Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?- Page 2
Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
#26re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 5:10amYes he sang it very well - his Bring Him Home was a highlight and good to hear in the original French.
#27re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 6:22am"Bring Him Home" isn't in that movie, thank God.
#28re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 8:04amColm Wilkinson
javertim
Stand-by Joined: 4/20/05
#29re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 8:36am
If we're going that route, Nobodyhome, then I'll say Harry Baur and Lino Ventura. 
My favorite stage Valjean was J. Mark McVey for a very long time. However, after seeing Hugh Panaro in the Walnut Street production, I'd have to go with him. Honestly, I never thought that would be the case. I was never a fan of his Phantom and he most certainly would have never occurred to me as a possible candidate for Valjean, but he knocked the role out of the park! I've never heard it better sung via any format, and his acting was spot-on. So, yes, I was able to excuse the fact that he didn't look like he'd ever be able to lift a cart. ... But then again how many Valjeans actually are built like bison?
Updated On: 11/21/08 at 08:36 AM
minicko88
Featured Actor Joined: 7/12/07
#31re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 9:51amI might be slightly biased, but Colm Wilkinson for sure, followed closely by Michael Burgess.
#32re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 11:25am
Ivan Rutherford and Craig Shulman.
Honorable mention: Drew Sarich, miscast but captivating from start to finish.
Bwayidiot
Understudy Joined: 10/5/08
#34re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 11:30amGary Morris who was the first replacement for Wilkinson and who I saw. FANTASTIC in voice and acting. He is great on the 3 CD version but better in person.
#35re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 11:36am
Honorable mention: Drew Sarich, miscast but captivating from start to finish.
Oh, hell yes. To all of it.
pandajen14
Stand-by Joined: 3/22/06
#36re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 11:43amRandal Keith's "Bring Him Home" absolutely brought the house down. He was wonderful.
#37re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 12:08pm
I guess I've seen about 10-12 Valjeans, and my favorite would be Robert Marien (London and the US 10th Anniversary cast)
His acting was what always made me FEEL I was seeing Valjean in the flesh
A close 2nd would be Randal Keith, cuz his acting was spot-on and I thought his voice was best of all the ones I've seen
And I have a VERY soft spot in my heart for Craig Schulman. I didn't always agree with his acting choices, but he ALWAYS moved me to tears at the end, no matter how many times I saw him
(and I think it's 'Andrew Varela', not 'Andrew Valera' as somone said in an earlier post. I saw him as an understudy the last weekend of the original run, and as an understudy in 'Sunday in the Park' this spring. He's a total sweetie)
#38re: Who's Your Favortie Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 12:11pm
It is Varela, and he's in the Phantom tour right now (!).
http://andrewvarela.com/
p.s.
Broadway Star Joined: 10/30/06
#39re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 12:17pm
Drew Sarich, miscast but captivating from start to finish.
He was so miscast in the Broadway revival that they sent him away to London, where he only lasted a year.
p.s. In addition to Jeff Kready as Alex's understudy, how about Victor Hawks' performances. Victor was probably the strongest JVJ I've seen.
sybil7
Understudy Joined: 2/7/06
#40re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 12:25pmno question - J. Mark McVey! He is totally AWESOME! (great picture of him TheaterDiva!)
#41re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 3:24pmDrew Sarich - the only Valjean whose death has made me cry.
#42re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 3:28pmHey, javertim. Thanks for the recommendation. I didn't really know much about that version with Harry Baur, but looking online I see that it's regarded very highly indeed. I'll have to get a copy.
#43re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 3:42pmThe screaming Hungarian guy! He's hilarious.
#44re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 3:44pm
Whoever portrays him in Forbidden Broadway
OR
COLM WILKINSON!!
#45re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 4:03pm
**My Bad.
I thought you meant
Jean Valjean Raymond.**
I LOVE YOU CURTAINDPULLDOWNER!!!!!!! lol!!
#46re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 4:08pm
Of the dozen or so I've seen over the years, Timothy Shew (Broadway, 198
remains my favorite.
#47re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 4:56pmI saw Timothy Shew as Jesus in JCS around that time. He was fantastic. I met him a year or so later at my university and he's such a nice guy. Haven't heard that name in a long time.
#48re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 5:25pmVictor Hawks, Randal Keith and Gary Morris were the ones I saw and were my favorites. I don't remember the guy I saw a national tour, but it might have been Dave Clemmons.
#49re: Who's Your Favorite Jean Valjean?
Posted: 11/21/08 at 5:34pm
OOPS! It wasn't Timothy Shew I saw in JCS. It was Stephen Lehew. I got my ews mixed up. Never mind.
HOUFlip - It was Dave Clemmons with Chuck Wagner as Javert. The best pairing of those two roles I ever saw. I met Chuck the night I saw that production. I remember a rumor about them swapping roles at one point, but I don't know if it was true.
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