Jersey Boys is one of the best musicals of the era. It started with a musical band and after getting a huge success in music industry Jersey Boys came into the musical theater world. In theaters Jersey Boys has achieved the marvelous fan following and likes. Now 2013 season is on for Jersey Boys and tickets are on sale. There is a high demand of Jersey Boys tickets and it seems that this musical is going to break all the records of highest grossing shows like Wicked and The Lion King So, don’t let this chance go away to watch the best musical of today’s world.
Jersey Boys
One of the Best Musicals
Start to count the ways as why you want to move with the Cheap Jersey Boys Tickets? Let’s have a move with your favorite collar boys this year as they are back with the same tune to entertain more audiences. But before entering this charming and attractive show you must know why it’s popular among the millions of audiences. First of all the symphonies played in the musical are touchy and loveable! The songs and tale absolutely fit with each other as the audiences get fully surprised. It’s not an ordinary musical, has been honored with Tony Award in 2006. Frankie Valli and the four seasons has blasted the stage with this soul capturing event. The astonishing thing is that the craze of people for this play is not decreasing in fact it’s continuously in increase and every time feels the viewers that they are watching this first time. No one knows what the attraction show has but in spite this all they insist to hold cheap Jersey Boys tickets.
The play is a source of courage for the teenagers! In fact a massive number of spectators come to see these collar boys. They travel from far distances to watch this highly esteemed play. Due to these attractions the play performs again and again and returning back to maintain this entertainment chain. Moreover this Broadway production is well arranged, running for last 8 years. They have production houses in all major countries Singapore, Las Vegas, Australia and London. One thing that snatches the attention of the audiences is the hit songs that have familiar themes like “Oh, What a Night,” “Sherry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and many others. A few weeks ago the live theatre musical brought millions of dollars at the box office. A queue of couples just came to experience the magnet single “Girls’ Night Out,”, the track enriches the tale of the 4 blue collar guys who rose up from the streets of the Newark to the peak of the rock music glory also has a remarkable appeal for guys. The Jersey Boys Tickets are totally flat from the scratch ad one can’t get bored soon until he watches it again and again. If you take analysis of the small aspects of the show you will surely follow it ushers that compel audiences to do something.
Jersey Boys Tickets
Take the full advantage of this live musical. If you have recently turned to teenage then it’s a chance for you to taste this jukebox through the cheap Jersey Boys tickets. Start browsing now from your home just in few seconds you will easily grasp tickets according to your choice. Moreover if you have limited budget then it more easy for you because many sites are available on the internet are offering 10% discount. No matter you are working in an office or full time employee and unable to retrieve tickets. Because all tickets are delivered at home prior the event.
Some of The Biggest Musicals
Recall The French Revolution With Les Miserables The Musical Les Miserables the musical show is going on many venues and places over the globe. Particularly in London, Pennsylvania and Michigan. These three places are the hottest venues and stations for the Les Miserables. Les Miserables is a show which provides a full dose of entertainment, thrill and the emotional touch of French Revolution memories. Fans are getting them selves reserved for the upcoming shows of this marvelous historical Musical theatre show. So, book your self too to enjoy Les Miserables.
Fifth Longest Running Show in Broadway History The Lion King Disney’s landmark event The Lion King has attained the title of Fifth Longest-Running show in the history of Broadway on August 15 2012. At the Minskoff Theatre on August 15 this spectacular musical has completed its 6,138th performance surpassing the genuine Broadway production of “A Chorus Line”, which had previously held that position. Approximately this Tony-winning musical has run almost 91 years since its Broadway premier on November 13, 1997.
The Book Of Mormon Is Coming To Dallas For 2013/2014
The season of 2013 and 2014 of the Book of Mormon is gearing up and is coming to Dallas for its national tour to dazzle the theatergoers with true theatrical entertainment. People all around the world are looking forward for this show that is going to take place at the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Winspear Opera House as part of the Lexus Broadway Series. The Book of Mormon is the musical of the century and people watching the show enjoys the heaven on Broadway. The Book of Mormon since its premier rave reviews from fans and critics as well. The musical began its run for the first time in March, 2011 and since then has been capturing the souls of the adult audience. There is a big hand of the stellar cast that always offer cherished show. The fully packed performances on the national tour will be worth watching.
