Archive for Musicals.Net Musicals.Net |
| The Pirate King |
John Cudia cast as JVJ in the Chicago Marriott production!http://www.theatreinchicago.com/news.php?articleID=311This is going to be the first production I've ever seen, after owning about ten recordings, seeing about six film versions, reading the whole book, and (hopefully) playing a principle role in my school's spring production. John Cudia is Valjean. That's funny, because I missed him by a matter of days as The Phantom here in Chicago. Did anyone ever see him as Valjean? Is anyone else seeing this production or know anything else about the other actors? |
||||
| InspectorDani |
I saw John Cudia as Erik in Phantom *and got autograph!!* But not as JVJ. I will definatly want to see that!! | ||||
| Timmy_Wishes he was Quast |
Wasn't this actually Gary Morris? |
||||
| The Pirate King |
Two possible solutions to that: A) He went on as Wilkinson's understudy before Morris took the role. B) He played the role on the 1nt before Morris took the role. I'm not sure if I'm disappointed that he's not. going on as Valjean...he just played him in a regional production a few months ago. Either way, I'm looking excited about this cast. |
||||
| Electricity24601 |
Anyone know if its going to be a replica production? I couldn't tell from the article. | ||||
| The Pirate King |
No, it's not, but from the one picture I've seen online, the costumes will definitely be close. (Enjolras' vest, etc)
It's going to be in the round, as well. |
||||
| Quique |
Gary was one of the Broadway replacements early on (I think 1988 or possibly 1987). He did not originate the role in the 1st national tour, but joined it later toward its final year, or so. Btw, has there been any regional production that hasn't done it in-the-round? lol. |
||||
| Quique |
Sorry, did not read Pirate King's post before I responded...that sounds about right--I think Solo understudied Colm, but I'm not sure. | ||||
| Timmy_Wishes he was Quast |
Ok Guys. My bad. Thanks for the correction. | ||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
No, he didn't. It's weird phrasing. William Solo was the first American to originate Valjean (that's how it was phrased when I saw him on the 3nt in 1995), because he was the first on the first national tour. |
||||
| Orestes Fasting |
I think the Sacramento Music Circus and the North Shore Music Theatre have been the only ones to do it in the round so far. I know the Salt Lake and St Louis ones weren't. |
||||
| Quique |
Ahh, I see. Thanks for the clarification.
I wish the Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities does Les Mis someday. They've done award winning productions of Carousel, West Side Story, A Chorus Line, The Secret Garden, Into the Woods, and are doing Miss Saigon this year. |
||||
| Mistress |
I saw Cudia as the Phantom here in Toronto last March, and he was just wonderful...I'm sure he'll kick ass as JVJ.
I do believe that he is also the only actor to play JVJ and the Phantom both on Broadway. |
||||
| Bristian |
I saw the Producers at Marriot Lincolnshire, it is so intimate. I loved it.
When I found out Les Mis was coming there, I nearly pissed my pants. I may have exclaimed that in line as I was getting the tickets for the Producers (btw, I hate will call). This production looks as if it will be amazing. I am so excited. |
||||
| Quique |
Will it have a full orchestra? 
|
||||
| javertim |
I saw John Cudia as Valjean on Broadway. His performance was rather bland from what I recall, but then again I was sitting far back in the orchestra and that performance as a whole just felt blah to me. However, he was perfectly capable in the vocal department.
That said, John Cudia is probably my favorite Phantom. I really enjoyed him in that role. |
||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/801756,dc-cosette-022108-s1.article | ||||
| Fantine |
Wow, only seven years old. I like this interview. I think I have never read anything with young Cosette actresses. | ||||
| The Pirate King |
First major local newspaper review is in, exceedingly positive:
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/807958,CST-FTR-Mis22.article |
||||
| phantomo88 |
Kathy Voyko, Cudia's wife, and Fantine, played Christine on the POTO tour. Richard Todd Adams, Javert, played Raoul on the POTO tour.
Clips of ODM, MOTH, and BHH: http://www.theatreinchicago.com/video/TICvideo/TICvSource/LesMis.html |
||||
| mezzo_soprano |
That Looks AWESOME!
