les mis

[DigificWriter]

My picks are likely going to get some eye-rolls, but I'm going to explain why I think they'd work:
Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean (this is the role Jackman was BORN to play; he knocked it out of the park in the film and more than deserves a chance to reprise it on stage)
Earl Carpenter as Javert (I love Carpenter's version of Stars - as heard on the LIVE 2010 U.K. Tour Cast recording - and think he'd play fabulously off of Jackman)
Anne Hathaway as Fantine (Hathaway wasn't particularly known for her singing ability before the producers cast her as Fantine for the film, but, after the performance she turned in, she really should be the first person they approach for the role)
Sacha Baron Cohen as Thenardier (I loved the take on the role that SBC brought to the table and think it'd be perfectly adaptable to the stage; he's not the most dynamic singer in the world, true, but you really don't need a great singer in the Thenardier role)
Hannah Waddingham as Mdme Thenardier (I don't know if she'd do it, but Waddingham has a vocal style that would mesh very well with SBC's Thenardier)
Eddie Redmayne as Marius (I don't know about anyone else, but I really liked Redmayne's performance as Marius, particularly on Empty Chairs at Empty Tables; he really brought a remorseful, regretful quality to the song that I haven't heard in other performances, and I think he could very easily adapt his singing style for the live stage even though he has no formal experience in live theater)
Julianne Hough as Cosette (Hough has a really good singing voice and vocal quality that would be perfect for the role; I also think she'd play well off of Redmayne)
Aaron Tviet as Enjolras (I loved Tviet's performance, particularly on Do You Hear the People Sing?; it also doesn't hurt that he's got Broadway experience; he also plays exceptionally well off of Redmayne)
Samantha Barks as Eponine (she's already got experience in the role, and also has the talent to bring something fresh to the table while still drawing on that experience; she also had really great chemistry with Redmayne)

[TheGingerBreadMan]

^^ So you want basically half of the movie cast in this revival.

[Wynbish]

Julianne Hough as Cosette

Ok... Cosette is not a role that anyone who has sung any songs before can sing. Example: Her last note in "A Heart Full of Love". Yes, Amanda "sang" it, but I doubt even Amanda could sing it, let alone sing it beautifully, eight times a week or sixteen if you count the reprise near the end. Julianne would fail in that miserably.


For some reason, I can picture Claybourne Elder as Enjolras and Michael Cerveris as Javert

[DigificWriter]

"^^ So you want basically half of the movie cast in this revival."

Yes. I gave my reasoning behind my choices.

Regarding my choice of Hough as Cosette, I was comparing her voice in my mind to Katie Hall's performance in the role from the 2010 U.K. Tour LIVE cast album; Hall and Hough, to me, have very similar voices, and if Hall can hit the high notes on Cosette's songs, I see no reason why Hough can't as well.

YMMV, though.

[thespian geek]

"I can picture Claybourne Elder as Enjolras"

That thought never crossed my mind and yet it's perfect.

[Wynbish]

There's a difference between Hough and Hall having similarities in tone than in range.

[DigificWriter]

"There's a difference between Hough and Hall having similarities in tone than in range."

I come from a very musically oriented family - both immediate and extended - and therefore know from having personally seen it happen that you can tailor any given song to fit a particular voice without hurting the integrity of that song. I've personally seen my two oldest younger sisters sing songs that, on the surface, didn't seem 'right' for their voices and done an amazing job. Even if Hough CAN'T hit the highest vocal range on something like A Heart Full of Love, that shouldn't exclude her from being considered for the role.

Again, as I said, though, YMMV.

[Citygirl.grace]

Valjean: Brian D'arcy James
Javert: Clark Thorell
Fantine: Sierra Boggess
Young Cosette: Emily Rosenfeld
Cosette: Betsey Wolfe
Eponine: Laura Osnes
Marius: Aaron Tveit
Enjolras: Ramin Karimloo
Thenardier: Anthony Warlow
Mad. Thenardier: Katie Finneran

[AJChavez]

Valjean- Alfie Boe
Javert- Andrew Varela
Fantine- Sierra Boggess
Eponine- Samantha Barks
Cosette- Laura Osnes
Marius- Aaron Tveit
Thenardier- James Corden
Madame Thenardier- Jackie Hoffman
Enjolras- Ramin Karimloo

[HeyMrMusic]

Let's think outside the box. We know this will be a multiracial cast.

