Simon Bowman’s performance schedule in Les Miserables

Simon Bowman is staying on as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London's West End until 19th June 2011.

But if you particularly want to see him perform check with the box office that he is scheduled to be on as he does not appear every other Monday.

Nick Jonas to open in Les Mis on Monday

Tomorrow night is the final curtain for some members of the Les Miserables cast at the Queen’s Theatre as they are due for a cast change.

A number of the existing cast are staying with the show.  Simon Bowman is staying as the lead Jean Valjean and Martin Ball is carrying on as Thenadier. David Thaxton is leaving the show to play the lead in Sondheim's Passion at the Donmar Warehouse.

One of the newcomers is 17 year old Nick Jonas (one of the Jonas Brothers) who is playing the romantic lead Marius for three weeks from Monday, 21st June.  And his love interest will be Take That’s Gary Barlow’s prodigy Camilla Kerslake who joins at the same time.

Les Miserables 02 Concert “Dream Cast” announced

As previously blogged,  Cameron Mackintosh is to present a star studded concert version of Les Miserables at The O2 on Sunday 3rd October.

The one off concert will feature stars from both the original production in the West End and the revamped 25th anniversary touring production, as well as some the show’s stars from the 1985 original production and celebrity guests.

The concert company will feature over 300 actors and musicians including Tony Award-winning opera tenor Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, pop star Nick Jonas as Marius (the youngest member of the Jonas Brothers who makes his West End debut playing the part for three weeks from 21st June at the Queen’s Theatre), Norm Lewis as Javert, Little Britain star Matt Lucas as Thenadier, Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom in Love Never Dies) as Enjolras, Lea Salonga as Fantine, Jenny Galloway as Madame Thenadier (a part she’s played many times, including  the10th anniversary at the Royal Albert Hall) and Gary Barlow's protegee Camilla Kerslake as Cosette.

Lea Salonga will fly in from Manila especially for the concert. She has played Eponine in London and Fantine on Broadway, but is best known for creating the role of the ill fated Kim in Miss Saigon at Drury Lane and on Broadway. It will be something of a reunion for her as in the London production she starred alongside Simon Bowman who played the part of her marine lover Chris and he is now playing Jean Valjean at the Queen's.  She co-starred with American Norm Lewis in Les Miserables on Broadway where his other credits include Miss Saigon, The Little Mermaid and Sondheim on Sondheim.

You can book tickets at: www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Cameron Mackintosh is also currently developing a film of Les Miserables with Working Title and Universal.

Nick Jonas playing Marius in Les Miserables

It is now confirmed the youngest Jonas Brothers Nick is to take on the role of Marius in the West End production of Les Miserables.

Nick Jonas will soon be arriving at the Queen’s Theatre to prepare for his West End debut playing the role of Marius for a three week run from June 21st.

As previously blogged the 17 year old singer has appeared in the musical before at the ripe old age of 10 playing the part of Gavroche in the last nine months of Les Miserable's run on Broadway in 2003.

In October Nick will be part of star- studded company currently being put together  to perform a 25th anniversary concert at the 02 Arena  in Greenwich -  details of which  will be announced on Wednesday morning.

Cameron Mackintosh has said there will Les Miserables  productions next year and the year after in Madrid, Mexico, Korea, Italy, Japan and the USA, and a screenwriter is soon to start work on a firm version which Mackintosh is producing with Working Title Films.

Les Miserables "star casting"?

Backstage rumours at the Queen's Theatre are rife about various events being planned to coincide with Les Miserables 25th Anniversary.

It seems that some “star casting” will be introduced later this year with various artistes going into the show for periods of around three weeks.  Current names being bandied around are Camilla Kerslake playing Cosette, Matt Lucas as Thénardier and the youngest Jonas Brother Nick (pictured) playing Marius.  Young Nick has also made strong hints about this on his Twitter - but at least he knows the show as he played the part of Gavroche in 2003 when he was 10 years old).

A formal announcement is expected soon from the Mackintosh office.

Les Miserables Cast Changes

The production of Les Miserables which is playing at the Queen’s Theatre in London's West End is to undergo a cast change next month with some members leaving on 19th June and the new ones taking over on the 21st.

The principals remaining with the show are Simon Bowman (Jean Valjean), Martin Ball (Thenadier), Lorraine Bruce (Madame Thenadier), Alistair Brammer (Marius) and Rebecca Seale as Fantine.

David Thaxton is leaving the show to play the lead in Sondheim's Passion at the Donmar Warehouse and Killian Donnelly will take over the part of Enjolras,  Cosette will be played by X Factor runner up Lucie Jones and “I’d Do Anything” finalist Samantha Barks will be taking over the part of Eponine.

Hans-Peter Janssens is also leaving and the actor playing Javert is still to be confirmed.

News on Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Celebrations

There were rumours of a special concert at the O2 Arena, but now it looks as though Les Miserables’ 25th anniversary will be marked with a special concert on the last two nights of the touring production of Les Mis when it’s at the Barbican.

