Les Misérables Character Descriptions Revised October 18, 2013
Note: *Ages listed are stage age—age you must appear on stage. *To audition, adults and teens must be at least 15 years old as of January 1, 2014 and have a believable stage age of 18. [Revised October 7, 2013.] *To audition, children must be at least 8 years old as of January 1, 2014. *We are unable to upload sheet music because of copyright rules. Our score best matches the “2010 Dream Cast Live” recording with John Owen Jones as JVJ. Measure numbers and lyrics are included for your convenience. We will be teaching music at auditions and call-backs, but your preparation will streamline the process. . [Revised October 18, 2013] PRINCIPLE MALE ROLES Jean Valjean: 40s, ages to 60s. High lyric baritone or tenor with strong low notes, A to high B. A paroled convict, prisoner 24601 and the protagonist and moral center of the show. Failing to find work with his yellow parole note and redeemed by the Bishop of Digne’s mercy, he tears up the parole note and conceals his identity to live his life as an honest man. He redeems himself repeatedly with selfless acts of generosity and love. He steps in to save Fantine. He adopts Cosette and ultimately gives his blessing to her and Marius, allowing them to marry. He rescues Marius from the barricade. He confronts Javert. Jean Valjean is the only character in the show who looks within himself to find answers. Must believably be seen as a man with great physical strength. Vocal stamina, Very Strong Singer/Actor Audition material: “Bring Him Home” M 95 to the end (“Bring him peace, Bring him Joy…”) AND “Who Am I?” M 112 to the End` (“Who am I? Can I condemn this man to slavery, pretend I do not feel his agony…” to End) [Revised October 18, 2013] Callbacks: “Confrontation” M 58 to M 91 (at Javert’s line, see below)
[Revised October 18, 2013]
Javert: 40s, ages to 60s. Baritone, F to F#/G, (Belt or classical, but must have a darker quality than Valjean.) Police Inspector who relentlessly pursues Valjean for breaking parole. He sees the world and its people in shades of black and white, and believes that no one—including himself—is capable of change or redemption. He is NOT the villain, but his idea of the law is merciless and unbending: a person is either right or wrong. Javert cannot understand Jean Valjean’s--Prisoner 24601’s-- ideas of mercy and justice, and it his undoing. Must be able to believably balance against Valjean in strength, determination and power. Must be able to manage heights and binding equipment while singing. Strong Singer/Actor Audition material: “Stars” M 19 to M 40 (at A1 “Stars in your multitudes” to “..pay the price”) Call backs: Confrontation (w JVJ) (“Valjean, at last we see each other plain.”)
Thenardier: late 30s-40s, ages to 50s-60s. Tenor, C to G. An immoral opportunist who has survived by robbing, cheating, stealing and looking out for himself, above all. Crooked, irreverent, selfish, boorish, vulgar. He plays the “bon vivant” host because it serves him well, and later leads a gang of dangerous thieves. Comic relief along with his wife Madame Thenardier. Strong Actor Audition material: “Master of the House” M 121 to m 139/M 155 to M 171 “Enter M’sier, Lay down your load” to “…til I’m satisfied” AND “Charge ‘em for the lice” to “It’s amazing how it grows!” Marius: 20s, Tenor, C to High Ab. A young student who is searching for himself and his purpose through his studies and through the revolutionary ideas of his peers. He is a casual friend of Eponine, but falls in love with Cosette instantly at a chance meeting. Marius’ experiences at the barricade age and mature him. Strong Singer/Actor Audition material: “Empty Chairs and Empty Tables” M 20 to the End (“From the table in the corner”.. to end) Call backs: “Heart full of Love-Reprise” with Cosette. M42 to end (No JVJ) (at Cosette’s line “A Heart full of Love”) “Heart full of Love” with Cosette (entire song) Bishop of Digne: 50s-60s, Bass. Houses Valjean after his release from jail and gives him gifts of silver and absolution. His act of kindness inspires Valjean to improve himself and escape the label of “criminal”. This is an important featured role. The actor will double in the ensemble. Audition material: “Stars” (See Javert) Enjolras: late 20s. Tenor, A to high G#. Charismatic leader of the student revolutionaries. He believes that “the people” will join him in the fight to make a better world. Powerful political figure and described by Hugo as “a thinker and a man of action”. Friend to Marius and the ABC students-- who are willing to follow him to the barricades and beyond. Strong Singer/Actor Audition material: “The People’s Song” M3 to M 24. “Do you Hear ..” to “when tomorrow comes” PRINCIPLE FEMALE ROLES Fantine: early to mid 20s, alto, Gb to High Eb. Desperate, haunted, terrified, hopeful, proud and fiercely protective of Cosette, Fantine is a woman who has been abandoned by her lover and seeks to support herself and her child, first by reputable work and then by selling everything that she has, including her body. As she dies of consumption, she asks Valjean to look after Cosette. Ultimately, she appears as a spirit and escorts the dying Valjean to paradise. Strong Singer/Actor. This actor must be willing to cut her hair.
