LookDown
|
Performers you love who aren't well known?We all rave (or rant) about the well known LM cast members like Lea Salonga or Frances Ruffelle and Ruthie Henshall, or Phillip Quast, John-Owen Jones and Colm Wilkinson, as well as others who have been on official CD recordings of LM, but what about those who might be much lesser known?
For example, I really like Lindsey Danvers' portrayal of Fantine, and Jane Draper's Eponine, but hadn't even heard of them until recently.
What about you? Are there any "lesser known" LM stars that you feel worthy of credit?
|
Eponine93
|
John Owen-Jones is on an official recording?
|
The Pirate King
|
| Eponine93 wrote: | | John Owen-Jones is on an official recording? |
Nah, she (or he, it's nice to see a new member) just meant that he is well-known. An official recording of JOJ as Valjean would be amazing though.
Though technically, there IS an official CD of him singing Les Miserables--his new EP Hallelujah features him singing, amongst other things, "Bring Him Home".
|
Orestes Fasting
|
Heh, I was about to say the same thing re: JOJ.
Off the top of my head: Joanna Ampil (Eponine, Fantine), Matt Cammelle (Enjolras), Stig Rossen (Valjean), Ann-Christin Elverum (Fantine), Lucius Wolter (Marius), Kaspar Holmboe (Javert), Michael McCarthy (Javert), Randal Keith (Valjean)...
Avoiding naming anyone from the revival cast, because there's been enough talk about them right now.
|
Paula74
|
Anthony Crivello as Javert - saw him on the tour and he was fantastic. His "Confrontation" remains the best I've seen or heard.
Hugh Panaro as Marius - all personal bias for him now aside, I have a clear memory of buying the cast recording on cassette in the theatre lobby the first time I saw him. Back then, I was really young and didn't know the difference between original Broadway casts, replacement casts, and touring casts. The second I got in my aunt's car, I ripped off the plastic wrap, put the cassette in my little portable player (our car was a '66 Caprice and didn't have a tape deck), and fast-forwarded to "A Little Fall of Rain. I almost cried when I heard a different Marius.
|
LookDown
|
| The Pirate King wrote: | | Eponine93 wrote: | | John Owen-Jones is on an official recording? |
Nah, she (or he, it's nice to see a new member) just meant that he is well-known. An official recording of JOJ as Valjean would be amazing though.
|
I'm a she. Hi. 
Yes, I meant well-known when I was reffering to JOJ. I'll edit my post for a bit more clairty.
|
kitty17794
|
Hmm. I saw Stephen Brian Patterson in the role of Marius years ago, and remember really liking him. Same with Jessica Snow Wilson as Eponine. She was FANTASTIC.
I also like Tracy Shayne, even though nobody else does....
|
eponine5
|
Practically the entire 2005-2006 London cast. JOJ is quite well known, but there was also Kerry Ellis (as Fantine, although she's known now for other roles), Hayden Tee (Marius), Shonagh Daly (Eponine), Julia Moller (Cosette), and Jeff Nicholson who should get a mention as an incredible understudy Javert.
I also second Joanna Ampil as Fantine.
|
JulieJordan
|
Off the top of my head, Rebecca Thornhill's Fantine, and Zoe Curlett's Cosette.
|
herkind
|
Laura Michelle Kelly's Eponine, Ramin Karimloo's Enjolras and Marie Zamorra's Cosette are the first that come to mind for me.
|
EponineMNFF
|
I'm sort of obsessed with Melissa Lyons' Eponine. She wasn't as spunky as most of the annoying Eponines, but not as crazy as Celia Keenan-Bolger -- somewhere in between.
This one is pretty well known, but I LOVE Randal Keith as Valjean. Lovelovelove.
|
Meliara
|
DREW SARICH!!! I like his Valjean the best from what I've heard. But he also played Grantaire, Javert AND Enjolras in the revival.
He's gonna be big really soon, he's got this God like voice and magnetic feel when you watch him.
Other favs:
Joanna Ampil (Fantine/ Eponine)
Hadley Fraser (Marius)
|
Timmy_Wishes he was Quast
|
I actually really like Jackie Marks in both her roles as Fantine and Factory bitch.
Micheal McCarthy was awesome.
I adored Kerry Ellis
I also loved Sean Kingsley. he was the first professional Val Jean i saw and his portrayal was dark at the start and by the end he came across truely reformed. I adored him, in fact if i'd been rich back then i'd have watched him over and over!
in fact the Les Mis cast 2005/06 was amazing. I would love to go back and see them.
*edit my apolgies to TVAW. I know Micheal McCarthy is well-known i was just reiterating the point that he was good. End.
|
The Very Angry Woman
|
| Timmy_Wishes he was Quast wrote: | | Micheal McKarthy was awesome. |
Not well known? The guy who's played Javert in pretty much every English-speaking country except Canada and New Zealand?
