pm

I'm interviewing Randal Keith (Valjean in the current Les Mis tour) tomorrow morning. My only exposure to the show is when I fell asleep during the 10th Anniversary DVD, so all I've got are the standard questions I normally ask people, but does anyone else have any questions they'd like answers to? (I'll be sure to direct him to this site, if you so care. )

And who's this Valjean guy, anyway? ::ducks::
Don't worry, I'll do my research too. (And EponineTheNardier - it's Randal Keith, not Kandall Keith, so thanks for making me look like a dumbass to the publicist!)

Updated On: 11/12/04 at 08:36 PM

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 8:45pm

Hmm, let's see...I saw him many times on Broadway and once on the tour. You could ask him...

-Was there any added pressure playing Valjean when it was the closing night of the Broadway production?
-Does he think that the tour is still being received well now that the Broadway production is closed?
-Which does he prefer, a touring company or a Broadway company?
-Does he feel that his portrayal of Valjean has changed in any major ways since he began playing the role and if yes, how?
-Who was his favorite (actress playing) Fantine to work with?
-Does playing Valjean opposite different people as Javert change the way the characters come across because of the different actors?
-Does he find any major differences between the audiences on a tour and on Broadway?

I personally adored Randal's performance as Valjean every time I saw him. I thought he was vocally consistant and outstanding. I only met him twice at the stage door but both times he was nothing but a complete sweetheart.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 8:46pm

you're interviewing Randal Keith?!! are you serious?! omg! he's the best jean valjean ever! anyway...****SPOILERS****

jean valjean is a convict (#24601)who gets parol. he becomes the governor of the town. jean valjean then helps the dying fantine by promising her that he will find and take care of her daughter Cosette. So, Jean Valjean finds Cosette and takes her into his care. Crap happens and then Valjean volunteers to fight the french war at the barricade. he and marius (cosette's lover) are the only ones who survive that fight. valjean saves
marius. then valjean gets old and begs god to take him now. cosette is like 'oh no! you'll live! etc.etc.', but then fantine and eponine come and he dies.


my question: Hi Randal!!!! I just want to say that you are my favorite Jean Valjean. I was wondering what it was like to be the final Jean Valjean in the Broadway company? Thanks so much!

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 8:49pm

I can't decide if that's the best or the worst Les Mis synopsis I've ever read ponine lol
LesMis.com's Official Synopsis

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 8:51pm

ACK! Sorry Tiff, I DID know that honest! I just mistyped it!! Sorry!

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 8:52pm

lol - TWICE??

bystheword, did I ever send you EponineThenardier's synopsis? I'm the biggest shill for that thing, and it still isn't crystal clear to me! (I'll be re-reading it tonight, that's for sure!)

Ponine - I totally can't tell the difference between Cosette, Fantine and Eponine. Who what in the whatnow?

Updated On: 11/3/04 at 08:52 PM

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:04pm

You didn't send it to me, but I've seen it on here many, many a time. I don't think you'll have to know a lot about the show because for some people it takes ages to learn all the little details. Really what you need to know is about Valjean.

Basic things to know about Vajean are:
-The show begins with him being let out on parole from Toulon prison where he was put in jail for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's family because they were starving. He's been in jail 19 years because he tried to escape several times and each time he got caught he got sent back for a longer period of time
-Once he's released he finds that life basically sucks because you always have to show everyone you were a convicted criminal and then no one likes you.
-One day he gets told to go the house of this man (the Bishop of Digne) who takes him in, feeds him and gives him a place to stay for the night. Valjean steals all the silver from him and runs away but gets caught and brought back to the Bishop. Instead of getting him in trouble the Bishop saves him by saying "But why didn't you take the silver candlesticks I gave to you also?" following Valjean's claim that he was given all the silver as a gift. Valjean is released and the Bishop explains that he has now saved his soul for God.
-Valjean has an experience of becoming a Christian and throughout the show the candlesticks are constantly around as a reminder
-Valjean tears up his notice that he's a convict and changes his name and starts over again in a new city where he becomes a mayor. He inadvertantly allows a foreman of his to fire a woman named Fantine because she has an illegitimate child.
-Later he witnesses Fantine's arrest for prostitution (a last ditch effort to get money for her child) and when she calls him on allowing her to have been fired he feels awful and has her taken to a hospital. He stays by her side and when she dies he vows to take care of her child, Cosette.
-At this point he also finds out that Javert (the police officer who wants him re-arrested) has "found valjean" and the real valjean can't let this innocent man they think is him go to jail so he goes to the court and tells them who he is but gets out of there before they can catch him and goes to get Cosette
-He obtains Cosette from the Thenardiers (a horrible couple she was being raised as a servant to) by paying for her and takes her in as his daughter
-Forward 10 years, he and Cosette are living in Paris
-He comes to believe that his past is haunting him and that he and Cosette must leave France for their own safety. However he learns that Cosette is in love with a Student named Marius and he goes to the barricades to serve with the students. He manages to save Marius and bring him home alive although Marius never knows who saved him
-Time passes and Valjean feels he's going to die so he tells Marius the truth about Cosette's mother etc and leaves
-Marius and Cosette get married and the Thenardier's come trying to get money from them. They tell Marius they saw Valjean carrying a body the night of the barricades and Marius realizes Valjean is the one who saved him. He gets Cosette and they go off to find Valjean
-They find the near death Valjean and everything comes out about the stories and Valjean feels forgiven and he finally dies in peace.