Audition material: “I Dreamed a Dream” M 33 to 50 “But the tigers come at night”…”when autumn came” Callbacks: same song M 43 to end. “He slept a summer by my side…” Eponine: 18, alto, F to High F. Daughter of the Thenardiers, she has followed in her parents’ footsteps to life on the street. Once pampered, now a ragged waif, she has learned to take what she needs and wants from anyone not strong enough to protect it. The only thing she can’t have is the love of Marius. Physically, this actor must believably be able to pass for a young boy. Strong Singer/Actor Audition material: “On My Own” M 128 to M 146 “I love him, but when the night is over.” To “the world is full of happiness that I have never known” Callbacks: “A Little Fall of Rain” M 106 to m 115 (”Don’t you fret…” to end) Madame Thenardier: 30s, ages to 50s, alto, G# to D. Opportunistic wife of Thenardier. She is coarse, greedy, larger than life, and able to improvise in any situation. Scheming, comic and quick to see an opportunity. Audition material: “Master of the House”: M 188 to M 208, (Madame T’s solo) Cosette: 18, Soprano, Bb to high, High C. Fantine’s daughter, she has become beautiful under Valjean’s care. She is lively, personable, curious and mischievous. She challenges him, behaving with dignity and imagination when seeking information about her past. She falls instantly in love with Marius, changing her world and her priorities. A young woman on the cusp of adulthood. Audition material: “Rue Plumet” M 14 to 32. “In my life there are so many questions” to “find me here” Callbacks: (same as Marius’ callbacks-w Marius) CHILDREN’S ROLES Young Cosette: 7 years old, soprano, A to High C. Fantine’s young daughter. Boards with The Thenardiers. She is mistreated, worked like a drudge, beaten by Madame and bullied by young Eponine. She is fearful, lonely and dreams of something better. This actor appears in one scene as young Cosette, and may appear as a street urchin in Act 2. This actor may alternate roles with the actor playing young Eponine Audition material: “Castle in a Cloud” M 40 to M 54 “There is a lady all in white…” to “Not on my castle on a cloud” Young Eponine: 7 years old, non-singing/non-speaking. The Thenardiers spoiled, pampered daughter who bullies young Cosette mercilessly. This actor will appear in this scene as well as the slums of Paris and in Act 2 as a street urchin. This actor may alternate roles with the actor playing young Cosette. Audition material: same as Young Cosette
Gavroche: age 9 to 12, alto, unchanged voice, B to G. A child of the streets who has made his way with intelligence, honor and a cocky courage that endears him to the student revolutionaries. He sees himself as one of them. NO COCKNEY ACCENT IS REQUIRED!! Audition material: “Look Down-Beggar’s Song “M 10 to M 19 “How do you do?” to “Follow Me”
ENSEMBLE The ensemble is a critical part of the flow and movement of the show, and will be featured in many different ways throughout. We are looking for very strong singers, and although this isn’t a heavy “dance” show, we are looking to see a range of contrasting movement styles -- from the base, grungy and solicitous to the dainty, affected and aristocratic. We would like to see people who feel comfortable moving by themselves and with others in the background of the story: from building crowd scenes to building stage combat, from physicalizing gunshots and the lifting of heavy rocks to creating a realistic physical exchange between a whore and her customer, from affected aristocrats to elegant waltzers and to playing more than one character believably. Much of the story is told through the atmosphere and locations set by the ensemble’s movement, so the ability to be a risk-taking, creative, receptive and flexible group member is critical. In addition to strong singing and movement skills, “plays well with others” is a great talent to have in this casting situation! Featured Ensemble Roles-Male ABC SOCIETY: “Abaisse”. Their name is a play on words of the French: “the abased” or “the people below”. Students and workers, part of a secret society to fight for freedom. The students are from wealthy families, the workers are a stark contrast. Doubled with other ensemble roles. They include: Combeferre: a philosopher and believer in peace. He is gentle, humane, strong and brave. Feuilly: a worker, self-educated and an orphan. A Believer in “nationality”. Affectionate, warm, poetic Courfeyrac: a student, He is youthful, passionate and fearless. Joly: a medical student. Eccentric and lighthearted, although occasionally morbid. His name is from the English “jolly” Prouvaire: a student of social studies. He is kind, soft spoken and at the right moments strong and masterful. He is a poet. Lesgles: a student, cheerful, laughing at life but unlucky. Close friends with Joly. Grantaire: a student, the opposite of Enjolras. He believes in nothing. He admires Enjolras, but loves to mock him. Witty and often drunk, he is happy being with the group and they put up with him because of his good humor. He keeps a watchful eye on Gavroche and is most heartbroken when Gavroche is killed. Audition material: Choose either Marius’s or Enjolras’ audition song
THENARDIER’S GANG OF THIEVES: C# to E. They include: Brujon: Physically strong. The body of a bear and a pea sized brain. a gangster, stupid and evil.
Babet: Physically frail, but lean and cunning Claquesous: “He is the night.” tough, dangerous and secretive Montparnasse: a teenager, handsome and dangerous. Kills with a knife. Possessive of Eponine Audition material: Thenardier, Javert’s or Enjolras’ audition material
OTHERS: The Foreman: 30s, Eb to D, baritone. The foreman of the factory where Fantine works. He is sleazy and even a bit menacing Bamatabois: late 20s to 30s, D to D. The “customer “who taunts Fantine into violence. Wealthy, dissolute young man who thinks of himself as a gentleman. Drunk, sadistic and feels he can buy anything-even Fantine. The Pimp: 30s, C to E. Controls the prostitutes at the dock. Mean, aggressive and abusive. Small solo line in “Lovely Ladies” Other male ensemble: Chain Gang, Farmers, Laborers, Sailors, Constables, Citizens, Beggars, Wedding Guests, Waltzers Audition material: Thenardier, Javert’s or Enjolras’ audition material Featured ensemble roles-female Factory girl/Woman 1: 20s mezzo, f to Eb. fights with Fantine. Mean, catty and threatened by Fantine’s beauty. Jealous of the attention that the foreman pays her. Old Woman: E to high D. This is the woman who bargains with Fantine for her hair. Other female ensemble: Farmers, Innkeeper’s Wife, Whores, Factory Workers, Citizens, Beggars, Wedding Guests, Waltzers Audition material: Fantine, Eponine or Cosette’s material; or “Turning, Turning” M106 to M136 “Did you see them going off to fight?” to “Turning, turning, turning, turning, turning through the years”
