A trio of leading men will play Jean Valjean in Les Misérables in 2012, as Ramin Karimloo extends his run, David Shannon plays a short season and Géronimo Rauch joins the long-running show.
Karimloo, a nominee at the 2011 Olivier Awards with MasterCard for his be-masked performance as the Phantom in Love Never Dies, will continue in the role of the former convict who strives to make a better life until 31 March.
Outgoing star Karimloo will be replaced by returning revolutionary David Shannon who has previously played the lead role in the long-running show. Like Karimloo, he is a former Olivier Award nominee, receiving the nomination for his performance in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Beautiful Game, and a former Phantom. Shannon will star from 3 April to 16 June.
New boy Rauch, who begins a year’s contract with the Boublil and Schönberg musical on 18 June, may be a fresh face to the West End, but is no Les Mis newcomer, having played Valjean in the Barcelona production and younger lead Marius in his native Argentina.
The cast of the long-running West End favourite also includes Hadley Fraser, Caroline Sheen, Alexia Khadime, Craig Mather, Cameron Blakely, Katy Secombe, Liam Tamne and Lisa-Anne Wood.
The Cameron Mackintosh-produced show, which features songs such as I Dreamed A Dream, On My Own and Bring Him Home, is currently in the running for the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award alongside 15 other long-running London hits. The coveted prize is the only Olivier Award to be voted for by members of the theatregoing public. Have your say on who wins by visiting the Olivier Awards website.
MA