John Caird News

Christmas Day 2012 marks the biggest and best day of the year for many Broadway babies around the world, but the anticipatory fervor has little to do with the man with the beard in red and white from the North Pole - you see, the guy in question in this equation is more apt to be seen in red and black and his origins are decidedly a bit more Gallic than Jolly Old St. Nick. The man whom I speak of is, of course, Jean Valjean, the protagonist of Victor Hugo's spellbinding 1862 historical epic LES MISERABLES, a novel which was subsequently adapted into a 1980 concert spectacular and ultimately a 1985 full-fledged stage musical, painstakingly developed through the shepherding of uber producer Cameron Mackintosh, alongside the talents responsible for breathing song into the story - original French composer/lyricist team Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil (along with Jean-Marc Natel), to whom Mackintosh added English lyricist Herbert Kretzmer (and also contributor James Fenton). Through a special partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company, LES MISERABLES: THE MUSICAL premiered at the Barbican Theatre in the West End soon thereafter under the direction of Trevor Nunn and John Caird and opened to largely negative reviews, albeit ecstatic, ebullient audiences. Broadway was next, where it went on to win Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Actor, Best Featured Actress & Actor and even more (eight total). LES MISERABLES onstage was a hit like few others from then on and the rest, ze say, is history - or, in this case, l'histoire. Yet, on Christmas Day, the next step in the evolution of the worldwide phenomenon commonly and colloquially known as LES MIZ will occur - just days after the Mayan-predicted end of days, no less - and the movie musical adaptation of the stage show will finally become a reality, featuring an all-star cast comprised of Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Aaron Tveit, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter, among others. The time has come to hear the people sing onscreen at long, long last. But, first, how is the film?

While many MIZ-heads may have assumed the film adaptation of their beloved musical would never actually come to fruition, here it really is, all too soon available for all to see - lo, more than twenty years after it was first announced byway of an official promo ad in a tour souvenir going as far back as the late-1980s. I was lucky enough to catch an advance screening during the dawning days of December and many small moments, full musical sequences and my first impressions themselves have filled me with a certain kind of inexpressible enrapturing ecstasy heretofore inexperienced, coming as a direct result, no doubt, of the sheer force of power the film exacts in its relentless, barreling, blazingly bravado-bedecked style - a style, I can firmly say, is completely unique in movie history. LES MISERABLES is a lot of things, but, first and foremost, it is that which it is unlike that makes it most remarkable of all; that is: it is unlike any movie musical ever made. And, it is a masterpiece.

As Frances Ruffelle wrote in her column for The Huffington Post, she was recently invited to a private party at Cameron Mackintosh's home and mingled with 'some of the world's top theatre creatives' such as Stephen Sondheim, Les Miserables film director Tom Hooper and the original Les Miserables theatre directors Trevor Nunn and John Caird. In a 'deliciously memorable moment', she introduced Hooper to Nunn and Caird, and 'they looked like they were getting on famously.'

Tony and Olivier Award-winner John Caird (Les Misérables and Nicholas Nickleby), West End rising star Sam Caird, and Tony nominee Paul Gordon (Jane Eyre) recently arrived in Ventura to begin rehearsals for a new holiday musical entitled LITTLE MISS SCROOGE, which will be presented as a limited-run staged concert for Rubicon Theatre subscribers, December 12 through 23, 2012. (The fully staged World Premiere will be produced by Rubicon in December of 2013.) BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage in the photos below!

Tony and Olivier Award-winner JOHN CAIRD (Les Misérables and Nicholas Nickleby), West End rising star SAM CAIRD, and Tony nominee PAUL GORDON (Jane Eyre), arrived in Ventura today to begin rehearsals tomorrow for a new holiday musical entitled LITTLE MISS SCROOGE, which will be presented as a limited-run staged concert for Rubicon Theatre subscribers December 12 through 23, 2012. (The fully staged World Premiere will be produced by Rubicon in December of 2013.) BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek below.

Randy Graff, who originated the role of Fantine in Les Miserables on Broadway, is coming to Toronto to conduct an exciting master class this December. Known for her story-telling through song, Randy will focus on teaching that unique ability to her students. She sat down with BWW to talk about her career, the benefits of the master class and the upcoming feature film version of Les Miserables.

In April 2011, over 42,000 people experienced a brand new 25th anniversary production of Boublil & Schonberg's legendary musical, LES MISÉRABLES. Now, due to overwhelming demand, LES MISÉRABLES returns to Cleveland for one week only as a part of the U.S. Bank Star Performance Series at PlayhouseSquare.

Arizona Theatre Company presents the Arizona Premiere of "Jane Austen's Emma" a new romantic musical comedy that brings Jane Austen's masterpiece to life. "Jane Austen's Emma" plays at the Temple of Music and Art and runs from December 1, 2012 - December 22, 2012. It continues its run in Phoenix at the Herberger Theater Center from December 31, 2012 - January 20, 2013. "Jane Austen's Emma" is sponsored by Shirley Estes. ATC's season sponsors are I. Michael and Beth Kasser.