Jean Valjean, central character of Les Miserables, has been played by a host of great actors on stage and screen. Hugh Jackman is the Valjean of the new Les Mis movie musical. Jackman is a talented singer and stage performer who seems perfectly cast, but he follows in a line of great footsteps from previous Jean Valjean actors and singers. Meet here just some of the famous faces and voices who have starred as the former convict trying to be a good man in an unforgiving world.
Also discover the story of this man who raised himself up only to find others trying to drag him back down to the misery of life as a convict without hope.
Image credit: Portrait of Yvan Tourgueniev via Wikimedia Commons. Chosen for a resemblance to descriptions of Jean Valjean in his older years.
Who Was Jean Valjean?
Peasant, Convict, Mayor, Father
Jean Valjean Book Illustration (AllPosters.com)
Jean Valjean has many identities. The 3 volumes (or books) of the novel Les Misérables, written by Victor Hugo, follow his life from where he takes it up in middle age on being released as a convict up until his final days as an old man.
Valjean’s story is a sad one, but ultimately is a story of hope. He was born into poverty and describes himself in his early years as stupid and ignorant, though his later achievements show this to be a product of his background and not any lack of ability. Driven to theft by the hunger and suffering of his sister and her children, he was arrested and sent to the galleys as a convict. This was a brutal life, each day being a day of forced labor, chained to other convicts. His only thought was one of escape, and each time he attempted escape and was recaptured his sentence was extended.
So it was that Jean Valjean lost all of his youth and what could have been the most productive days of his life as a convict, engaged in mindless and back-breaking work. When he was finally released he was already a middle-aged man who bore the stigma of having been a ‘dangerous’ criminal for so many years. Only by running from the law and changing his identity could he have a chance to make his way in the world.
Religion is a strong theme in Hugo’s novel, and it was the mercy of a bishop that set Valjean on a new path of serving his God through good works and moral conduct.
Valjean worked hard, taking every opportunity to study and learn, and treated all he met with kindness and fairness. A natural businessman, he found great success which he used to make his town profitable, and reluctantly became Mayor. But Valjean’s success was short-lived, because on the tail of this reformed convict was a prison guard turned police inspector, who had resolved to capture the man who had evaded the law.
Jean Valjean, Illustration from Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables available from AllPosters.com.
Valjean, Javert, Fantine and Cosette
The Man Who Hunted Him Down, The Women He Wanted to Protect
The pursuit of Jean Valjean by Inspector Javert has captured the public’s imagination since Hugo first published his epic tale in 1862. The story creates a hero of a villain as Valjean overcomes his past and struggles to do what is morally right. And in Javert the man of law becomes an anti-hero, relentless in his determination to bring Valjean down.
Interwoven into their story is that of Fantine, a ‘fallen woman’, and her orphaned daughter Cosette. Via this tragic woman and the care of her neglected child, Valjean learns to love and even has a chance to take on the role of a father, making up for the family he never had.
However, Valjean finds that being a good man and taking care of the child he loves as his own means living a life on the run from the law.
Les Miserables on Stage and Screen
A Timeless Tale of Struggle and Redemption
Jordan Bennett as Valjean (Convict)
The story of Jean Valjean has been told many times in many ways. The first Les Misérables movie was made in 1909 and since then there have been many adaptations of the novel for theater and film.
It is the global success of the stage musical version of Les Misérables that has contributed most to the popularity of this story. Created by the now legendary French composer and lyricist duo, Schönberg and Boublil, ‘Les Miz’ made its debut in London in 1985 and has gone on to make musical theater history around the world. Jean Valjean is barely off the stage throughout the stage production, which is sung-through, meaning there is no pause in the singing for spoken lines. He therefore sings frequently in duets and counterpoint with other characters. His own famous song from the show is the emotional Bring Him Home. These challenges for both voice and acting make it one of modern-day musical theater’s greatest roles.
