Two good things about my recent visit to a matinee of Les Miserables:1. If in some alternate universe they could ever come up with a track where the same actress could play Fantine AND Eponine then Lea Salonga would rock the hell out of that. Queen of the damaged, pure of spirit underdogs, Salonga's expressive and heartbreaking delivery is right at home in the role of the shat-upon Fantine and I would sneak in at intermish more than once just to hear her sing Eponine's "On My Own".
2. Doug Kreeger (that guy from Thrill Me!) stepping into the role of Marius had not an ounce of understudy vibe about him- in fact it felt like I was watching an originally cast actor in the role. With a youthful, whispering, intensity Kreeger dominated the second half of Les Miz as the urgently lovesick student (especially during his beautifully sung rendition of "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables"). It is quite a tall order to breathe fresh relevant energy into this dusty behemoth melodrama but Kreeger (and Salonga) did just that and made my second visit to the Broadhurst very enjoyable.
Did you see Doug Kreeger in Yank at the NYMF a couple of years back? That guy can carry a show; I'm not surprised he turns it out as Marius.
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