Original Broadway Les Misérables Cast: The Stars Who Started It All
- 01. Original Broadway Les Misérables Cast: The Stars Who Started It All
- 02. Principal Cast Members
- 03. Original Broadway Opening Date and Run
- 04. Key Ensemble Roles and Supporting Players
- 05. Original Broadway Cast Table
- 06. How the Original Broadway Cast Differs from the London Original
- 07. Training and Rehearsal Process for the Original Cast
- 08. Legacy of the Original Broadway Cast
- 09. Quotes and Reception from the Original Run
- 10. Frequent Questions About the Original Cast
Original Broadway Les Misérables Cast: The Stars Who Started It All
The original Broadway Les Misérables cast opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987, led by Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean and Terrence Mann as Inspector Javert. This company, drawn largely from the London production and supplemented by American performers, became the first full US interpretation of Herbert Kretzmer's English adaptation and established many of the performance traditions that defined the show for decades.
Principal Cast Members
The lead roles on Broadway were filled by a mix of established musical-theatre veterans and rising stars. The core ensemble included:
- Colm Wilkinson - Jean Valjean
- Terrence Mann - Inspector Javert
- Randy Graff - the original Fantine on Broadway
- Frances Ruffelle - Éponine
- Leo Burmester - Thénardier
- Jennifer Butt - Madame Thénardier
- David Bryant - Marius
- Judy Kuhn - Cosette
- Michael Maguire - Enjolras
- Donna Vivino - Young Cosette
- Chrissie McDonald - Young Éponine
- Braden Danner - Gavroche
- Norman Large - Bishop of Digne and Lesgles
Original Broadway Opening Date and Run
The Broadway opening night took place at the Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987, following previews that began in late February. That engagement quickly proved commercially durable, running for over 14 years and 6,680 performances, making it one of the longest-running original Broadway productions in modern history. During that span, the original cast recording (1987) became a benchmark against which nearly every subsequent company was measured.
Key Ensemble Roles and Supporting Players
Beyond the flashier leads, the Broadway ensemble played a major role in shaping the show's sonic texture. Notable supporting and ensemble assignments included:
- Jesse Corti - Courfeyrac and Farmer
- Anthony Crivello - Bamatabois and Grantaire
- John Dewar - Joly
- Paul Harman - Combeferre
- Joseph Kolinski - Feuilly
- Cindy Benson, Jane Bodle, Joanna Glushak, Susan Goodman, Kelli James, Gretchen Kingsley-Weihe, Marcus Lovett, Kevin Marcum, John Norman, Alex Santoriello, Marcie Shaw, and Steve Shocket - featured ensemble roles
These performers were often doubled across multiple named and chorus parts, a practice that amplified the narrative density of the revolutionary scenes and Thénardier-driven numbers.
Original Broadway Cast Table
| Character | Original Broadway Performer | Notable Background or Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Jean Valjean | Colm Wilkinson | Had starred in the 1985 London production; became the show's definitive interpreter in the English-speaking world. |
| Inspector Javert | Terrence Mann | Known for his dark, operatic baritone; later originated Beast in Beauty and the Beast. |
| Fantine | Randy Graff | Won a Tony Award for this role in 1987, recognizing the original Broadway Fantine's vocal and emotional range. |
| Éponine | Frances Ruffelle | Transferred from the London cast; her performance of "On My Own" became a signature Broadway standard. |
| Marius | David Bryant | A young actor whose clean tenor helped anchor the show's romantic throughline. |
| Cosette | Judy Kuhn | Later known for films and concept recordings; her blend of purity and strength fit the Broadway Cosette ideal. |
| Enjolras | Michael Maguire | A charismatic baritone whose portrayal of the revolutionary leader became a model for future casts. |
| Thénardier | Leo Burmester | Brought a burlesque, almost vaudeville edge to the Broadway Thénardier, balancing horror and dark comedy. |
| Madame Thénardier | Jennifer Butt | Provided a brash, physical counterpoint to Burmester, widening the show's comic range. |
| Young Cosette | Donna Vivino | Her performance helped crystallize the show's emotional pivot from childhood suffering to hope. |
How the Original Broadway Cast Differs from the London Original
The original London cast (1985) featured different principal actors, although several key performers-such as Colm Wilkinson and Frances Ruffelle-crossed the Atlantic to anchor the Broadway transfer. London's initial Jean Valjean was Wilkinson, but the early London Fantine was Patti LuPone, whereas the Broadway Fantine on opening was Randy Graff, who did not appear in the original London run.