Les Misérables has not been neglected on the big screen either, and the coveted role of Valjean has been played by some of our most talented actors. For the first time in 2012/13 the movie and the musical meet as Hugh Jackman performs as Valjean in the first full movie version of Les Mis.
Image credit: Jordan Bennett as Jean Valjean. This image released into Public Domain by the actor via Wikimedia Commons.
Colm Wilkinson as Prisoner 24601
The Original Les Miserables Cast’s Jean Valjean
Colm Wilkinson on the cover of his album
Colm Wilkinson already had a singing career in his native Ireland before he created the stage musical role of Jean Valjean. In fact, some may remember him as Ireland’s entry to the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest. Colm earned his country a respectable 5th place in the contest, which is known for political voting. Fellow original Les Mis cast members Frances Ruffelle and Michael Ball have also separately performed at Eurovision, representing the UK.
Colm had already released his own album and assisted Andrew Lloyd Webber in the creation of the Phantom in the early stages of The Phantom of the Opera by the time he was cast as Valjean in the original London cast of Les Misérables. Wilkinson also opened Les Mis on Broadway after a casting struggle with Equity. He is held in high regard by many Les Mis fans as not only the first but the greatest Valjean. Colm turned 41 in the debut year of Les Misérables, making him a good fit for the middle-aged Valjean, and set the standard not only for the voice but also for the appearance of future Valjeans.
Colm Wilkinson followed his Les Mis role with the Phantom in the original Canadian cast of The Phantom Of The Opera, with Rebecca Caine (the original Cosette in Les Miserables) as Christine.
He resumed his role of Valjean in the legendary 10th Anniversary Dream Cast Concert of Les Miserables at London’s Royal Albert Hall and formed part of The Valjean Quartet of four of the greatest Jean Valjean performers singing Bring Him Home as part of the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert celebration.
Colm Wilkinson has a cameo as the Bishop of Digne in the Les Misérables movie. He has a Christmas Concert tour in Canada at the end of 2012 and also can sometimes be seen on tour in his homeland of Ireland. His most recent screen appearance was as Lord Thomas Darcy in The Tudors.
Colm Returns to Les Miserables
Wilkinson as the Bishop of Digne in the Les Mis Movie
The 25th Anniversary Concert Valjean
Alfie Boe on his album cover Love Was a Dream
British performer Alfie Boe brought a new interpretation of Jean Valjean to us when he starred in the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert. It seems Boe can hardly be mentioned without referring to the fact that this talented singer was set for a career as a car mechanic. Fortunately for us, Boe auditioned for opera, going on to make a name for himself, and his versatile talent led to his selection as Valjean both in the 25th Anniversary O2 Concert in London and on the West End stage.
Alfie is one of the four Valjeans in The Valjean Quartet as they sing Bring Him Home. He has released a number of successful albums and in 2012/13 is touring the UK in concert.
Learn More About Alfie Boe
A Popular New Jean Valjean
Other Popular West End and Broadway Performers as Valjean
A Small Selection of Musical Theatre Talent
Everyone has a favorite Valjean and if you had a room full of Les Miz fans you would find that though some names would come up again and again, it would be impossible to agree on the ‘best’ Jean Valjean performer. I can’t begin to do justice to all the men who have played the central character of Les Miserables in London’s West End or on Broadway in New York, still less the international and touring productions. The below are just a few of the highly-rated Valjeans you may have heard of or been lucky enough to see in live performances.
John Owen-Jones has made one of the more recent appearances as Jean Valjean but the performer first appeared in the role when he was just 26. Owen-Jones took on the role for the Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Tour and appeared as Valjean both in London and on Broadway. He has also starred as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and in 2012 is touring in this role. He was one of the four performers in The Valjean Quartet. Follow John Owen-Jones on Twitter.
