Folks regularly ask me, “Are you having fun doing Les Misérables?” The answer is, “No, but in a good way.” It’s intense and requires a tremendous amount of focus and energy. It’s physically and emotionally demanding. Do I thank God, pinch myself every day and marvel at what a life-changing opportunity it is to play the coveted role of Jean Valjean in arguably the most influential and inspirational musical of all time? Absolutely. This all-star cast united actors from several surrounding theatres across several generations. David Townsend (Enjoras) and I first took to the stage together 22 years ago. Les Miz is a phenomenon and this company is phenomenal. It’s an experience audiences will never forget.
Community Theatre
Director Pamela Livingstone and I discussed the Tony’s over a drink last night and she reminded me of a conversation we’ve had many times about community theatre. Pam was a professional actress, ran and directed pro theatre and chose to commit her life/career to community theatre. I toured musically/professionally for 15 years. We both agree that community theatre passion is much easier to tap into, on and offstage. She puts it much more eloquently, but that passion is the biggest reason we do what we do. Long story short, when you get to a professional level, it too often becomes a job and “what’s the next job,” not for all, but for many. It became that way for me and I came close to hating it. When you hit your 1,000th performance of something, the awe and discovery becomes harder and harder to find. You can see it in the eyes. It’s still great, but not quite the “hit it and quit it” passion we get to deliver as a temporary company. What becomes disappointing for us is that our expectations of these pros become that much greater. Lots of folks who saw various touring productions of Les Miz experienced this contrast when they saw our production. As much as I didn’t want Les Miz to end, there’s beauty in finishing strong and walking away from it. I have good friends who tour. They’ll do 1,000 performances of one show. I tease them because we get to do more of a variety of shows. For every 1,000 performances of “X” they do, we might do 4 or 5 different productions in that time period. I love it. We ARE professionals. We’re just “temps.”
Daddy Valjean
May 30, 2014
“I saw Colm Wilkinson in the original run on Broadway. You were better.”
“I’ve seen Les Miz in 4 cities across 15 years and you’re by far my favorite Valjean.”
I’m so incredibly surprised, grateful and humbled by the various feedback I’m personally getting, but this takes the cake…
“Daddy, you were my favorite. You’re my hero.”
Valjean Trivia
Who Am I?
May 22, 2014
“Jean Valjean”: Birth Name. “24601”: Prison number in the Toulon prison. “Monsieur Madeleine”: Name adopted when he becomes mayor of Montreuil Sur Mer. “9430”: Second prison number he’s given when captured and imprisoned on his way to secure Cossette from the Th?nardiers. He later escapes from a sailing vessel. “Urbain Fauchelevant”: Name adopted while hiding in a convent with Cossette (between little Cossette and big Cossette). “Urbain Fabre”: Alias used through the rest of book. “Monsieur Leblanc”: Nickname given to Valjean by Marius because of Valjean’s white hair. #246info1
Bring Me Home
May 21, 2014
Valjean Trivia… Why does Eponine help usher Valjean to heaven when they’ve no personal relationship? Eponine & Fantine usher Valjean to heaven, yes, but Fantine is equally there for Cossette, as Eponine is there for Marius, as both experience the greatest loss of their lives. In the end, it’s about Cossette & Marius as much, if not more than it is about Valjean, just as Valjean would want it to be. #246info1
Epilogue
May 21, 2014
Valjean Trivia… Why does Valjean die? Well, first of all, he’s in his 60’s in the end, which is old for the time period. Romantically, he loses the will to live. Mission accomplished. He finds peace. Technically, Tom Hooper, director of the film believes Valjean’s health takes a turn for the worse because the ol’ boy contracted any number of things having dragged Marius through the sewers. #246info1
24601
May 17, 2014
How could two different men bear the brand of 24601? Turns out, Claude, one of the men who worked beneath Javert, branded/framed the “imbecile” Pierre, played by David Townsend, Christmas prior, waited for the burns to heal into scars, and then gone back to arrest him, with the false story about having seen the number “24601” on the man’s chest?some argue out of loyalty to Valjean (aka the highly esteemed Monsieur Madeleine) or, in Javert’s words, “desire for my approval, and his unspoken-yet-obvious desire for promotion, could have motivated him to deliberately arrest the wrong man.” For more, here’s the passage… m.fanfiction.net/s/5588906/1/The-Brand
Hugo is Valjean is Javert is Vidocq
April 10, 2014
Eugene Vidocq, whose career provided a model for the character of Jean Valjean AND Javert. Two characters born of one historical figure.
Production Trivia
May 18, 2014
My first show with David Townsend was “Greater Tuna,” 22 years + some odd months ago at West Caldwell High School. It’s always such a joy when I get to perform with him. Feels like home. David has also been reprising and continuing the other Tuna series with Bill Morgan (Javert) at The Green Room. #246info1
Before and After
I’m Jean Valjean
March 14, 2014
Thank you all for the congrats. I was in awe of all the auditionees. Callbacks with such remarkable talent & skill was reward enough. #2460stunned
Strike
June 1, 2014
Jean Valjean requested nothing engraved, but it’s revealed that someone wrote words in pencil on his gravestone that later washed away. There are many translations. Please allow me to pluralize and amend one with respect to our company and this life-changing experience. “We sleep. Although fate was very strange to us, we lived. We died when we lost our angels. The thing came to pass simply, of itself, as the night comes when day is gone.” Thank you. I love you all. #2460done