They should "reinvent" Phantom by chucking the tired, 1986 mask and replacing it with a GLORIOUS, DYNAMIC new one with Mackintosh's drunken visage upon it. I'm sure he'd be "DELIGHTED." XD
It'll make the show relevant to today's gullible audiences and stuff his pockets with enough to purchase further acres on some remote English countryside, where he'd built a state of the art outhouse. That is, IF he doesn't get into yet another property or land feud with neighbors, who will hire ALW to set his boat ablaze.
Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.
I hope that if the Les Mis tour does come to Broadway, it's not a rushed decision. I would love to see a well-thought out, carefully excecuted revival return to the Great White Way, unlike the 2006 fiasco.
I actually really enjoyed the new 25th Anniversary production, especially Javert's suicide. If they could incorporate some elements from both the original and 25th Anniv. productions, I think it could be really great. I doubt CamMack will allow a Les Mis back on Broadway without some of the new elements added in.
That being said, Andrew Varela MUST play Javert because he is simply phenomenal. I would also love to see J. Mark McVey or Anthony Warlow as Valjean. Betsy Morgan was stunning and hearbreaking as Fantine and I would love to see her get the chance to perform the role on Broadway. As for the students/lovers, I hope they would cast younger actors in the roles. Actors like Matt Doyle and Jay Armstrong Johnson would be perfect as Marius and Enjorlas and Jennifer Damiano would make an excellent Eponine.
If the revival could play the Winter Garden Theatre, that would be a dream come true for me. I'm not holding my breath though. Still, one can dream.
The show is aiming for a Broadway revival in 2014 according to Cameron Mackintosh. He also revealed that Taylor Swift did audition for the role of Eponine in the film adaptation, but he did not mention that the role was offered to her. The producers felt that the requirements for the role were better fitted by Samantha Barks.
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
YES! Add me to the chorus of those calling for Andrew Varela to play Javert on Broadway. He was one of the best parts of the show when I saw it in November.
I'd like to see Sierra Boggess reprise the role of Fantine after playing it in the West End revival. Eden Espinosa also said Fantine was a dream role of her's.
This is incredible news. To think it will be back on Broadway for a third time!
Since Brantley bemoaned the return of the original production (well, sorta. It was the original sets and everything but tricked out with all these weird additions to make it seem *new*) when the "revival" opened in 2006, I hope Mackintosh rethinks the current tour. Because unless you know this show inside out, most people will think it's the original sans revolve.
Obviously, I would be THRILLED if the original production was staged in this upcoming revival. I can't even begin to tell you how happy that would make me, but it seems he's adamant about not staging that one again. I still think that most people just don't care what version is staged, as long as it's GREAT.
And has a decent orchestra playing something resembling what they played at the Royal Albert Hall in '95.
Congrats to Mackintosh and the other producers for the film's success at the box office so far.
Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.
Les Mis the musical has such a large cast. How many are cast in a Broadway production? Just wondering....from RC in Austin, Texas
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
The show is typically performed by a group of anywhere from 30-40. Every single role, with the exception of Valjean and Javert, play many minor roles during the course of a performance.
I think even Valjean and Javert appear as beggars in "At the End of the Day," though I'm generally not too well versed in the various tracks that the performers play so I could be wrong about specifics. Generally though most every actor does play various roles. I know Eponine and Cosette appear as whores in Lovely Ladies.
Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.
The actors playing Valjean and Javert DO NOT appear in At The End Of The Day in any of the Cameron Mackintosh produced stagings of Les Mis. Traditionally, they are the only two tracks that do not swing into the chorus during the the course of the show.
Other than that, did you enjoy the play Mrs Lincoln?
If the tour transfers, they would be fools not to retain Andrew Varela. He gives, hands-down, the best performance I have seen on stage.
Betsy Morgan left the tour recently, within the last few weeks I think, and I’m crushed that I don’t get to see her beautiful Fantine again when I see the tour for the second time next weekend. I hope she returns for the Broadway production, she was fantastic in the role.
If they want the show to be successful on Broadway they're going to need to not bring in the touring show. Not because it's bad, but it just smells cheap. This is a big, splashy musical and people are going to expect to see that.
this is a horrible idea. The last revival was awful, just awful. This show will not work in NYC again. People aren't going to pay more than 70 bucks to see a show they have seen again and again and again. Not gonna go well at all if it happens. Just keep it on tour.
Cameron is killing this show through over-exposure.
While I am happy it's returning, I also wish he'd have waited to bring it back in an honest revival and not the same trickery he always pulls of bringing in the same show tricked out with all sorts of things added to make it seem new and hoping nobody notices not only how those added elements are bargain basement, pic-'n-save quality in nature, but that it's anything but new.
He called the last revival "a completely new production." It wasn't. It was the exact same version that played the Imperial for 16 years but with garish lighting added to its existing lighting plot and horrible, HORRIBLY watered down and unnecessarily reworked orchestrations that made the exciting sounding show sound like a whimper.
That's why that revival folded so quickly. NOT because it was the original production. It was the original presented in a tacky and cheap way.
I STRONGLY advise him to rework the current cheapo tour. It just isn't good enough for Broadway. And he should reinstate the exciting sound the orchestrations had for 16 years and worked so well, and quit blaming a couple of keyboards for the whole reorchestration debacle.
He continues presenting third rate productions of this show that resist what worked before, Les Mis will eventually end up being the laughing stock of Broadway and very easy to turn against and roll one's eyes at.
Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.