James Fenton News

David Rossmer will assume the role of Thenardier in Cameron Mackintosh's production of Claude-Michel Schönberg & Alain Boublil's legendary musical Les Miserables tomorrow, Friday, May 13 at the Imperial Theatre, it was announced today.

The first-ever international tour of Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil's LES MISERABLES (LES MIS) must close this Sunday, May 1, after three extensions. With nearly sold out tickets day in and day out, this production can easily be one of the most successful productions staged at the relatively brand new theatre The Theatre at Solaire.

'Adrian Pang is wonderful to work with, such an instinctive actor! It was so much fun to play off him, I just love him! I hope we get to work together again soon,' says Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, who along with Lea Salonga, make up the first three internationally acclaimed Filipina actresses - the third being Joanna Ampil - to have ever played Fantine in Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schonberg's LES MISERABLES , playing at The Esplanade beginning May 31 onwards.

While watching a revival production of Lionel Bart's 'Oliver!' in London, LES MISERABLES Co-creator Alain Boublil saw the similarities between literature's favorite little street urchins Oliver Twist, from Charles Dicken's novel of the same name, and Gavroche, from Victor Hugo's LES MISERABLES, which sparked the idea to cowrite the novel-to-stage adaptation of the latter with Claude-Michel Schonberg more than 30 years ago.

The reimagined production of LES MISERABLES in Manila, which serves as the first leg of the well-loved musical's 2016 Asian/International Tour, must close on Sunday, May 1, at The Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resorts and Casino. To purchase tickets (P1,750-P7,000), visit TicketWorld.com.ph.

Cameron Mackintosh's production of Claude-Michel Schonberg & Alain Boublil's legendary musical LES MISERABLES will celebrate its Second Anniversary Wednesday, March 23 at the Imperial Theatre (239 West 45th Street). The current Broadway version of LES MISERABLES, which will end its acclaimed run September 4, is the only production of the musical currently playing in North America. 

No less that theater impresario Cameron Mackintosh, the world's first 'theater billionaire' according to Forbes, much-lauded composer Claude-Michel Schonberg, and prolific theater director Laurence Connor attended the gala premiere of the reimagined production of Schonberg and Alain Boublil's phenonemal musical LES MISERABLES' first-ever Asian Tour, which kicked off at the state-of-the-art The Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resort and Casino, last Wednesday, March 16.

The reimagined production of LES MISERABLES' (LES MIS) producing and creative team, represented by producer Cameron Mackintosh, composer Claude-Michel Schonberg, and director Laurence Connor, who are also in town holding new auditions for the upcoming global productions of the mega-musical "Miss Saigon," presented to the members of the Philippine Press the full cast of the first Asian Tour of the new LES MIS earlier today.

The reimagined production of LES MISERABLES' (LES MIS) producing and creative team, represented by producer Cameron Mackintosh, composer Claude-Michel Schonberg, and director Laurence Connor, who are also in town holding new auditions for the upcoming global productions of the mega-musical 'Miss Saigon,' presented to the members of the Philippine Press the full cast of the first Asian Tour of the new LES MIS earlier today.

The reimagined production of LES MISERABLES' (LES MIS) producing and creative team, represented by producer Cameron Mackintosh, composer Claude-Michel Schonberg, and director Laurence Connor, who are also in town holding new auditions for the upcoming global productions of the mega-musical 'Miss Saigon,' presented to the members of the Philippine Press the full cast of the first Asian Tour of the new LES MIS earlier today.

When it comes to the best seat of the house at LES MISERABLES (LES MIS), which currently plays The Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resort and Casino, Technical Director Cameron Flint ('Wicked,' 'Once') says all the seats in the house are the best seats because the stage design was built for the apprecation of the audience from all angles. However, personally, Mr Flint will sit in the front row or middle rows of the Orchestra Center (VIP) or in the center of the Premium Gold (A Reserve) section.

32-year-old Aussie actor Chris Durling ('Jersey Boys,' 'Grease') has set his eyes on Jean Valjean in 'Les Miserables' as his ultimate dream role. But his boyish good looks ain't helping him snag the role of the ex-convict on a quest for redemption--not just yet.