Overall, the Broadway production leaned slightly more toward operatic voices and a darker, grittier stage aesthetic than the flashier West End look, partly to suit the grand scale of the Broadway Theatre. This opened up new interpretive choices for the Javert/Valjean dynamic, which would later influence everything from the 10th-anniversary concert to the 2012 film adaptation.
Training and Rehearsal Process for the Original Cast
Casting the original Broadway company required a unique blend of singing, acting, and industrial-grade stamina because the score demands 200+ vocal cues in a single evening. Auditions were held in New York with callbacks flown to London, creating transatlantic chemistry between performers who had already worked on the show in different cities.
Rehearsals for the Broadway staging lasted approximately eight weeks, a compressed schedule by today's standards, but the London production had already established the choreography and staging patterns. This "pre-built" infrastructure allowed the original cast to focus on regional vocal balancing, dialect consistency (especially for the Parisian milieu), and ensemble cohesion rather than inventing the staging from scratch.
Legacy of the Original Broadway Cast
The original Broadway Les Misérables cast set a performance benchmark that subsequent revivals have both emulated and challenged. Commercially, the 1987 production helped cement the show as one of the last great "megamusicals" of the late 20th century, with its original cast recording selling over 3 million copies worldwide by the early 2000s.
Critically, the ensemble's performances contributed to the show's 1987 Tony Award-winning season, including Randy Graff's win for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. This recognition solidified the Broadway Fantine as one of the most iconic "broken Innocent" archetypes in the post-concept musical era.
Quotes and Reception from the Original Run
Reviews of the original Broadway staging were sharply divided between those who praised its emotional intensity and those who decried its length and rock-opera style. Frank Rich, writing for The New York Times in 1987, described the show as "a cathedral of sound," specifically highlighting the Broadway Valjean and Broadway Javert as "operatic colossuses."
Wilkinson himself later remarked in interviews that the role of Jean Valjean on Broadway required "singing at full voice for 3 hours straight," a physical feat that reshaped expectations for lead baritones in modern musicals. This "endurance economy" became a key talking point in later discussions of voice preservation and actor welfare in long-running Broadway productions.
Frequent Questions About the Original Cast
Helpful tips and tricks for Original Broadway Les Miserables Cast The Stars Who Started It All
Who originated Jean Valjean on Broadway?
Colm Wilkinson originated the role of Jean Valjean in the original Broadway production of Les Misérables, reprising the part he had first played in the London premiere. His performance established a vocal and dramatic template for future actors tackling the role on both Broadway and the West End.
Who played Fantine in the original Broadway cast?
Randy Graff played the original Broadway Fantine, earning a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1987. Her interpretation of "I Dreamed a Dream" and the later scenes of decline became a widely imitated standard for the character.
Was the original Broadway cast the same as the original London cast?
Not entirely; the original London cast launched in 1985 with a different principal lineup, most notably featuring Patti LuPone as Fantine. However, several performers-including Colm Wilkinson (Valjean) and Frances Ruffelle (Éponine)-transferred to the Broadway production in 1987, creating partial continuity between the two original companies.
Who were the Thénardiers in the original Broadway production?
Leo Burmester originated the role of Thénardier on Broadway, paired with Jennifer Butt as Madame Thénardier. Their performances combined squalid physicality with comic timing, helping to ensure that the Broadway Thénardiers remained one of the most memorable comedic duos in the musical.
What happened to the original Broadway cast members after the show?
Many of the original Broadway cast members went on to influential careers across theatre, film, and concept recordings. Terrence Mann later originated Beast in Beauty and the Beast, while Michael Maguire became a staple of Broadway musicals and television; Randy Graff and Judy Kuhn continued to appear in high-profile productions and recordings, reinforcing the legacy of the Broadway Fantine and Broadway Cosette.