I wanna go! |
||||
| Fantine |
I'm not too exited. I dunno, replica's always seem a bit lacking from the original, unless they are really different. And this one isn't.
I liked the "uglyness" of Eponine. I believe they even blackened her teeth, if I saw that correctly. |
||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
And even then (Sacramento Music Circus' Super Mario pipe, anyone? Or the Rue Plumet gate on sale from Target's garden center?), they're not necessarily NOT lacking. |
||||
| EponineMNFF |
That looks great, but I agree with Fantine. It's kind of distracting how close some of the costumes and how ... not close the others are. I feel like there should be a rule that a production can either be a replica or not.
On a random note, is the Eponine even bleeding in the clip of ALFOR? |
||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
Slippery slope, though. How do you define "replica," where do you draw the line, and will productions just go totally out there for the sake of going out there? |
||||
| EponineMNFF |
True. I guess when I really think about it, I don't know how anybody could make a production entirely different from the original. I've been wanting to like re-costume the show just for fun, but that would take a lot of research I don't have time to do. But on top of that, there would be the set, the staging and you'd need to figure out the barricade (I saw a student edition where they actually started building a barricade with pieces of wood. The problem was that then it couldn't be moved and it was just like... stuck there for the rest of the show. The poor barricade boys also had to freeze in the background for the entire Letter/On My Own scene.) But nonetheless, I'm a bit annoyed with the half replica half original productions that have been popping up in places. |
||||
| Fantine |
Nope. This Eponine is REALLY delusional 
I guess that when ever they use the music of the boublil/schonberg musical it will always be similar. So the only option would be to write a whole new score. (Which is impossible of course). |
||||
| lesmisloony |
GREATEST EPONINE EVER.
Now I want to see this. Very very much. Even if I only see a boot. |
||||
| Quique |
I don't see how this production can be considered a "replica" production. Apart from similar costume designs, it is very differently staged and the set is limited to a few suggestive pieces of furniture.
I think some productions try too hard to be very different from the original. Some of the blocking ends up looking tacky/cheesy. There are only so many different ways to stage ALFOR. This one has her sitting up, which looks odd. What's next, have her do cartwheels down the barricade? You'd think one with bullet ridden body can barely lift their head, lol. |
||||
| mezzo_soprano |
|
||||
| herkind |
She was sitting up in the revival too at least for the first part of the scene. I remember Sutton Foster seemed almost afraid to move as it would be too painful. She never cried out or anything but held herself very rigid. I really like this Eponine based on those clips. I would really like to see more Regional productions break with the replica production more in terms of costuming. Most productions I've seen (picture of, at least) have some variation of the Enjy vest and Valjean's Bring Him Home coat. I would like to see something really different and more historically accurate, especially for the ensemble. |
||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
http://www.dailyherald.com/multimedia/?category=1&type=video&item=113 | ||||
| The Pirate King |
I saw yesterday's matinee, and it was great. Here's a shorter version of my review:
Overall, I was very pleased with this being my first live Les Mis experience. It wasn�t perfect, but it was definitely very well-put together and a great production. Set: Les Mis has never been the complete spectacle the media has made it out to be�besides the barricade, it is largely minimalist, and the Marriott took a cue from this. On such a small round stage this was interesting to see, and overall their set was impressive. In each corner of the stage there were moving platforms, and outlines of windows and lanterns hung from the ceiling. The barricade was truly impressive�faux pieces of furniture suspended from the ceiling, and from the section I was sitting in, we were incredibly lucky in that we got to view all of the action from behind the barricade. The small space created a very claustrophobic atmosphere, and one truly felt the intensity in the second act. Costumes: This is a touchy subject�so many of the costumes of Les Mis are so iconic�Enjolras� red vest, Valjean�s National Guard uniform on the barricade, and Javert�s hues of blue and black. For the most part, the Marriott chose to stick with these�with some glaring exceptions. Rather than being decked out in black and white, the Marius of the first act was dressed in a rather ugly burgundy