Simon Bowman became part of musical theater history when he created the role of Chris (with Lea Salonga as Kim) in the original cast of Miss Saigon. His other West End roles have included Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera and he has been both Marius and Valjean in Les Mis in London. He joined Owen-Jones, Wilkinson and Boe in The Valjean Quartet.
Randal Keith impressed audiences with his Valjean when he toured in the role in the US, and performed on Broadway, plus in China and Korea. He was the final Valjean in the show’s Broadway run. Keith has also starred in The Phantom of the Opera in the States and has performed a number of other musical theater roles.
J. Mark McVey has been another popular Jean Valjean in the USA, winning a Helen Hayes award for his touring performance and playing the role on Broadway and in the Hollywood Bowl Les Miserables concert. Recently, fans have been again enjoying Mark’s performance in the US 25th Anniversary Les Misérables tour. Mark has released 2 CDs to date. Follow J. Mark McVey on Twitter
Back in London, Ramin Karimloo has been treating the West End to his Valjean before going on a tour of his own in 2012. Ramin, who is of Iranian descent, is one of the youngest Valjeans. He has also starred as the Phantom both in the original production and creating the role in Love Never Dies. He was Enjolras in the 25th Anniversary Les Miserables Concert and played the father of Christine Daaé in the 2004 movie version of The Phantom of the Opera. Ramin starred in The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011. Follow Ramin Karimloo on Twitter.
Jean-Paul Belmondo
A 1995 Variation on the Les Miserables Story
Jean Paul Belmondo (AllPosters.com)
Not an adaptation that stays true to the novel, but an interesting twist on the original tale. In this version from 1995, Jean-Paul Belmondo plays 3 men. One of these is Jean Valjean himself, one a father with a story that has tragic parallels with that of Valjean, and the third man is his son who aids Jewish refugees at the time of the persecution of the Jews during the Second World War.
Belmondo is a French screen legend, with the majority of his film work dating from the 1960s and 1970s. He is known both as a comedy actor and an action hero (famously doing all of his own stunts).
Liam Neeson
Les Misérables Movie 1998
Liam Neeson (AllPosters.com)
Liam Neeson headed a cast of stars in a film adaptation of the Les Misérables novel. Neeson’s Valjean was pursued by Geoffrey Rush as Javert, and he tended to Uma Thurman as the dying Fantine, later taking on care of her daughter Cosette played (as a teen) by Claire Danes.
Neeson stayed true to the novel with a morose and physically imposing Valjean who towered over Cosette and was more than a match for Javert (Neeson is 6′ 4″). However, he shared some tender moments with his Fantine that gave the impression that these two could under different circumstances been happy together.
Liam Neeson is of course a much-loved actor known for roles in popular movies such as Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and The Dark Knight Rises as well as playing national figures such as Rob Roy and Michael Collins. He is also the voice of Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia and one of his most acclaimed roles was as Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List.
Trailer for 1998 Les Mis Movie
Neeson vs. Rush… It Doesn’t Get Much Better!
I admit, I can’t wait to see Jackman and Crowe, but Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush were also dream casting in this non-sung version of Les Miserables.
Leading French actor Gérard Depardieu became Jean Valjean in a TV mini-series in the year 2000. He was joined by John Malkovich as Javert, with Charlotte Gainsbourg as Fantine.
Depardieu is well-known beyond France for his roles in Hollywood movies such as Green Card and The Man in the Iron Mask, and has a prolific career in French-language cinema ranging from Jean De Florette and Cyrano de Bergerac to Obélix in the various Asterix and Obelix movies.
Recent projects include Ang Lee’s Life of Pi.
Les Miserables Movie in 2000
Depardieu and Malkovich
This looks like a stunning adaptation of the novel. As a bonus for Eponine fans, her part hasn’t been cut from this particular version.
Hugh Jackman
Jackman Takes the Stage Valjean to the Big Screen
Hugh Jackman (AllPosters.com)
Hugh Jackman’s performance as Jean Valjean in the Les Misérables movie musical has been eagerly anticipated. Jackman is a popular actor both in Hollywood blockbusters such as the X-Men Trilogy and also in musical theater.
