David Mirvish and Cameron Mackintosh have just announced the Canadian Premiere of Cameron Mackintosh's highly acclaimed new 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables. The all-new production of Les Misérables featuring glorious new staging with spectacular re-imagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo and an all-Canadian cast will play the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. Performances begin July 20, 2012. The search for the cast for the new Canadian production will begin immediately.
The original Canadian production of Les Misérables opened on March 15, 1989 at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and ran for 63 weeks, winning rave reviews and captivating audiences. Subsequent Toronto engagements in 1991, 1992, 1998 and 2005 were sold-out successes.
"The success of my new production has surpassed all my expectations having been embraced by "Les Mis" fans and new audiences everywhere, with sell out productions in the UK, Spain and across the U.S. so I am really thrilled to come back to one of my favourite theatres in the world, the beautiful Royal Alex, with this exciting production and look forward to finding a new generation of Canadian stars to shine over Toronto in 2012."
"I am excited to be launching this new production of Les Misérables at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, where the original production enjoyed its Canadian premiere 22 years ago," says
David Mirvish. "I am delighted that Toronto audiences will have a chance to rediscover this beloved musical. This new 25th anniversary production is sure to thrill both fans and new theatre audiences alike."
Based on
Victor Hugo's classic novel, Les Misérables is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the classic songs; I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Stars, Bring Him Home, Do You Hear the People Sing?, One Day More, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, Master Of The House and many more.
Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Boublil and Schönberg's Les Misérables has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by
Herbert Kretzmer from the original French text by
Alain Boublil and
Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by
James Fenton. The production is directed by
Laurence Connor and
James Powell, designed by
Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of
Victor Hugo with costumes by
Andreane Neofitou and additional costumes by
Christine Rowlands, lighting by
Paule Constable and sound by
Mick Potter.
Les Misérables originally opened in London at the
Barbican Theatre on October 8, 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on December 4, 1985 and moved to its current home at the
Queen's Theatre on April 3, 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When Les Misérables celebrated its 21st London birthday on October 8, 2006, it became the World's Longest-Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by Cats in London's West End.
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the legendary musical Les Misérables made theatrical history with an international first - three different productions in London at the same time. The Original Production,(still playing to packed houses at the
Queen's Theatre), the acclaimed New 25th Anniversary Production at the Barbican through October 2, 2010 (where the show originally premiered) and a celebratory concert at The O2 Concert Hall. The O2 Concert was presented in cinemas throughout the United States in November, 2010 and was subsequently released on DVD worldwide.
Seen by nearly 60 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world's most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe, with seven more currently scheduled. There have been 36 cast recordings of Les Misérables, including the multi-platinum London cast recording, the Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums and the live recording of the New 25th Anniversary Production. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal
Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold millions of copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,500 productions of the Les Misérables School's Edition scheduled or being performed by over 125,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools.
Cameron Mackintosh, in conjunction with
Working Title Films and Universal, is also currently preparing the film version of "Les Miserables", directed by
Tom Hooper and starring
Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, which begins shooting in spring 2012.
For more information on the production, please visit
www.lesmis.com.
