les miz - broadway vs. tour- Page 2

[kangaroo]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 12:37am

is that your website?
Oh okay... thanks for the heads up

[Eileen2]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 12:39am

They brought the tour to New Jersey not long after its demise on broadway. Due to unfortunate timing, I was unable to see the tour. I was fortunate enough to see it 5 x on broadway.

I hope they don't revive it too soon. It had such a long run on broadway, that I think a revival too soon would cause it to have a shortened return trip to Broadway. I do definitely hope to see it again some day.

Eileen

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 12:39am

What, lesmis.com? No, that's the official site I was referring to.

[Barnaby12345]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 12:43am

Tonya Dixon is ridiculously talented. SO good.

[kangaroo]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 12:44am

then what is your site?
I seem kinda confused now

[broadwaynut20]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 12:45am

I got to see the final Broadway cast with Terrence Mann before he left. What an amazing actor and so friendly at the stage door after the show. The sets are bigger but on Broadway but at least they still have the turntable stage for the tour

[jmaclover]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 12:45am

Welcome to posting with Tiffard....

[bythesword84]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 12:59am

The tour in NJ is the one that I (unfortunately) saw. I only saw it because I'd never seen the tour. I had seen it 30 times on Broadway, some before and some after the cuts. I have to say that when the cuts first started I didn't like them either but I got used to them and they really weren't that bad.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 1:01am

bythesword, was it with the new cast or the old cast?

Kangaroo, oh I don't have a website. I write for a local paper in Vancouver.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 1:40am

I'd have to guess it was the old cast, it was the cast in June before they took their haitus I guess. I really don't follow the tour casts like I should. It had Randal as Valjean, Ma-Anne(sp?) as Eponine...I'd have to look up the rest.

You can tell the impression it made if I can't even recall the entire cast at this point.

[jmaclover]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 1:41am

I didn't like Ma-Anne - especially after seeing Diana

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 1:54am

Oy, Diana. Talk about over-emoting and looked like she was ready to fly away with all those exaggerated hand gestures. Plus, those cutesy facial expressions just had to go.

Ma-Anne, on the other hand? Beautifully understated. Brava.

Kangaroo, the more updated cast list is on Pierce Peter Brandt's website. Forget lesmis.com.
http://www.piercepeterbrandt.com

[jmaclover]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 1:57am

Well, if I ever feel like debating...now you are here....could have used you this morning though!

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 2:13am

Personally, I don't see how ANYONE can dislike the current Eponine. She is unbelievably talented in every way. Melissa Lyons, I believe. She reminded me more of Sutton Foster in the role more so than any other Eponine I've ever seen. She's ideal for the role.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 2:23am

I thought the same thing about Sutton Foster when I saw Melissa as an understudy in March 2003. (I saw her again a month ago.) She's wonderful now, although I think her portrayal as a whole was better last year. IMO, she's a stronger singer than actress.

Sorry, jmaclover, I was otherwise occupied!

[jmaclover]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 2:29am

it's kk

[bythesword84]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 7:07am

Don't worry jmac, I didn't like Ma-Anne either. Although, I didn't like Diana the first time I saw her either. I'll stick by my favorite Eponines being Catherine Brunell and Christeena Michelle Riggs

[ken8631]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 8:32am

I've seen it 18 times on Broadway, and the tour twice (at West Ponit, NY and in NJ). The only big difference I noticed was the orchestra. Instead of the full orchestra, a synthesizer was being used on the tour, and sorry, that doesn't do it for me which the music from Les Miz. I really hope they don't go to synthesizers on broadway, although I know Dracula is using one!

[dotmarie]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 10:21am

I just saw the tour last weekend and will agree that Melissa was FABULOUS. Loved her from the moment she sang her first line. All in all, the whole cast was great...especially Randal Keith (was there ever a voice more gorgeous...he got huge applause after Bring Him Home and he deserved it), Tonya Dixon, and the understudy for Javert, Trent Blanton, or something, I believe his name was.
Gavroche was adorable.

I'm going to love Les Mis whether I see it on Broadway or on tour...I feel lucky just to be in the audience. I never get tired of the show.

[AbsolutKnight]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 10:21am

I actually preferred the tour to the Broadway version. But when I saw the Broadway version the show just seemed very stale and boring, which I heard they were having problems with. The cast in the tour just seemed so much more into it...

The BEST version I have seen was definitely in Toronto years ago with Colm Wilkinson (sp?). Anyone else see that production? I am not the biggest fan of Colm, but to see him on stage as Val Jean was remarkable.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 2:37pm

Trent is awesome, although I think he's a better Grantaire than Javert. He's one of VERY FEW understudies I've ever seen in any musical production where he continually looked like an understudy throughout the performance, if that makes any sense. (I saw him twice in I think three months.)

Great voice, but some definite unease in actually playing Javert.

I adore his Bamatabois and Grantaire, though. If it's possible to adore a Bamatabois.
Trent Blanton info

[kangaroo]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 3:42pm

Is the girl who plays Eponine a whiny Eponine? Because those are the kinds that really bother me... like the OBC version of Les Miserables, I can't listen to that.

[EVIE]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 3:51pm

I only saw the show on Broadway once, a few years ago and was not very impressed with the cast. Since there's a lot of talk about Eponine right now, on Broadway I saw Jessica Boevers (I think that's how you spell her name) and was not impressed. She had a small lisp, which I'm sorry, but kind of distracted me. The best cast I've seen has been the Original Mexican production last year. The cast was amazing!!

[bythesword84]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 3:55pm

I only saw Jessica once and to be honest- I thought her performance was completely unmemorable. She was just "there" and I don't know why but I kept thinking she just wasn't into it.

Now if you want to talk about the worst Eponine I've seen, bring up Megan Lawrence. *shudders*

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/9/04 at 3:57pm

Jessica Grove understudied Eponine on broadway -- I LOVE her. Without a doubt.
Diana Karraina was a great Eponine, as was Sutton foster. My first Eponine was Angela Puppello on the national tour -- with Alice Ripley as Fantine.
Lea Salonga is a delightful part of the 10th anniverasary cast.

My favorite though -- jessica grove... give this girl a lead role!