It’s hard to imagine better casting, as the star brings experience of both stage and screen to his Valjean. Jackman has already proven that he has the voice to perform nightly on Broadway in a one-man show, the charisma to host the Academy Awards, and the versatility as an actor to be a box-office favorite in a variety of movies. He also has the tall stature of Valjean and, for what it’s worth, is about the right age for Jean at the earlier stages of the movie.
Jackman can be seen starring as cowboy Curly in the musical revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, in which one of his co-stars was original Les Mis London cast member Peter Polycarpou. He is expected to follow Les Miserables with the role of the great entertainer P.T. Barnum in The Greatest Showman on Earth and will also making another appearance as Wolverine in The Wolverine.
Photo of Hugh Jackman available from AllPosters.com.
Hugh in Valjean Costume
Jackman’s video from the set of Les Mis
Eponine is one of Les Miserables’ best-loved characters. This girl has it tough, dragged down into a life in the gutter by her parents, but she rises above their vulgarity and acts with courage and self-sacrificing love. In the musical theater version of ‘Les Miz’, Eponine is known above all for her song On My Own, a lament for non-requited love everywhere. Young British actress Samantha Barks is the newest on-screen Eponine in the major movie musical version of Les Misérables, having also played the role on stage.
Who Was Eponine Thenadier?
Hugo’s Ragged but Spirited Heroine
Eponine was the daughter of Monsieur and Madame Thénadier, an unpleasant couple who were paid to care for the young Cosette but instead treated her as a slave.
Eponine was the eldest of three Thenadier children. At the beginning of the story had only one sibling, a sister who was less than 2 years younger than ‘Ponine. The little sister was called Azelma. The girls were named after characters in the trashy romance novels their mother liked to read. A little later on there was also a baby brother who their mother disliked and ignored.
The Thénadiers at that time were not dirt poor but had a thriving business, though they were often in debt. The two girls were nicely dressed and healthy. In fact, Eponine and her sister were rather spoiled as children. Although their mother Mme Thénadier had a vicious streak, she took this out on Cosette. Hugo wrote that if it hadn’t been for Cosette, the Thénadier girls would have received blows from their mother as well as her caresses.
With no better role model than their own mother, the sisters were in turn mean to Cosette (who was almost exactly the same age as Eponine). It’s hard to blame them for this, when Eponine and Cosette first met the pair played together like sisters but in time they were taught to see her as no better than the family dog.
While Cosette was eventually adopted by Valjean and brought up as a young lady, Eponine shared the fate of her parents whose criminal activities dragged them all into living as thieves and scroungers on the streets of Paris.
‘Ponine and Gavroche
Brother and Sister
Gavroche Jondrette (aka Thénadier)
Gavroche is Eponine’s Brother
In the novel it is explained that Gavroche (pictured right), the streetwise lad who helps the student rebels, is in fact the younger brother of Eponine. This isn’t made clear in the stage musical. For some reason, though Mme. Thénadier loves her daughters, the boy is rejected and left to fend for himself on the streets. By this time the family is known by the alias Jondrette.
Eponine as a Young Woman
Eponine had no chance to make a decent person of herself, but in the staged version of Les Mis her actions showed that in spite of her circumstances she had a loving heart and a fighting spirit. In the novel she was much more of a lowlife, described as ‘creepy’ by modern-day readers for her stalking of Marius, almost luring him to his death. However, even in the book she redeems herself at the last moment.
Eponine dies a sad death, knowing her love is hopeless and that her hard life is unlikely to ever get any easier. More of a rebel than the naive and sheltered Cosette, tough but longing to be loved, Eponine is a favorite character for girls and women everywhere.
What Did Eponine Look Like?
Young French Orphan Girl, 1823
Eponine as a Child
Her hair was either dark or chestnut, and Eponine is usually played by brunettes in contrast to the (normally) blonde mother and daughter Fantine and Cosette.