Tickets for the last two nights (October 1st and 2nd) of the production at the Barbican and the West End show at the Queen’s Theatre are not currently on sale.

A Cameron Mackintosh spokesman said: “Watch this space for forthcoming news on the official 25th anniversary celebrations for Les Miserables in London. Details to be announced shortly regarding potential performances for October 1st and 2nd.”

Plans will not be announced until the end of this month, but rumours are that Susan Boyle was involved in talks to sing at a gala performance and Matt Lucas from Little Brittain had been approached to play Thenadier in a concert performance.

News on Les Miserables

Cameron Mackintosh is in the process of recasting the London production of Les Miserables in the West End with the first night of the take over due on 21st June. 

The new touring production of Les Miserables will come into London and open at the Barbican Theatre on 14th September and run until 22nd October.

But also in celebration of the show’s 25th anniversary there are some special Les Miserables Concerts at the 02 Arena later in the year which are being performed by what is being described as a “dream cast”.

One person who has been approached to appear is Little Brittain’s Matt Lucas who went to see the show at the Queen’s Theatre last week to see if he was interested in playing M. Thenadier.  He is certainly eccentric enough with the comedy timing required to put the numbers across.  Watch this space for more info ….

Gareth Gates Les Miserables Concert at Mermaid Theatre

Gareth Gates is currently playing Marius in the tour of Les Miserables.  He and co-star John Owen Jones (who plays the lead John Valjean) will be singing numbers from the show on “Friday Night Is Music Night” with the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Mike Dixon at the Mermaid Theatre. They will also be joined by Shona Lindsay and Jacinta Whyte, 

The show is also expected to feature an interview with the show’s lyricist, Alan Boublil.

The  first half of the live show will feature music from an array of musicals, including Cabaret, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Jesus Christ Superstar and Funny Girl  and Gates will sing numbers from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, in which he played the title role in the West End production in 2009.

The second half will largely be devoted to Les Miserables, with around seven numbers performed from the musical.

The concert will be broadcast on Radio 2 at 8:00 pm on Friday 21st May 2010.

Les Miserables is also running in London's West End at the Queens Theatre.

Les Miserables Tour Heads for America

Cameron Mackintosh has announced that his highly  acclaimed 25th anniversary tour of Les Misérables is heading for North America at the end of the year playing at  the following cities:

Millburn New Jersey, November 19th-December 19th 2010: Philadelphia, January 4th-16th 2011: Fort Lauderdale January 18th-30th:  Baltimore, March 1st-6th: Kentucky March 8th-13th: Columbus  Ohio, March 15th-20th: Detroit, March 22nd-April 3rd: Cleveland, April 5th-17th: Fayetteville, May 3rd-8th: Salt Lake City Utah, May 24th-June 5th.

The tour of Les Miserables finishes in the UK at the Barbican Centre in London on 22nd October, although there is talk of a large concert at the O2 Arena featuring past and present cast members.

The London production of Les Miserables continues to run at the Queens Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue where it is booking until February 2011.

Further casting for Sondheim’s Passion at the Donmar

It has just been announced that Scarlett Strallen and David Thaxton will join Elena Roger in the Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine musical Passion which opens at the Donmar Warehouse on September 10th.

Scarlett  Strallen has appeared in the Music Man at Chichester, and played Mary Poppins in the West end opposite Gavin Creel who is about to play Claude in the new production of Hair that's due to preview at the Gielgud Theatre on 1st April.

David Thaxton (pictured) is currently playing Enjolras in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre. Playing Giorgio in Passion will be his first major leading role.  Director Jamie Lloyd said Passion’s casting and musical directors told him to listen to Thaxton, who he thinks is exceptional and along with Scarlett fits the bill perfectly for the younger sexier cast which goes back to the movie Passione D'amore. 

Rehearsals start on 2nd August with Sondheim attending.  He has been collaborating with Lloyd and wants to distil some of the material to make the piece more “dangerous and sexy”.

Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year

The Stephen Sondheim Student Performer Of The Year Competition is being held on  6th June at 15:00  at The Queens Theatre where Les Miserables is currently running.

Twelve promising students will be selected from the UK's leading drama schools  and asked to perform a Sondheim number and a new song by Mercury Music Developments on the stage of The Queen's Theatre.

West End star Hannah Waddingham (Spamalot, A Little Night Music) will host the event and will also be performing with last year's winner Michael Peavoy.

The judging panel includes music journalist for The Independent Edward Seckerson, Musical Director and Arranger Martin Koch and top musical casting director David Grindrod.

There is a prize for best performer and best new song. Prizes will be presented by Julia McKenzie, George Stiles & Anthony Drewe (the composer/lyricist team behind the Olivier Award winning Honk!, Mary Poppins and West End bound Betty Blue Eyes).

 Tickets  will be on sale shortly so watch this space for more details.