Interview: Chatting With John Riddle, Star of LES MISERABLES At The Muny

The Muny opens its 106th season next week with the epic musical sensation Les Misérables. John Riddle returns to play Jean Valjean following his award-winning performance as Anatoly in CHESS last season. Broadway World sat down with John Riddle during his rehearsal lunch break to talk about the upcoming production, how he got his start on The Muny stage, and his success performing on Broadway in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, THE VISIT, and Disney’s FROZEN.  

Riddle saw his first Broadway show when he was 4 years old. He turned to his father following the curtain call of Andrew Lloyd Webbers’ THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and said, “I want to do that when I grow up.” Fast forward 33-years, and Riddle said he still has trouble believing that he performed the role of Raoul during the final months of the historic run at the Majestic Theatre. Riddle was part of the company that took the final bow when THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA closed after 35-years on Broadway. “I’ve been very lucky,” he humbly shared. 

Riddle’s path to the Broadway stage started in St. Louis at The Muny. While in college he was selected from a large group of auditioning students to perform in the ensemble here. “I did three shows that first season,” he continued “and performed here for the next three seasons.” He shared that the way to learn is by performing in the ensemble. He said, “I learned so much working as a young performer at the Muny.” 

“I hadn’t performed at The Muny for 10-years and was asked to lead the company of CHESS last year,” Riddle said. He talked about how returning triggered all the great memories of coming to Forest Park as a 19-year-old. “The Muny was the place where I was performing in the ensemble, dreaming about my career, and now many of my dreams have come to fruition,” he reminisced. 

He made his Broadway debut in the Kander and Ebb musical THE VISIT. Riddle talked about how grateful he is to have had the opportunity to work with some of the titans from the Golden Age of musical theater. “I feel in some way I was touched and learned so much perspective from the work with John Kander, Chita Rivera, and Graciela Daniele.” Chita Rivera told the members of that company that she learns from everyone she worked with. He said that he has never forgotten what Rivera told him and he takes the good from the professionals he has met.  

Riddle has a fond appreciation for The Muny and the city of St. Louis. He is a Midwesterner from Ohio and says he feels at home here because the people are so kind. “The audiences at The Muny are special,” he gushed, “They are part of the theater’s identity and take an immense amount of pride in this theater.”  

Riddle said, “It is a huge honor to have been asked to play the role of Jean Valjean.” He is a bit younger than most of the actors who fill this role. In fact, many of the actors who fill the principal roles are young. Gracie Annabelle Parker, who plays Cosette, and Peter Neureuther, who plays Marius, are recent graduates from the University of Cincinnati College of Conservatory of Music. Coincidently, that is the same University where Riddle studied. “I’m having a flashback to where I was 15-years ago getting my first experiences,” he shared. Leading the company of Les Misérables gives Riddle the chance to be a role model for fellow alums Parker and Neureuther, plus the other young members of the cast.  

When he is away from the theatre, Riddle likes riding his bike and sailing, although he hasn’t had much time for sailing recently. “Actually” he said, “I was a sailing instructor at a sailing school for my first job in New York City.” Riddle loves music, has a piano at home and spends a lot of time playing and singing.  

Following Les Misérables, Riddle is going to be performing the role of Dr. Pomatter in the Musical WAITRESS in Cape Cod. He’s also put together a concert called “Blue Lady” that he is planning to perform around the country. 

Les Misérables, starring St. Louis Theater Circle Award winner John Riddle, opens at The Muny on June 17, 2024, and runs through June 23, 2024. Click the link below to purchase tickets.  

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