Ramin Karimloo will not go from playing Valjean in London and Canada to playing Enjolras on Broadway. And he will certainly not make his Broadway debut as an understudy. He'll go big or go home.

DigificWriter, you say Eddie Redmayne has no formal experience in live theatre... He is a Tony Award winner though. I think he'd be just fine onstage.

[Wynbish]

I'm never good at these things, if I actually try to be serious about it, but here goes...

Valjean - Ramin Karimloo
Javert - Michael Cerveris
Fantine - Lindsay Mendez or Betsy Morgan
The Thenardiers - Matt Lucas and Maia Nkenge Wilson
Marius - Craig Mather
Enjolras - Claybourne Elder
Cosette - Colleen Ballinger
Eponine - mind went blank

[DigificWriter]

I guess I completely misread Redmayne's Wikipedia bio the first time I looked at it because I didn't think he had any formal theater experience, but on rereading it, it turns out I was completely wrong.

[philly03]

I wonder if Linzi Hateley will finally make her Broadway return... Cameron asked her to come over for Fantine in the last revival, but now that she's playing Mme Thenardier, that would work too.

[all that jazz]

I'd kill to see Alfie Boe as Valjean if not...

Valjean- Ramin
Javert- Hadley Fraser
Fantine- Sierra
Eponine- Lea Michelle (This is her dream role, and she'd be spectacular)
Marius- I can't think of anyone but Eddie, although I really really really want to say Ricky Martin since this was his first broadway role but I know he's probably too old for him.
Enjolras- Jeremy Jordan
Cossette- Laura Osnes
Thernadier- Matt Lucas
Madame Thernadier- No idea, I'd love to see a young Angela Lansburry or Carol Channing but sadly there are no unique stars like that today, stars nowadays are mostly pitch perfect sopranos.

[Princeton Returns]

Ramin has been very keen to distance himself from theatre lately, and I suspect he is only doing Toronto as he has said performing in his home town is something he wanted to do, plus it would allow him to see friends/family. Im not sure how successful his solo album and in turn what future plans there are with that.

Im not 100% sure he would want to come to Broadway with Les Mis.

Id guess it would be Alfie Boe or Ramin. Outsider being the Spanish Valjean currently in London. They seem to be Camerons favourites at the moment

[Bueo]

How about Gavin Lee in something

[DeNada]

Gavin Lee is unlikely to ever be in anything that doesn't require dance. Having spent nearly 10 years playing Bert in MARY POPPINS around the world, and now playing the lead in TOP HAT in London, he has no previous credits that would suggest him for being suitable for anything in LES MIS.

[Jamminman]

Valjean: Anthony warlow
Javert: Brian Stokes Mitchell
Fantine: Laura Osnes/Laura benanti
Eponine: Syesha Mercado

I would see every performance and I'm sure so would everyone else if this was the revival cast!

[Wynbish]

Marius- I can't think of anyone but Eddie, although I really really really want to say Ricky Martin since this was his first broadway role but I know he's probably too old for him

It would be the first time Marius was practically a decade older than Valjean and Javert

[all that jazz]

^ I personally wouldn't mind Ricky, but then again I wouldn't mind having Patti at 63 starring again in Evita.

[Emmaloucbway]

Please, no Lea Michele.

[showinoff]

spider- As much as I love him, Arden does not have the vocal chops to do this show 8 times a week. He would be much more suited for Marius.

[jetts7]

Colleen Ballinger as Eponine and Laura Osnes as Cosette

[gabrieljwickedone]

So...I feel like this cast will be people already involved with Les Mis in London, Toronto, or on tour.

So..for Valjean, it would be great to have either Alfie Boe or Ramin Karimloo.

For Javert, Norm Lewis, Tam Mutu, or Hadley Fraser.

For Fantine, I think Sierra Boggess would be great.

For Eponine, Cosette, and Marius I think maybe these should be people we haven't heard of yet- chorus members.

[dreaming]

Andrew Varela for Javert, please! You can cast anyone else you like in the other roles, just please give Andrew Varela a chance to reprise his brilliant turn as Javert.

[CarlosAlberto]

I doubt if someone like Laura Osnes would even take on the role of Cosette at this point in her career after having performed the leads in BONNIE & CLYDE, GREASE, SOUTH PACIFIC, CINDERELLA and a quite sizeable supporting role in the classic, ANYTHING GOES. To do so seems like a step down to me.