When LES MIZ reopened on Broadway in November, it was far too early for it to be back. Though its technically a revival, it's really not - it's a remounting of the original production in a micro-sized format - less orchestrations, smaller stage, younger cast, using the national tour's set pieces.
The show is now significantly better than it was six months ago for one primary reason - NO DAPHNE RUBIN VEGA, who was truly awful as Fantine. Not that she's a bad performer. The fact is that, no matter the actor, if he or she is cast in LES MIZ, he/she really has no leg room to deviate from the role's pre-expectations. After all, the show is all song and you really shouldn't deviate from the proper diction of the lyrics and necessary belting.
Lea Salonga, as Fantine, gives a pretty fine performance. My only comment would that I didn't buy into the idea that she died. She seemed too full of life, even in her death scene.
Max von Essen, who takes over for Aaron Lazar, was also quite good.
Anyhow, I attended Chatterbox both last Thursday night and tonight.
Last Thursday's Chatterbox was overstuffed to capacity with college students participating in the Wing's Springboard program. Seth's guests were Orfeh and husband Andy karl of LEGALLY BLONDE. No news was revealed, but it provided an entertaining episode.
Today's guest was Jonathan Tunick, providing a far more meaningful, if less sexy, hour. Seth asked Tunick to define what the orchestrator does. Tunick described it as adding subtext, or color, to the score, like adding lighting to the set. Seth actually seemed less confident than usual around Tunick, as though he felt the need to display how much he knew and cared about orchestrations. This is understandable, as Tunick is the God of modern Broadway orchestrations, including the best Sondheim orchestrations (i.e. COMPANY, MERRILY, LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC...).
And speaking of Seth, rumors suggest that he has been cast in the upcoming Broadway revival of THE RITZ in a music director role.