An Interview with Alexander Gemignani: Valjean 2006

Currently starring on Broadway as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, Alexander Gemignani's last appearance was as The Beadle in Sweeney Todd, for which he received a Drama Desk nomination. No stranger to awards, he received a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut in Assassins. He gives BroadwayWorld.com the scoop on taking on the role of Valjean and lots more... 

To start things off, what was your first experience with Les Miserables? Did you see it as an audience member? 

I was about 11 or 12 when I first saw the show on Broadway. I bought the original cast recording, and I burned a hole in the CD because I was listening to it so often on my CD player.  

What was the audition process like for the revival?   

I was called in for a work session with the creative team – including Cameron (Mackintosh), John (Caird), etc. I had been sent the material a few days prior to start working on the songs and then came in for the work session. I spent about 45 minutes working with them on the material – singing through the songs, talking about the character and the scenes. I left, and got the call the next day, with the offer to do it. It all happened very fast!  

Did you feel any pressure taking on what's become such an iconic role?   

When you get a role this juicy and of this size, you want to serve it and the piece as much as possible. Of course, I've thought about all the actors who have been given the gift of playing the role before because you want to honor this amazing piece. At the same time, you want to make it your own and to respect the character.  

Speaking of that character – how much leeway have you been given to re-interpret the character?  

Complete leeway! There's been no direction to go downstage at this point, or gesture that way at some point just because it's been done that way in the past. We've been given complete leeway there. John (Caird) has been simply fantastic, working and treating it like a new piece. He doesn't have to do that because as history has shown, it certainly works as it's been done before.  

John especially is committed to creating a new Les Miserables as far as interpretation is considered. The design, costume, set and lighting are similar, but as far as characters, we're going back to the page and delving into the text to come up with our characterizations across the board.  

Have you found any favorite moments in the show thus far? 

There are a lot of them. I love the scene with the bishop, who is played by James Chip Leonard. I think that he's great -- he's the Thenardier cover and he's also the bishop and playing scene with him is a treat. Sharing the stage with this company is great. I'm still trying to connect with every cast member during every show and I'm almost there. Even when I'm not on stage, I'm watching the show - I love watching "Master of the House", and I've become a fan, watching all of the sewer scene and all of the barricade stuff. If you ask me next week though, I'll have another set of answers. 

How have audiences been reacting so far?   

We've had a couple of sold out, and the rest damn near it sold out houses, and they're eating it up, they love it. I think that we've had a nice mix of people who haven't seen it before and said darn, I never saw it the first time around, and have heard great things and of course there's people who have seen every production 14 times. They bring all of their experiences with Les Miserables to the table. I think that the response is equally as fervent and celebratory as the first time around. The audiences have been very kind, very cool and lovely at the stage door and curtain calls. You get a sense that they're listening and if we can make them know or hear one lyric that they didn't hear before then we've done our job.  

Word on the street says that you're the youngest (or amongst the youngest) to take on the role of Valjean - are you the youngest?    

I know that I'm on the young side... but I'm not sure if I'm the youngest. I should find out though! 

Have you consulted with anyone else who's played the role? 

No, I haven't gotten any advice… Amusingly, one night last week at the stage door a fan came up to tell me that they're favorite Valjean was somebody else. I'm not quite sure why they felt the need to tell me that, but alright.  

I haven't spoken to anyone else because what I think makes a performance powerful is what you individually bring to it. All the wonderful interpretations of it are brilliant.I certainly want to make it my own and to hopefully add my name onto a list of great actors.  

Who have you seen play the part? 

The only one that I saw was Colm (Wilkinson), which of course was iconic.  

Has there been any talk of recording the revival? 

I have no idea. We'd all love to, this company is very tight, and we'd love to do one, but I don't know if that's even being considered.  

Let's go back to the beginning, where were you born and raised? 

In Tenafly, New Jersey. Well, actually I was born in Manhattan, but moved to Tenafly, when I was 2.  

What was the first show that you saw? 

On Broadway? Dreamgirls. 

And the first you were in? 

 

Well, professionally was Assassins on Broadway and Avenue Q Off-Broadway here in New York. Before that I appeared with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera in Brigadoon. If you want to know the very first show that I ever actually was in, I don't remember the name, but I played "Winter" in our first grade play. (The season Winter if that's not obvious!) 

Let's fast-forward from first grade to your most recent appearance on Broadway, how do you look back on your Sweeney Todd experience?   

With amazing fondness. I've looked back on things, noting that for every show I've done in New York, I've had the luck of working with fantastic directors, wonderful casts and with wonderful music directors. Specifically about Sweeney, it was such a unique experience and such unique people to work with. The show running for 11 months was to everyone's wonderful, wonderful surprise. I miss it.It's like putting a baby to bed, especially when people tell me that they love it too. It was a great production and I will always love it. 

Many people on BroadwayWorld.com loved the show as well, and are raving about you thus far in Les Miserables – do you ever follow what's said online about you?  

No I don't, and not because I don't have any respect for those opinions. It's hard because for every good comment that you hear or receive there's always someone to disagree with it. I think that the satisfaction of getting to perform this role, or any role I think that the response from the audience at night is enough for me personally and that's what's great about it. Everybody has their opinions about it. I do read the boards to keep up with people's opinions on friends of mine, but when it comes to myself, I steer clear.  

Is there anything else that you'd like to add for our BroadwayWorld.com audience? 

Just to come check the show out! There's a lot of new things happening across the stage, and some great performances. I'd also like to thank everyone for the chance to play this role and to be accepted for playing this role.  

For more information on, and to purchase tickets to Les Miserables, click here.