BWW Exclusive: Adam Pascal Talks LES MISERABLES Jean Valjean Casting Petition; 'I Want To Do It'

Adam Pascal on the fan campaign to cast him in LES MIZ!

Popular Broadway regular and original RENT star Adam Pascal exclusively discusses with BroadwayWorld the online fan campaign and petition to producers to cast him as Jean Valjean in the current Broadway revival of mega-musical smash LES MISERABLES when original revival lead Ramin Karimloo leaves later this year on August 30.

Of note, the movement has so far accrued nearly 3000 likes on the "Bring Adam Pascal to Les Miserables" Facebook page, which is available here, and the petition is at nearly 500 signatures so far, available here.

Pascal relates of the genesis for the petition among fans, "In my show that I tour around the country, I started doing 'Bring Him Home' and one of my fans who had seen me perform it knew I was interested in the role because, basically, when I perform it, I tell the audience that someday I would love to play this part and blah, blah, blah. So, she started this fan page, 'Bring Adam Pascal to LES MIZ' as a result of that."

Furthermore, Pascal shares, "So, around the time when they started it, Ramin announced that he was leaving after this summer and I contacted the fan page and said, 'Hey, I don't know if this can have any effect at all, but the part of Jean Valjean is going to become available at the end of the summer,' to try to get a little bit more attention for it. Then, it started having a whole new life and then the fans started an actual petition and now that is going around and getting more and more signatures."

Pascal concludes, "Again, I have no idea if this will have any effect whatsoever, but I am flattered that the fans have started this and are supporting me so much in this bid to maybe have them consider me for the part and I am so thankful that the fans are so supportive and want me to do the show. So, we'll see what happens - stranger things have happened, especially on Broadway, right?!"

Additionally, when asked about his personal history with the show, Pascal reveals, "The first time I saw it and the only time that I saw it was when I was probably 10 years old. I saw it on Broadway, and, to be honest, the only thing I remember about the entire show is the opening number - I remember being really, really captivated by it and just thinking it was amazing. It just stuck in my head and wouldn't leave for days - that whole opening number with, 'Look down / Look down' and everything."

When asked specifically about the pop/rock sound of much of the score, Pascal adds, "When I started listening to it again, more recently - believe it or not, before then, I was completely unfamiliar with Colm Wilkinson; I know that sounds crazy, but it's true - I have just been sitting there listening to Colm Wilkinson's voice and saying, 'Oh, my God! This guy is f*cking amazing!'"

But, does he himself hear a similar cadence in their gritty rock vocals? "I definitely hear a similarity between our voices - yeah. I became an instant fan, though, and I have really started to familiarize myself with the material now after getting back into it again recently."

In closing, Pascal says, "Look, the producers know I want to do it and everybody knows I want to do it so we will see how they feel about it. I can't thank the fans enough for their support with the fan page and the petition and everything, no matter what happens as a result of it all."

Stay tuned to BroadwayWorld for even more exclusive quotes and a world premiere recording from fan favorite Adam Pascal coming later this week!

Also, check out my extensive InDepth InterView with Adam Pascal from earlier this year, available here.

View a video of Adam Pascal performing "Bring Him Home" from LES MISERABLES below.