Casting

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Cast Size: Medium (11 to 20 performers)
Cast Type: Ensemble Cast
Dance Requirements: None

Character Breakdown

Jean Valjean

Sings to B, high lyrics baritone or tenor, with both strong low notes and a strong falsetto. A poor peasant who rises to affluence, he has great natural nobility and dignity. A powerful figure, with a character of operatic size and passion. The voice needs to have a pop/rock sound or a classical sound of extraordinary textual clarity.

Gender: male
Age: 35 to 49
Vocal range top: B4
Vocal range bottom: G#2
Javert

Baritone, sings to G. Must have a natural gravitas with ability to be expressive and dynamic. Policemen who relentlessly hunts Valjean. An imposing character. The ultimate ‘law and order’ figure. Obsessed, to the point of irrationality, with rigid and merciless moral code.

Gender: male
Age: 35 to 49
Vocal range top: F#4
Vocal range bottom: F2
The Bishop Of Digne

Must have a strong, rich lower register to a bottom A. Although capable of playing great age, the actor playing the Bishop is cast in a variety of roles and needs to flexibility to play a range of ages. A religious man who, despite Valjean’s theft of his valuable possessions, sees passed the convict and allows him to move on with his new life.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: E4
Vocal range bottom: A2
Fantine

Belts up to C, sings to E flat. Poor but beautiful and elegant factory girl, struggling to support her fatherless daughter. Later is a pauper, a prostitute, a consumptive and a ghost. Earthy and poignant. Although she is finally defeated by circumstances, she should appear to be strong and a survivor. She puts up a valiant fight against the horrors of her life.

Gender: female
Age: 20 to 30
Vocal range top: Eb5
Vocal range bottom: F3
The Foreman

To form part of the ensemble, along with the featured ensemble part of Factory Foreman. An overbearing, sleazy man who runs the factory. Sacks Fantine, leaving her destitute.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: D4
Vocal range bottom: D3
Bamatbois

To form part of the ensemble, along with the featured ensembles part of Bamatabois. A nasty and dangerous upper-class man who lecherously approaches Fantine for the night. When she declines and attacks him, he calls on Javert to arrest her.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: D3
Fauchelevant

Fauchelevant is the victim of the cart crash.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: Eb4
Vocal range bottom: B3
Little Cosette

Young Cosette is Fantine’s daughter and the Thénardiers’ ward. She has been forced into child labor. She is underfed, beaten by Madame Thénardier, and bullied by Eponine.

Gender: female
Vocal range top: C5
Vocal range bottom: A3
Thenardier

Baritone, sings to F sharp. Strong comic character role. A crooked innkeeper, later a petty, amoral thief. Greedy, irrerent, selfish, boorish, vulgar.

Gender: male
Age: 35 to 49
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: C2
Madame Thenardier
Belter. Tough, sharp, coarse, boorish, vulgar. Strong character comedienne role.
Gender: female
Age: 30 to 49
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: G#3
Young Eponine

Young Eponine is the pampered daughter of the Thénardiers. She does little except taunt Young Cosette.

Gender: female
Gavroche

Gavroche is Thénardier’s son. He is left to fend for himself and lives by his wits in the streets of Paris. Gavroche is brave, witty, and arrogant, with a fantastic, unchanged voice.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: B3
Eponine

An enormous and beautiful belt voice, with a contemporary edge. Belts to C sharp, sings to E flat. Daughter of the Thénardiers but in no way behaves like them. Fired by an unrequited love for Marius. Gamine. Hasn’t learned to disguise her emotions; wears her heart on her sleeve.

Gender: female
Age: 18 to 25
Vocal range top: E5
Vocal range bottom: F3
Cosette

Soprano to high C but a light, young ‘floating’ sound, without heavy vibrato. Fantine’s daughter (first seen as and played by a child) delicate, elegant, vulnerable and beautiful. Falls in love with and later marries Marius

Gender: female
Age: 18 to 25
Vocal range top: C6
Vocal range bottom: Bb3
Montparnasse

A member of Thénardier’s gang of thieves. Montparnasse is handsome and dangerous (he kills with a knife).

Gender: male
Vocal range top: C#4
Vocal range bottom: C#3
Babet

A member of Thénardier’s gang of thieves.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: E4
Vocal range bottom: E3
Brujon

A member of Thénardier’s gang of thieves. A genuine gangster, Brujon is stupid and evil.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: C#4
Vocal range bottom: B3
Claquesous

A member of Thénardier’s gang of thieves. Claquesous is tough, dangerous, and secretive.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: E4
Vocal range bottom: C4
Enjolras

High baritone/tenor to G sharp/ B flat. Very strong singer. Handsome, charismatic political figure, leader of the revolutionary movement.

Gender: male
Age: 20 to 29
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: A2
Marius

High baritone, sings to A with a strong bottom A. Member of the revolutionary student movement. Attractive and romantic but in a sensitive, 19th century ‘Byronic’ way.

Gender: male
Age: 18 to 25
Vocal range top: Ab4
Vocal range bottom: A2
Combeferre

Member of the ABC society, a secret society of students and workers. Combeferre is the philosopher and believer in peace. He is gentle, humane, strong, and brave.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: D4
Vocal range bottom: E3
Feuilly

Member of the ABC society, a secret society of students and workers. Feuilly is a worker who is a self-educated orphan. He is an affectionate, warm, and poetic believer in "nationality."

Gender: male
Vocal range top: D4
Vocal range bottom: D3
Courfeyrac

Member of the ABC society, a secret society of students and workers. Courfeyrac is a youthful, passionate, and fearless student.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: Eb4
Vocal range bottom: E3
Joly

Member of the ABC society, a secret society of students and workers. Joly is an eccentric and light-hearted (although sometimes morbid) medical student. His name is derived from the English word “jolly.”

Gender: male
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: D3
Grantaire

To form part of the ensemble, along with the featured ensemble part of Grantaire. A cynical student who has little interest in the revolution but who holds much admiration for Enjolras. Witty and sarcastic.

Gender: male
Lesgles

Member of the ABC society, a secret society of students and workers. Lesgles is a cheerful, laughing-at-life (but unlucky) student. He is a close friend of Joly.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: B3
Jean Prouvaire

Member of the ABC society, a secret society of students and workers. Prouvaire is a kind, soft-spoken, and, at the right moments, strong and masterful poet and student of social studies.

Gender: male
Vocal range top: Eb4
Vocal range bottom: D3
An Army Officer
Array
Gender: male
Ensemble

The Chain Gang, Warders, Constables, Peasants, Factory Workers, Prostitutes, Pimps, Students, Thénardier's Gang, Wedding Guests, and other various roles. 

Men must be able to sing to at least a G.

Women must belt to a D.