Also, it's McCarthy. No K.
|
Sweeney Hyde
|
John Vickery.
He was the original Scar in The Lion King.
But I saw him as Henry Higgins in a National Tour of MFL not too long ago and he was amazing.
Not an UNKNOWN...but certainly not as known as he should be.
|
dcrowley
|
Hmmm I have several favorite "lesser known" performers
I think Sean Kingsly was a brilliant valjean... he had a hard edge to his voice which I really enjoyed
Joanna Ampil, Kerry Ellis, Claire Moore, and Helen French all sounded amazing as Fantine ( I have seen the first two perform the role as well)
Jodie Langle is my favorite Eponine... I also like Linzi Hateley, Catherine Brunell, and Gemma Wardle (I have seen the last two perform the role)
... I can't stand Jayne Draper's voice... or acting.
My fav. Marius of all time is Hayden Tee... without a doubt
|
Quique
|
Am a huge fan of...
Elinore O'Connel's Fantine (2nd NT)
Angela Pupello's Eponine (3rd NT)
Susan Tilson's Eponine (1st NT)
Gina Ferrall's Mme. T. (1st/2nd/3rd NT and Broadway)
Richard Kinsey's Javert (1st NT/Broadway/Asian tour)
Craig Rubano's Marius (Broadway) seems like the PERFECT Marius, in my opinion.
Jodie Langel's Eponine (Broadway)
I saw all of the above live onstage with the exception of Craig Rubano.
|
NotoriousFunnt
|
Gina Milo. She was the Eponine understudy when I saw the national tour in 2004. She is definitely my favorite Eponine...I loved the way she portrayed the character, and while I don't usually care for OMO, her rendition I thought was the best and actually made me enjoy the song.
|
Colle
|
I don't think either Rona Figueroa or Ma-Anne Dionisio are that well known. Both of them played Eponine on the 3nt, and Rona also on Broadway, and I enjoyed both of their performances.
|
jcstar
|
| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | Timmy_Wishes he was Quast wrote: | | Micheal McKarthy was awesome. |
Not well known? The guy who's played Javert in pretty much every English-speaking country except Canada and New Zealand? |
He was on the most recent Canadian tour with Randall Kieth.
Not enough people know who Michael Burgess is. He's the Canadian Valjean for I don't know how many tours. He's amazing.
Andy.
|
Moci
|
| jcstar wrote: | | The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | Timmy_Wishes he was Quast wrote: | | Micheal McKarthy was awesome. |
Not well known? The guy who's played Javert in pretty much every English-speaking country except Canada and New Zealand? |
He was on the most recent Canadian tour with Randall Kieth.
|
Wasn't it Robert Hunt?
According to his biog, he's played Javert in London, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Sydney, Melbourne, Dublin, Edinburgh, Manchester, Plymouth, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Helsinki, and Oslo.
|
The Very Angry Woman
|
| jcstar wrote: | | The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | Timmy_Wishes he was Quast wrote: | | Micheal McKarthy was awesome. |
Not well known? The guy who's played Javert in pretty much every English-speaking country except Canada and New Zealand? |
He was on the most recent Canadian tour with Randall Kieth.
Not enough people know who Michael Burgess is. He's the Canadian Valjean for I don't know how many tours. He's amazing.
Andy. |
No, he wasn't. First of all, there hasn't been a Canadian tour in years, and second of all, when the tour went to Canada, Michael McCarthy wasn't on it. In the U.S. McCarthy has only played Javert on Broadway and in San Francisco.
And Randal spells his first name with one L.
|
esmies
|
I'm a huge fan of the first Valjean I saw back in 88 - Craig Schulman. I've never seen anybody play the part with as much passion. Every Valjean I've seen since then has failed to live up to that. I could be blowing it up in my mind to be better that it actually was but the performances definately moved me.
|
jcstar
|
| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | jcstar wrote: | | The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | Timmy_Wishes he was Quast wrote: | | Micheal McKarthy was awesome. |
Not well known? The guy who's played Javert in pretty much every English-speaking country except Canada and New Zealand? |
He was on the most recent Canadian tour with Randall Kieth.
Not enough people know who Michael Burgess is. He's the Canadian Valjean for I don't know how many tours. He's amazing.
Andy. |
No, he wasn't. First of all, there hasn't been a Canadian tour in years, and second of all, when the tour went to Canada, Michael McCarthy wasn't on it. In the U.S. McCarthy has only played Javert on Broadway and in San Francisco.
And Randal spells his first name with one L. |
Well, I consider the 2002 NA tour recent.