John Caird's production of DADDY LONG LEGS is now playing at London's newest theatre complex, the St. James Theatre. DADDY LONG LEGS will run at the St. James Theatre until 08 December. Robert Adelman Hancock and Megan McGinnis will reprise the roles of Jervis Pendleton and Jerusha Abbott. Check out the video below!

First Night Award winning directors Mike Fernandez (Doubt, 2010) and Justin Boccitto (Hairspray, 2011) will join forces to co-direct Les Miserables as Lipscomb University Theatre's homecoming musical in early November 2013.

Tickets for Cameron Mackintosh's new 25th anniversary production of Les Miserables will go on sale Dec. 3, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. for the Sacramento engagement at Community Center Theater, which runs from May 29 - June 9, 2013. The all new production of Les Miserables features glorious new staging and spectacular reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. Tickets for Les Miserables are currently available only by purchasing a Broadway Sacramento season ticket.

Casting for Cameron Mackintosh's new 25th anniversary production of LES MISERABLES has been announced for the back-by-popular-demand Washington engagement at The National Theatre, beginning December 13 for three weeks only. The all-new production of LES MISERABLES features glorious new staging and spectacular reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.

Laurence Connor and James Powell's direction of the current tour is energetic and lively from opening to close. There are cleverly paid notes of homage to Trevor Nunn and John Caird's original direction of the piece. Yet, the team really takes advantage of being able to breathe new life into the show, almost completely restaging every scene. Likewise, they have taken the opportunity to present a grittier and more realistic LES MISERABLES.

Previews begin today for John Caird's production of DADDY LONG LEGS, the second production at London's newest theatre complex, the St. James Theatre. DADDY LONG LEGS will run at the St. James Theatre until 08 December, with press night on 07 November 2012. Robert Adelman Hancock and Megan McGinnis will reprise the roles of Jervis Pendleton and Jerusha Abbott. Photos from the production inside!

Robert Adelman Hancock and Megan McGinnis will reprise the roles of Jervis Pendleton and Jerusha Abbott in John Caird's production of Daddy Long Legs, the second production at London's newest theatre complex, the St. James Theatre. Daddy Long Legs will run at the St. James Theatre from tonight, 31 October to 8 December, with press night on 7 November 2012. Get a first look at Hancock and McGinnis in character below!

East Jefferson General Hospital Broadway in New Orleans announced the premiere New Orleans engagement of Cameron Mackintosh's new 25th anniversary production of Les Miserables, playing at the Mahalia Jackson Theater tonight, October 30 - November 4, 2012. Tickets will go on sale to the public Friday, August 24, at 11 a.m.

Houston Grand Opera is opening its 2012-2013 season with a lavish and fresh production of one of the world's favorite operas, LA BOHÈME by Giacomo Puccini. The familiar opera tells the story of four bohemian artists that live in the same garret (apartment) in 1830s Paris. The poet, Rodolfo, falls for Mimi, a seamstress suffering from Tuberculosis. His friend Marcello, a painter, has recently broken up with Musetta, but is still fascinated by her. In a series of short glimpses into their lives, the audience sees Rodolfo and Mimi fall into a deep, passionate love that is eventually troubled and torn asunder by Rodolfo's jealousies and concerns about her health.

Rubicon Theatre Artistic Directors KARYL LYNN BURNS and JAMES O'NEIL announced the company's 15th Anniversary Season at a preview event for subscribers, donors and media last earlier this month at the theatre's home in Ventura's Downtown Cultural District. The event was hosted by Rubicon Board President DR. ROZ WARNER and Board of Advisors' Chair/Board Vice-President JEFF SMITH, with onstage appearances by several of the directors, writers and performers for the season.

Houston Grand Opera, with Music Director Patrick Summers and Managing Director Perryn Leech, announces its 2012-13 season, headlined by four new productions. The first of these is Puccini's La boheme, which launches the new season with a new staging by award-winning British director John Caird. To honor 2013's joint bicentennials of Wagner and Verdi, the coming season juxtaposes Tristan und Isolde - starring Ben Heppner and Nina Stemme in a new contemporary staging by Christof Loy - with a revival of Steven Lawless's unforgettable take on Il trovatore. British conductor Trevor Pinnock leads a strong international cast in Mozart's ensemble masterpiece Don Giovanni, while Francesca Zambello's new production of Kern and Hammerstein's Show Boat brings together stars of Broadway and the opera house in a celebration of America's own contribution to the art. For a more intimate experience, Daniela Barcellona and Lawrence Brownlee star in Rossini's dramma giocoso, The Italian Girl in Algiers.

Houston Grand Opera opens its 2012-13 season in grand style on October 19, with a brand-new production of Puccini's La boheme starring Dimitri Pittas and Katie van Kooten.