Claude Michel-Schonberg and Alain Boublil's musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel LES MISERABLES (LES MIS) opens at The Theatre at Solaire (Solaire Resort and Casino, Paranaque City) on Friday, March. 11, and even more exciting news, the show has announced an extension until Sunday, April 24, giving it an incredible six-week run in Manila prior to its limited engagement in Singapore.

The original London production of Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil's musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel LES MISERABLES (LES MIS), which was Messrs Schonberg and Boublil's first collaboration with theater producer Cameron Mackintosh, opened to very mixed reviews from the critics in 1985. But 'LES MIS has always been big for criticism,' says Meghan Lewit for The Atlantic. 'Bombast? Bathos? That's the point. The original production [which remains intact and continues to play at the Queen's Theatre in London until today] has endured because it gave audiences exactly what they wanted.'

This season, the Royal Shakespeare Company celebrates not only the 400th anniversary of the death of their namesake, but also that of Miguel de Cervantes, with a brand new adaptation of Don Quixote. After a lifetime of reading books on chivalry, Don Quixote decides to embark on a quest of his own. Taking up a lance and sword, he sets out to become a wandering knight, defending the helpless and vanquishing the wicked. Hopelessly unprepared and increasingly losing his grip on reality, he travels across Spain accompanied by his faithful and equally ill-suited squire. With each calamitous adventure they experience, the romantic ideal of Quixote's books seems further away than ever.

Yesterday, select members of the press, including BroadwayWorld.com, were invited to a 'vocals only' rehearsal of Cameron Mackintosh's reimagined production of popular musical LES MISERABLES (LES MIS), which is embarking on its first Asian Tour (Manila: March 11 to April 17 at The Theatre at Solaire; Singapore: May 31 to July 17 at Esplanade Theatre).

Earlier today, select members of the press, including BroadwayWorld.com, were invited to a 'vocals only' rehearsal of Cameron Mackintosh's reimagined production of popular musical LES MISERABLES (LES MIS), which is embarking on its first Asian Tour (Manila: March 11 to April 17 at The Theatre at Solaire; Singapore: May 31 to July 17 at Esplanade Theatre).

British actor Earl Carpenter, who originated the role of Inspector Javert in the reimagined production of Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil's book-to-stage adaptation of LES MISERABLES (LES MIS) and abruptly left the Broadway production last November due to a neck injury (cervical vertebrae impingement), will rejoin the company of the new production of LES MIS in its first Asian Tour (Manila-Singapore), which has been set to kick off at The Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resort and Casino, in Manila from Friday, March 11, until Sunday, April 17.

There has been an increased interest for tickets to behemoth, long-running musical LES MISERABLES (LES MIS) since its major producer Cameron Mackintosh and Philippine partner Concertus Manila announced last September that the acclaimed Australian touring production of the the revamped 25th anniversary production of LES MIS, which must close this Sunday, January 17, at the Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane will transfer to The Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resort and Casino in Manila starting Friday, March 11. Due to the high demand for tickets, which can be purchased at TicketWorld.com.ph, Mr. Mackintosh and Concertus Manila have released a new set of tickets that will extend performances in Manila until Sunday, April 17, thus far.

BroadwayWorld has just learned that Cameron Mackintosh's current Broadway revival of  Claude-Michel Schonberg & Alain Boublil's legendary musical LES MISERABLES will end its acclaimed run on Sunday, September 4, 2016 at the Imperial Theater (239 West 45th Street).  The current Broadway version of LES MISERABLES is the only production of the musical currently playing in North America and stars Alfie Boe, the acclaimed star of the London 25th Anniversary Concert, as Jean Valjean through February 28.  John Owen-Jones, who is currently starring as The Phantom in Mackintosh's London production of The Phantom of the Opera, and has played Valjean both on Broadway (in 2007) and in London, will succeed Boe in the role beginning March 1 for the duration of the show's Broadway run.  This new production of the musical will have given 1,026 performances over two-and-a-half years.  In total, since the 1987 opening of the original production, LES MISERABLESwill have played 8,202 performances on Broadway.