overcoat. Perhaps it was not terribly unappealing by itself, but for someone familiar with the original design, and against the familiarity of the other costumes it was rather jarring. For the most part, however, costuming was solid and detailed�the Bishop appeared appropriately pious, and they were never distracting. Orchestra: A 15-piece, 11-person orchestra�slightly smaller than the standard production, I believe. One issue that applies here, and that I�ll touch on later, is that the small intimate space of the Marriott creates a dilemma for the musicians in a show such as Les Mis�it must be majestic, but it can�t break eardrums. As a whole, the pit did a respectable job�they never distracted from the action, and I really can�t comment one way or another on them. Cast notes: Valjean�John Cudia Cudia is someone I was expecting a great deal from, and he delivered. Having just played the Phantom in the Chicago stop of the US tour (I happened to miss him by five days), he was a �name�. He, along with many others, started the show off with waaaay too much vibrato, but as it progressed this became less of an issue. Cudia�s ability to play the animalistic Valjean of the Prologue, as well as the dignified Madeleine was impressive. His acting was convincing, and his upper register was appropriately soft and soothing, while his full voice was soaring and bold. He clearly was up to the task vocally, and he always seemed to be Valjean to me. He worked very well with the blocking to speak to everyone in the audience, and his �Bring Him Home� was wonderfully beautiful. In the end, he was a fitting person to play Valjean. Javert�Richard Todd Adams Going in, I had heard that Adams� Javert was the highlight of the production, and I�d have to agree. Javert has always been my favourite character in the show, and he definitely did it justice. He was appropriately stoic, but also snarky (almost like Hugo�s Javert) in the scene following the cart crash. Adams clearly has a passion for the character, and the intensity was there. His �Stars� accomplished all the piece was meant to, and his �Suicide� brought down the house. He breathed the role of Javert completely, and his voice was fitting for the part. A solid, remarkable Javert. Fantine�Kathy Voytko The first thing that struck me about Kathy�s Fantine was that she definitely looked like a Fantine. Fantine is a role that needs to be played carefully�she can�t chew the scenery, but she needs to create a figure that the audience will remember and essentially must cast her presence across the entire show. Voytko portrayed a sympathetic Fantine, and her �I Dreamed a Dream� was full of the hope and despair that the piece calls for. Vocally�you could tell she is more of a soprano or mezzo. I prefer the role to be sung by someone with a deeper tone�it provides more dramatic contrast on the high notes and allows for a powerful belt. However, I can�t fault Kathy for the voice that God gave her, and overall she carried herself as Fantine, and I was impressed. The Thenardiers�Michael Accardo and Catherine Smitko Another highlight. Smitko seemed to definitely take a page from the book of Jenny Galloway on the Tenth Anniversary Concert�her Mme. Thenardier was loud and boisterous. The performance style of the two of them brought up a complex issue in Les Mis�their accents were�not necessarily British, but definitely Trans-Atlantic. Most of the other performers were distinctly American, which I personally take issue with, as I find the accent intrusive. Taken by themselves, these two were great�Accardo could play both funny and slimy, and Smitko did this entertaining faux-operatic �maaaster and a haaaalf�. As usual, they bring down the house in �Beggars at the Feast�, and over all they left a good taste in my mouth�some of the more satisfying performances of the night. Marius�Chris Peluso I�ve been viewing this role in particular with a very critical eye, and for the most part I enjoyed Peluso�s performance. Apart from a somewhat amusing lyric flub (�and what was right seems wrong�and what was�.right�seems�wrong�) he had a sense for the character and had a perfect voice for the role. Overall, I thought his Marius came across as too severe�though he is very sharp-featured, this may have contributed. I liked the way he played with some of the vocals�he went full voice in some parts where you�d expect head voice, and vice versa. I could perhaps have liked more of a sense of the development Marius undergoes throughout the story, but Peluso played the role admirably. Enjolras�Patrick Cummings It took me a while to decide whether or not I liked Cummings� Enjolras or not, but by the end I was very fond of it. He took a different interpretation from the usual G.I. Joe Enjolras, and was instead playing the role as just being a young student with convictions. Playing the role moreso as �one of the guys� than �far-seeing demigod�, he added a personability to the part, which almost made your heart swell with pride whenever he launched on phrases such as �they will come when we call�. Vocally, he was also impressive�the G on �let others riiise� was there and almost Warlowian. One of the more interesting performances of the night, and one of the most fulfilling. Eponine�Ann Letscher Her Playbill bio says �I�ve been singing On My Own since I was 12!