Both as infants and as little girls Eponine and her sister were described as very pretty: “vivacious, neat, plump, rosy, and healthy, and a delight to the eye”.
Eponine the Teenager
When Marius first encounters Eponine she is 16 years old and looks younger. “She was a frail, emaciated, slender creature” wearing “nothing but a chemise and petticoat. She already had missing teeth and a “hoarse, strangled voice”.
When he meets her again some time later, Eponine has “grown poorer and prettier… She was barefooted and in rags…”
Eponine has already been in prison thanks to her father’s activities, and she is already a little like a wild animal. “She had bits of straw and hay in her hair… because she had slept in the loft of some stable. And in spite of it all, she was beautiful.”
A Model for Eponine?
It wasn’t easy finding an image of someone who might look like Eponine. Not surprisingly, portraits were pretty much restricted to wealthy women in this era. They wore fine clothes and jewels, and were well-fed.
The image above is by Delacroix, the French artist who painted the famous French Revolution image Liberty Guiding the People and shows an orphan girl in 1823 who might well have been Hugo’s model for Eponine.
Eponine as She Appears in Les Miserables Illustrations
Actresses Who Have Played Eponine
Les Miserables Eponine Thénadier on Stage and Screen
Although Eponine is one of the most popular of the Les Misérables characters, it seems when being cast she is not seen as one of the big roles in quite the same way that Cosette is.
In the musical theater version of Les Mis, Eponine has one big solo (On My Own) and also a moving duet with Marius (A Little Fall of Rain), which makes it quite a substantial part to play.
However, in the non-sung film adaptations of the novel her role has often been made more marginal and has not attracted the big-name actresses who have been cast over the years as Fantine or even as Cosette. She doesn’t even appear in the 1978 TV film credits, suggesting her part was cut altogether.
Frances Ruffelle
The Les Miz Original London Cast’s Eponine
Frances Ruffelle was the first Eponine of musical theater, creating the role with the original London cast of Les Misérables and winning a Tony Award for her performance in the same role on Broadway.
Ruffelle made an appearance in the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert and she has a small role in the new Les Misérables movie musical as a prostitute.
She has done a variety of theatre and TV work and has released several albums. Frances Ruffelle was also the UK’s 1994 entry into the Eurovision Song Contest.
Her daughter is singer Eliza Doolittle. Eliza’s father is Les Misérables (stage) director John Caird. Ruffelle and Caird are no longer married.
Les Mis Original London Cast Recording
Frances Ruffelle, the Original Eponine
Frances Ruffelle joins Colm Wilkinson as Valjean, Patti LuPone as Fantine, Michael Ball as Marius, and the rest of the legendary original Les Miz cast.
Frances Ruffelle: We Will Be Free
1994 Entry for UK into Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision is an annual, Europe-wide song contest. These days the UK does not take it very seriously although some other countries do, but there were a number of high quality entrants in the 1990s including France Ruffelle and, a few years earlier, her Les Mis co-star Michael Ball. (Colm Wilkinson, original Valjean, was the entry for Ireland in 1978.)
The 1994 Eurovision Contest was famous as the event at which the interval-act Riverdance burst onto our screens and into our lives, becoming a global phenomenon.
Lea Salonga
A Musical Theater Star Who Has Been Both Eponine and Fantine
Lea Salonga (album available on Amazon.com)
Lea Salonga, from the Philippines was like Samantha Barks just a youngster when she first shot to fame. Already known in her home country, she became part of musical theatre history when cast as the original Kim in Miss Saigon back in 1989.
Lea has one of the most beautiful voices in musical theater (and beyond). Her career has seen her take a number of leading roles in London and on Broadway, in addition to releasing albums and even doing voice work for Disney.
She was Eponine in the Les Miserables: The 10th Anniversary Dream Cast in Concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall, with Colm Wilkinson as Valjean, Michael Ball as Marius and Ruthie Henshall as Fantine.
