von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

#1

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:22pm

April 24th is new cast day.

"Assuming the role of Javert (replacing Norm Lewis) is Ben Davis. Taking over the role of Madame Thenardier (replacing Jenny Galloway) is Ann Harada. Stepping into the role of Eponine (replacing Celia Keenan-Bolger) is actress Mandy Bruno. And assuming the role of Enjolras (replacing Aaron Lazar) is Max von Essen."

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=16837

Updated On: 3/20/07 at 05:22 PM

#2

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:27pm

OK, I maybe need to see Ann Harada as Mme. Thenardier. Holy crap.

#3

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:27pm

For me this announcement just came out of nowhere!

I mean, I knew they were all leaving, but wow, I just didn't expect the announcement of the replacements so soon.

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"The nice thing about the rain is that it always stops... eventually."

- Eeyore

#4

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:28pm

Wow, I didn't realize Celia was leaving.

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#5

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:29pm

I don't necessarily blame her....not with this production.

Updated On: 3/20/07 at 05:29 PM

#6

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:33pm

Ann Harada will be awesome! This is very exciting!

#7

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:40pm

Haha, I remember seeing Max Von Essen before the original closed as one of Thenardiers gang or something. Interesting, I'd like to hear him in the role.

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#8

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:42pm

Anyone know what Celia's up to next? She was the only one i was suprised to see was leaving.

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#9

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:49pm

Sucks for Drew Sarich. He was a real highlight for me when he was on for Aaron.

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"I'm learning to dig deep down inside and find the truth within myself and put that out. I think what we identify with in popular music more than anything else is when someone just shares a truth that we can relate to. That's what I'm searching for in my music." - Ron Bohmer

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Updated On: 3/20/07 at 05:49 PM

#10

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:49pm

Max was the last Jean Prouvaire. I hope he's more exciting than he was as Jesus.

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#11

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:50pm

He was Prouvaire? I played him before, I didn't know that.

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#12

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:51pm

I don't like how Les Mis has a preference for re-hiring actors who have appeared in the production before. I think that's what has made the production grow stale and lack innovation.

If anyone wants to see a picture of Mandy Bruno, here's a link: http://www.dailyceleb.com/production/index.php?view=event&eid=4079&cap=mandy+bruno

Updated On: 3/20/07 at 05:51 PM

#13

re: von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 5:56pm

I don't like how Les Mis has a preference for re-hiring actors who have appeared in the production before. I think that's what has made the production grow stale and lack innovation.

Yeah, but FWIW neither of the male replacements have played those particular roles before. And it's really something that they're getting two completely outside hires at the same time.

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

Updated On: 3/20/07 at 05:56 PM

#14

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 6:22pm

The more you ruv Les Miz, the more they will extend it.

#15

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 6:24pm

Interesting choices. Ann Harada is interesting as Mdme Thenardier to me but I'd love to see it. And I was really hoping for Megan to move up to Eponine. And Max? They sure want to tempt me.

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"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife

#16

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 6:36pm

I know the two males haven't played those specific roles before. I was refering to the general practice of recycling actors who've been in it before.

Oh, and I was surprised Lea Michele didn't try for the role of Eponine again. I assume she wants to stay with SA longer, but she's said Eponine is her dream role and she wants to play it sometime. She would attract more people than Mandy Bruno.

Updated On: 3/20/07 at 06:36 PM

#17

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 6:36pm

OMG! Ben Davis is playing Javert!!!

*Takes deep breaths*

This just makes me want to put more pressure on my family to take that trip to NYC this summer.

#18

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 6:38pm

theminutepast - you can't be serious (re: Michele attracting more people than Bruno).

#19

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 6:42pm

Very good casting. Kind of can't belive that they are leaving though.

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#20

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 6:42pm

I want James Barbour as Javert. But I love Ben and would love to see him as well.

Too bad I cannot catch Aron when he is in his best form. Max von Essen is a great choice though.

#21

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 6:48pm

I am SO excited to get another trip to LesMiz in ... With these replacements! As much as I LOVED the original cast, I have high hopes of getting a pair of tix for me and my father.

Thanks for the post!

Best,
- Mike

#22

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 6:49pm

Steven Pasquale would've made a great Javert. Or a great Enjorlas, for that matter. Doesn't really matter, though---this production is beyond saving.

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"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

#23

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 7:02pm

Didn't Pasquale actually audition for Enjolras some years back?

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#24

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 7:35pm

I find Essen to be a little bland in everything he does. But I'd like to see him in this production. Maybe he'll prove me wrong.

#25

von Essen, Harada, and more enter Les Miz April 24

Posted: 3/20/07 at 7:40pm

Yes, Steven Pasquale would have made a great anything (I don't know if he ever auditioned), but Max von Essen is a great choice. Does anyone know if Mandy Bruno has stage/singing experience, I really don't know anything about her. Thanks.

This is random, but I would love to see Pasquale play George in the Sunday in the Park revival that is coming next year.