After looking at the programme for the show, it was indeed Robert Hunt as Javert. He was amazing.
I was wrong once, but then I was mistaken.
Andy.
|
Fantine
|
Julia Moller, Ramin Karimloo.
|
Moci
|
| Fantine wrote: | | Ramin Karimloo. |
Ramin Karimloo is taking over the title role in the London production of Phantom, in September, if you're interested.
I've always thought that Claire Moore isn't as well known as she should be.
(Just a point, but how is John Owen-Jones considered well known? Maybe amongst people who follow Les Mis and Phantom, but I wouldn't consider him much better known than many other Valjeans or Phantoms.)
|
Fantine
|
Oh thanks Moci 
Maybe, just maybe, I will see him
|
dcrowley
|
OHHHHHH Ramin Karimloo... I <3 that man.
|
herkind
|
| Moci wrote: | | Fantine wrote: | | Ramin Karimloo. |
(Just a point, but how is John Owen-Jones considered well known? Maybe amongst people who follow Les Mis and Phantom, but I wouldn't consider him much better known than many other Valjeans or Phantoms.) |
I think they were talking about well known in the Les Mis fandom. Whenever I see forum posts about best Valjeans JOJ and Colm Wilkinson are the two names I see come up the most.
|
Window
|
VJ-Randal Keith and Roger Seyer (tied)
Javert-Micheal McCarthy
Enjolras-Micheal McGuire
Fantine-Joanna Ampil
Eponine-Gina Milo
Mad T-Jennifer Butt
Then-David Benoit
Marius-Peter Lockyer
Cosette-Nina Negri
|
Quique
|
^ Those are all pretty well known in Les Mis circles.
|
The Very Angry Woman
|
| Quique wrote: | | ^ Those are all pretty well known in Les Mis circles. |
Except when you misspell "Michael."
|
EponineBarker
|
| The Very Angry Woman wrote: | | Quique wrote: | | ^ Those are all pretty well known in Les Mis circles. |
Except when you misspell "Michael." |
And Maguire.
| Quote: | | Avoiding naming anyone from the revival cast, because there's been enough talk about them right now. |
Even people in the ensemble? 
|
esmies
|
I heard Roger Seyer on tape singing Bring Him Home. Sounded amazing. I actually used to work with his wife and he sang at my wedding. Great guy on and off stage.
|
Orestes Fasting
|
| EponineBarker wrote: | | Quote: | | Avoiding naming anyone from the revival cast, because there's been enough talk about them right now. |
Even people in the ensemble? |
Well, I was avoiding it, you don't have to. And the Broadway revival ensemble wins at life.
(Also, in what world are Michael Maguire and Jennifer Butt not well known? They were both in the OBC for christ's sake.)
|
EponineBarker
|
| Quote: | | Well, I was avoiding it, you don't have to. And the Broadway revival ensemble wins at life. |
Thank you. Cause I really like Justin Bohon (Joly) & Haviland Stillwell (The factory girl who fires Fantine.) I thought they did really well in their roles, and I really like Justin's voice.
And the were so nice!
|
Sweeney Hyde
|
HAHAHA! I just realized this thread was in this forum! I thought it was in the social club...I'm sorry for my out of place post a page or so back! LOL
|
Orestes Fasting
|
| EponineBarker wrote: | | Quote: | | Well, I was avoiding it, you don't have to. And the Broadway revival ensemble wins at life. |
Thank you. Cause I really like Justin Bohon (Joly) & Haviland Stillwell (The factory girl who fires Fantine.) I thought they did really well in their roles, and I really like Justin's voice.
And the were so nice! |
I've probably said this, but Nehal Joshi (Lesgle, loudhailer, prison guard, sailor in Lovely Ladies, pimp in Look Down, etc) is my all-time favorite ensemble member. He has a totally fantastic voice and he pulls so much characterization and humor out of the tiniest of roles. I will kick myself, hard, if I don't get to see his Enjolras at least once.
|
herkind
|
Is Nehal the one that does the chicken dance in Master of the House? Because that killed me.
However my favorite part of MOTH in the revival has got to be Daniel Bogart. His facial expressions are priceless.
|
Orestes Fasting
|
| herkind wrote: | Is Nehal the one that does the chicken dance in Master of the House? Because that killed me.
However my favorite part of MOTH in the revival has got to be Daniel Bogart. His facial expressions are priceless. |
Yes. Yes, he is. I have also heard reports that he's started replying to "Everybody's bosom friend" with "I like bosoms!"
And Dan Bogart's facial expressions are awesome. Love him as Bamatabois, love him as the prissiest Traveller #1 ever, love him as Combeferre (reading on the barricades!).
The whole revival ensemble just deserves an award of some sort.
|
