Les Miserables tour- Page 3

[Kris2]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 12:59am

Musetta1957: Wow. Thanks, those sites are amazing and completely helpful. I went a bit Les Mis crazy today. I haven't listened to it in a while and I've gone insane now. How come they don't do color blind casting for the males roles? Valjean, Javert, Thenardier, Marius, Enjolras - they're not exactly race specific. I don't see why they couldn't cast a non-Caucasian in any of those roles. Oh man, now I really want to see the show again and bring my total of Les Mis viewings up to 2.

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 1:03am

I dont think its a matter of them not casting ethnic roles, but I think ethnic actors dont audition.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 1:05am

I dunno, but it seems like they're just more comfortable with the other roles. Though Eponine is unique in that most of the Asian Eponines have also played Kim in Miss Saigon (a role that requires similar age and vocal range). Same casting agency, same production company, you're a familiar face, etc...

Todd Zamarripa and Charles Azulay have both understudied Marius, and Andrew Varela has understudied Valjean. There have been a couple of Asian Gavroches (Jason Tam and Ryan Rumbaugh). Philip Hernandez has played both Valjean and Javert, but the number of non-white male Les Miz players is still pretty eclipsed by the number of women. Updated On: 10/1/04 at 01:05 AM

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 1:09am

Had I not known about Lea Salonga, Ma-anne Dionisio has my vote for Best Eponine ever.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 1:24am

"I dont think its a matter of them not casting ethnic roles, but I think ethnic actors dont audition."

I think that has a lot to do withit. I read an interview with Thursday Farrar where she said something to the effect of how black actors considered Les Miz to be a show they just didn't seek out.

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 1:27am

Yeah I read that somewhere as well. Although if you go to the official Les Mis site (http://www.LesMis.com) they have pictures, and there was a black Eponine once.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 1:57am

That was Shanice.
http://www.broadwaylesmis.com/actors.asp?id=205

[ken8631]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 7:47am

The best Javert I saw was the original Broadway Javert - Terrence Mann. He also finished the run on Broadway, playing a much more maniacal, crazed Javert which was amazing!

Would have loved to see Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean, but haven't had the pleasure.

In the 18 years I saw the play on Broadway, only Eponine seemed to be a variety of races....

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 8:19am

Terrance Mann owns! I Love Terry!!

[Kris2]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 11:57am

"I dont think its a matter of them not casting ethnic roles, but I think ethnic actors dont audition."
I find that sort of interesting. If it were me, I'd seek out non-ethnic specific roles. So when they put up casting notices, does the character breakdown say "Caucasian male," "all ethnicities," or nothing at all about race? I've never seen the character breakdown for Les Miz.

"In the 18 years I saw the play on Broadway, only Eponine seemed to be a variety of races...."
I saw Fuschia as Madame Thenardier. She rocked. Everyone else was white though.

I thought Jessica Boevers was great as Eponine. Not that I have much to compare against, but still. Les Miz and Miss Saigon were sister shows after all. I would've loved to have seen Peter Lockyer as Chris. I really want to see the show again now.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 11:57am

In terms of ethnic casting you forgot that Fushia Walker played Madame Thernardier for a period of time.

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 12:18pm

I have a picture of an Asian Fantine, don't know her name. Also I saw Joanna Ampil in Lonodn, she's Asian as well, she was fantastic.

[ken8631]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 12:24pm

You are right - she did (my memory isn't what it used to be)... I guess just the two then....

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 12:41pm

Joan Almedilla was on the tour as Fantine in 1999 - 2000 and returned at the end of 2001.

She was awful.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 12:47pm

If you thought Joan was awful, you should have seen Dawn Younker. After seeing her, I couldn't understand why she was cast. She could not sing for beans (and that's being nice).

Updated On: 10/1/04 at 12:47 PM

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 12:55pm

I saw Dawn Younker as Eponine, if that's what you meant. I didn't like her, either!

[Barnaby12345]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 1:00pm

Tonya Dixon, the Black Fantine, was amazing and the best I've seen. Anyone else see her?

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 1:10pm

Six or seven times! I also saw her first performance.

One of my favorites, and I've seen a LOT of Fantines.

[ForTheLoveOfLea]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 5:46pm

I got her understudy. . .

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 5:48pm

Joan is the worst Fantine I've ever seen. Did anyone see ex-pop semi-star Shanice play Eponine?

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 9:10pm

"I got her understudy. . . "

Who did you see?

[bythesword84]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 10:39pm

I love Terrence Mann's Javert, I was so glad that he came back so I got a chance to see him.

You're right, Kris2, Fuschia Walker is one of my favorite Mme Thenardier's too, she was fantastic in that role.

I don't understand why people like Ma-Anne, I saw her on the tour and she was simply dreadful, I wanted to smack her. The only Eponine I liked less than her was Megan Lawrence.

I did not see Shanice, but I did have the luxury of seeing Ricky Martin as my Marius the first time I saw the show, Lord knows its a good show when I still went back after that horror.

[Kris2]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 11:32pm

Oh my. I had forgotten that Ricky Martin played Marius. Was he really that bad? ::cringe:: I can only imagine. I've seen my share of bad celebrity casting. I listened to Les Mis an obscene amount of times today.

My love for this show has kicked in full force. I love watching the 10th anniversary concert. Ruthie Henshall was amazing as Ellen in Miss Saigon too. The highlight of a less-than-stellar cast.

Regarding Fuschia - She played Mme Thenardier very big and brassy. I loved it.

I must say, I saw Jessica Snow-Wilson as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. I thought she was alright. There's something very annoying about her, and it wasn't the role. However, I hate the sound of her Eponine. Was she any good? People don't seem to like her . . . Did anybody get to see Sutton Foster as Eponine?

[bythesword84]

Posted: 10/1/04 at 11:42pm

Jessica's Eponine was okay. It wasn't memorable aside from that she came across very young in the role which worked for the most part. She just had the problem of not standing out.

And yes, Ricky Martin was worse than you can imagine.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 10/2/04 at 5:49am

Melba Moore also played Fantine

I saw Tonya Dixon as Fantine and I thought she was awesome she was one of my favorite characters.