- The Hollywood Bowl has announced some of the stars of its Les Miserables in Concert series on August 8, 9 and 10. The principal cast will include Huntington's J. Mark McVey as Jean Valjean, a role he performed on Broadway and in London, Brian Stokes Mitchell as Javert, Lea Michele as Eponine, Melora Hardin as Fantine, Aaron Lazar as Enjolras and Rosie O'Donnell as Madame Thenardier. You can read more about the concert right here.
- A new edition of the 10th anniversary concert video of Les Miz is also now available. Taped in 1995 with a dream cast, the performance includes (from the original London company) Colm Wilkinson (Valjean), Michael Ball (Marius) and Alun Armstrong (Thenardier); and (from Broadway) Judy Kuhn (Cosette), Lea Salonga (Eponine) and Michael Maguire (Enjolras); along with Ruthie Henshall (Fantine); and (from Australia) Philip Quast (Javert).It's a tremendous recording, and well worth watching - I may need to get a new one because I've about worn out the original DVD I bought years ago. It's not quite as good as seeing the actual show, but it's darned close, and you'd have a tough time finding a more talented cast. The two-disc set includes a behind the scenes documentary.
(Of course, my favorite version is still the one First Stage presented a two years ago, but then I'm prejudiced.)
6 comments:
Great news! I have the previous edition of the DVD, which I have also played to death. Looking forward to seeing the special features on the new disc.
And, I'm really excited that Mark McVey will be playing Valjean in the new concert in August! I want to go see that, fo sho. Maybe if I start trying NOW I can get tix.
I had the honor to share the stage with Mark in January for the WVSO gala benefit. He is awesome, and such a nice guy.
-Ryan
Ryan, I've been to performances by Mark in Huntington but somehow never got the chance to meet him. However, my lovely wife sang with him in the choir at Marshall University.
ROSIE O'DONNELL??????
It went from awesome to horrific in less than one paragraph.
Mark went to high school with me. Nice guy.
Mark gets some blame for my enthusiam for the "Les Miz" concert DVD - he was the first one I knew who had a copy of the first DVD release. And he was nice enough to share the highlights from that show!
Hey, I just saw Judy Kuhn in "Sweeney Todd" in Columbus. Boy is that a character change, from Cosette to Mrs. Lovett.
Great news about Mark.
Denise, that obviously wasn't "Sweeney Todd: The School Edition" then... ;-)
And you're right, she's tackling a character that's way over there on the other end of the spectrum.
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