�, but it doesn�t really show. Letscher has the potential to be a wonderful Eponine�she has a nice voice for the role and seems to understand the misery that comes along with the character, but she seems to coast on these qualities, and not inject much passion into it. She was really just lacking in energy, interestingly enough. Most poor Eponines play the role too enthusiastically, but Ann had the opposite problem�she was boring. It was truly unfortunate, because she could easily have been very successful in the part. Cosette�Leah Horowitz Leah�s Cosette was extremely refined and seasoned�no wonder, as this is her third production in the role, including having played Cosette in the Broadway revival as recent as three months ago. Cosette is a difficult role to pull of well�she is basically the center of the plot for the second half, but has preciously little stage time. Leah�s voice is beautiful, a pure soprano that is soaring and never shrill. Her acting, as well, was solid. The high note at the ending of �A Heart Full of Love� was exact and resonant. Overall, I was very impressed with the performance given by Ms. Horowitz�she displayed a professionalism in everything she did. The Ensemble Overall, the ensemble was top-notch. Fred Inkley, a former Jean Valjean on Broadway and on tour, played a very stern and dignified Bishop�he appeared wise and old, and inspirational for a man such as Jean Valjean. The Bishop is an important role who must establish an influence over all of the events to follow, and Inkley did this well. The student ensemble was very good. They all had great voices, and seemed the appropriate ages for the part. Usually on recording I prefer the first act, but in this production I thought the second act was definitely superior, largely thanks to the male ensemble. I did have some qualms, however, with John Campen�s Grantaire�he simply did not do enough with the role, and one could not help but wonder why the part didn�t go to one of the other students. As a whole, however, the ensemble was fantastic. I thought the blocking overall was fantastic, and the director did a masterful job of working the round stage and keeping the audience thrilled. As I said before, the barricade scenes were brilliantly-executed, and as a whole the production was very impressive. There were some bizarre cuts, but overall I got the impression that this was, in fact, Les Miserables, and it will definitely tide me over until the 4nt comes my way. |
||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
Wait, wasn't William Solo playing the Bishop? Lincolnshire runs are often so long that they do have cast changes, but I didn't realize Solo had left, much less been replaced by another former Valjean. Interesting. | ||||
| The Pirate King |
Solo was cast, yeah, but he must have backed out. Reviews that I had read from the opening performances had mentioned Inkley as well. The former Valjean thing made me chuckle as well. He's first understudy, and I couldn't help but feel the entire time that Inkley was pissed that he wasn't playing Valjean. |
||||
| lesmisloony |
What a thorough review! Thanks very much for posting it.
Man, I'd love a video of that performance. ... |
||||
| The Pirate King |
It's a tiny theatre, I don't think one could get away with getting video of a performance. Audio would be very easy though, and high quality due to the size of it. If I had a recording background I may have recorded it, but I know nothing about that stuff. Of course, an audio recording isn't what people are looking for in these new regional productions--we all know what the show sounds like. |
||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
Unless something is cut or changed. |
||||
| The Pirate King |
Right, and on that note there were a couple of changes here and there. Most notably, the Cart Crash was cut entirely. On the final "I will see it done!", Cudia snapped the chain between Fantine's too handcuffs, and, exasperated, told the constables to take her to the hospital. This went right into "Can this be true?" A good way to get around the difficulty of having a cart crash on a round stage. The second half of the first verse of Master of the House was cut--I mean, after his first chorus but before the group chorus. I found this to be odd. Also, the entire intro was cut, so it just began with "Welcome, m'sieur". Gavroche's little ditty after Stars ("That inspector thinks he's something") was also missing. As a whole it seemed to match the current production in terms of cuts. |