Fast forward 15 years and, Lea (more mature but not looking a day older!) rejoined a Les Misérables cast as Fantine in the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert, making her a Les Mis legend. (Samantha Barks made her screen debut as Eponine in the same concert.)
Lea Salonga as Eponine
Member of the Les Miserables ‘Dream Cast’
Linzi Hateley
Another Classic Stage Musical Eponine
Linzi Hateley is a name that will be familiar to many loyal Les Miserables fans. This stage actress played Eponine in London for 2 years.
Linzi was an enchanting Eponine who found a place in the heart of those lucky enough to see her in the role. Not only a beautiful voice but just the right youthful look, even more so if, as the novel seems to hint, Eponine was the Thénadier sister with chestnut hair. If you have never seen Linzi Hateley as Eponine or if you want to relive the magic, take a moment to watch the video below.
She has appeared in many other stage productions, including starring opposite Philip Quast (the 10th Anniversary Les Miserables ‘Dream Cast’ Concert’s Javert) in the London cast of The Secret Garden (2000). She has released 3 albums of her own.
Linzi has a small role in the 2012 Les Misérables movie.
Linzi Hateley: An Enchanting Eponine
Linzi Played Eponine for 2 Years
Samantha Barks
Eponine on Stage and on Screen
Samantha Barks is set to be one of the most memorable Eponines of all time, having won the role not only in the 2012 Les Misérables movie musical with its all-star cast but also in the magnificent 2010 Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert and on-stage in London’s West End.
Samantha had a very public start to her career as an actress and singer. She was ‘discovered’ when she made it through to the final 10 young women auditioning for the part of Nancy in the London revival cast of Oliver! This 17 year old captured the hearts of the British public and of Andrew Lloyd Webber and legendary producer Cameron Mackintosh with her beauty and talent. She also proved she could move well, giving her an edge over the other finalists.
The part of Nancy went to Jodie Prenger, a young woman with a big voice who better fit the voting public’s image of the character. Samantha did however take on the role of Nancy in the touring production of Oliver! following her role of Eponine in Les Mis in London.
Samantha is from the Isle of Man in the British Isles. Gossip has it that she briefly dated Nick Jonas, who played her Marius in the 25th Anniversary Concert. Sam has a Twitter account SamanthaBarks where you can keep up with her news.
Samantha Barks Sings ‘Memory’ from Cats
Samantha Barks and Rachel Tucker Compete
Samantha and Rachel had to compete in a sing-off in I’d Do Anything, a reality TV show casting for the part of Nancy in the musical revival of Oliver! Neither won the role from this show, but Rachel went on to star as Elphaba in Wicked and Sam played Nancy in the UK tour of Oliver! as well as Eponine in Les Mis.
This is where they started. They’ve come a long way!
What About Taylor Swift?
Wasn’t Taylor Cast for Eponine?
There were reports at the beginning of 2012 that country singer Taylor Swift was to be Eponine, and she was rehearsing with the rest of the cast. For some reason, this particular casting decision was not set in stone and didn’t work out.
Swift is young, talented, popular and supremely successful. In 2011 she was the highest earning artist in the popular music industry, beating the likes of Celine Dion, U2, Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga and Adele.
It’s not known whether her voice or screen acting wasn’t quite the best fit for Eponine or whether she had too many other commitments. Either way, the role finally went to Samantha Barks who, while virtually unknown in the US, had proved herself as Eponine on stage and screen in the UK.
Asia Argento
Eponine in Les Miserables TV Film 2000
Italian actress Asia Argento was Eponine in the TV mini-series that starred Gerard Depardieu as Valjean and John Malkovich as Javert.
Asia’s was probably as big a role as Eponine has had in any of the major movie and TV versions of Les Misérables prior to the movie musical of 2012.
The actress was born in 1975 and can also be seen in Marie Antoinette, which starred Kirsten Dunst. Much of her work is in R-rated horror movies and erotic thrillers. She played Christine Daaé in a 1998 horror version of The Phantom of the Opera (not the musical version).