EDIT: Fantine is Cosette's Mother, she dies early in act I. Eponine is the Thenardier's daughter. She lives on the streets and is in love with Marius but gets killed at the barricades.

Updated On: 11/3/04 at 09:04 PM

[jmaclover]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:07pm

I've seen Les Mis some 15 times on Broadway (Keith being three times), twice in 1991 in Paris, once in Germany, London three times, soon I am going to Mexico and seeing it there, and was in a youth production (when I was 16) in France playin Eponine.

I've read the book (in French) and have seen all the terrible movies!

I have over 15 recordings of the show - and the whole libretto memorized.

Les Mis is my life!

Any questions, please ask!

P.S. Randal Keith is my favorite Valjean that I have EVER heard

Updated On: 11/3/04 at 09:07 PM

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:11pm

Saw Randal Keith on the tour, and he was amazing.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:11pm

I saw Les Mis 30 times on Broadway (Keith being the JVJ 5 times), once on tour (where he was also the JVJ), and once in London

I've read 3 abridged versions of the book and the full length version (Although that was in the 7th grade so I'm not AS up on that as I should be) but all in English.

I have...let me count...10 recordings of it currently

Unfortunately I, too, have seen all the horrendous attempts at movies of it.

I'm sure with all of us on here who know it you can get anything you need answered.

[CarolynW]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:11pm

You don't have to ask him only about being in "Les Mis."

I saw him last night and I thought he was not as good as he was three years ago when I saw him in the show.

You might ask him about being in the same show for so many years.

About his other shows, Phantom, Sunset Blvd. working in other countries in shows.

Also ask him about his first solo CD "Life Has Been Good to Me" that has been released. They were selling it last night at the theatre.

Yours,

Carolyn

[jmaclover]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:13pm

Oh yeah...

Ask him how he feels about touring around (for what three years now?) and not being able to do a Broadway show....

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:14pm

Carolyn - there are they performing now? (I could look it up - really I'm just trying to find some recent reviews.)

Thanks guys. I'll be back later tonight - I'm going to go read Eponine's synopsis again, maybe skim the DVD and bb to make sense of all this.

When did Les Mis close on Bway?

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:14pm

Les Mis only closed on Broadway May 18, 2003. It's only been a year and a half since then that he hasn't been on Broadway.

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:15pm

Thats right he did come out with a cd, he love you if you metion it in the interview.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:16pm

oh yeah, how does enjolras (sp?) fit into this mess?

[CarolynW]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:16pm

"Les Mis: is in Las Vegas right now. I really like the man playing Javert Robert Hunt who was in a show here years ago.

Yours,

Carolyn

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:17pm

Enjolras is the leader of the student revolution (the one Marius is fighting in) and a friend of Marius'.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:18pm

When does it close in LV? I was supposed to interview him today, but apparently they're in full-day rehearsals today and tomorrow. (I've only got a 20 minute block of an interview with him in the morning!)

[jmaclover]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:19pm

Oh yeah - I saw it when it closed lol (d'oh!)

Enjolras is the student who inspired the others (so to speak) to revolt against the French government. He's almost like the general. Also, he's Marius' best friend.

I would like to add that the show does NOT take place during "THE" French Revolution.

[CarolynW]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:20pm

"Les Mis" does have a website and maybe it tells you about the show. But you are interviewing an actor not the show. So I would find out about him, more than the show. Just my 2 cents.

Yours,

Carolyn
Vegas' Arts & Entertainment Corner

[jmaclover]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:20pm

And Jennifer Butt is in the show (not the greatest) - the Original Broadway Mme. Thénardier

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:22pm

It's actually taking place during a student insurrection in 1832, not to be confused with the French Revolution in the 1780s/1790s. This is a totally different thing.

Well, of course she should know about the actor but when he's doing a show she should know about the show as well so she can understand any references about it which are made.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:25pm

Thanks.

Carolyn - how was the sound when you were there? (opening night, right?) and open to everyone - what are the memorable songs? i know Castle on a Cloud, On My Own and Bring Him Home. (What are the context of these songs?)

And what's the big shopstopper? Because I'm going to ask him what his favorite part of the show is, and I'd like to anticipate what he's goingto say so it doesn't sound like a "Uhh...oh yeah...right." Edit: Wow, Bystheword, you read my mind. But I still see what people mean about knowing more about Randal

Was Randal in the 10th Anni DVD?

Updated On: 11/3/04 at 09:25 PM

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:29pm

The big show stopper is "One Day More" which is the Act I finale

However, Valjean's biggest number is "Bring Him Home" sung in Act II while everyone's asleep at the Barricades in which he asks God to take him instead of Marius so that Marius might live a full life like the son he never had.

Castle on a Cloud is sung by young Cosette in Act I when shes living with the Thenadiers as sort of a daydream about her mother.

On My Own is Eponine's song at the start of Act II about how she's in love with Marius but he doesn't love her.