Character Breakdown:

Jean Valjean: The hero of the show. It is his life journey that we follow. Jean Valjean is supposed to be stronger than other men, and so he should physically appear bigger than the other males. He should carry himself confidently onstage and come across to the audience as reasonably mature and paternal. Valjean’s capacity for change is his greatest asset throughout the story. The key to his character is his great humanity and compassion. The role of Jean Valjean is extremely vocally demanding, but also requires an incredible actor to fill the part. Vocal range: A4- G#2

Javert: The inspector who serves as antagonist to Jean Valjean. Javert is unswerving in his belief that men cannot change for the better. "Once a thief, always a thief" is his mantra. At first glance, Javert might appear to be the villain of the story, but upon closer examination, it is clear that he is not an evil man. He is a dedicated policeman with a profoundly strong sense of duty. Unlike Valjean, Javert's attitudes are rigid and unmovable. He is stern, forbidding, and lacking in compassion. Javert should be a talented actor who can convincingly stand up to Jean Valjean. Javert should have a rich baritone voice. Vocal range: F2-F#4

Fantine: A young mother, abandoned by her lover, who is left to fend for herself and her daughter, Cosette. She is rejected by society and forced through circumstances to sell herself. She is a brave woman defeated by life who clings to her dignity and is sustained by her love for her daughter, sacrificing everything for the young Cosette. The audience witnesses her descent through a series of terrible events leading to poverty, hunger, cold, loneliness, destitution, and death from consumption. Requires a performer with a powerful voice that is more mezzo (or alto) than soprano. Vocal range: F3-Eb5

Eponine : The daughter of the Thenardiers. She is a young girl who is streetwise and tough, but also sensitive and lonely. She is in love with Marius, and knowing that he will never love her, she is very vulnerable when it comes to him. She bravely follows Marius to the barricades and dies there. Strong singing and acting.
Range: Soprano Belter F3 to E5 (high belting required; must be done in a healthy manner)

Marius Pontmercy: The romantic hero of the story. He is impulsive, passionate, willful, and headstrong. His moods change according to his circumstances. He is sweet and tender but also capable of great courage and compassion. In Act I, Marius plays Romeo to Cosette’s Juliet. Marius matures after “The Café Song” as a result of his experiences on the barricade. Marius should have a lovely, lyrical voice with a contemporary edge. Vocal range: A2-Ab4

Cosette: Fantine’s strong-willed, loving daughter. She is an intelligent, inquiring, personable girl; she is not in any sense a sappy, romantic heroine. Once she is adopted by Jean Valjean, Cosette lives a comfortable, if secluded, life. She falls instantly in love with Marius, changing her world and her priorities. The role calls for an excellent singer with a lovely, lyrical soprano voice. Vocal range: Bb3-C6

Enjolras: The student leader. He is handsome, brave, and daring, although youthful. He combines his revolutionary ideals with strong, charismatic leadership. Victor Hugo described him as “a thinker and a man of action.” Enjolras must inspire the students to fight and, ultimately, to die for their beliefs. His death at the barricade is one of the dramatic highlights of the show. On the barricade, he should dominate everyone else physically and vocally. Should be a natural leader oozing with charisma and have a very strong high baritone or a tenor voice. The original Enjolras won a Tony Award for his performance. Casting a true leader in this role is one way to ensure the character is believable. Vocal range: A2-G4

M. Thénardier: The true villain of Les Mis. He is the embodiment of evil. That said, he should also possess a wicked sense of humor. He delights in cheating, robbing, defrauding, and blackmailing, and relishes every aspect of his schemes with glee. He is tough, greedy, brutal, lowbrow, crafty and yet irresistible. He hates society and blames it and everyone else for all his misfortune. Thénardier is also the opportunist and realist of the show. He is a thief, a liar, a cheat, and steals valuables from the dead with no remorse. He is also the comic relief of the production. However, his comedy is based in reality and shouldn’t be too exaggerated. He is married to Madame Thénardier and is father to Eponine and Gavroche (although he abandoned Gavroche to the streets of Paris). Requires an excellent comedic actor who con portray a nasty edge. A character voice is best. Vocal range: C2-G4

Mme Thénardier: Wife of Thénardier. Together, Madame Thénardier and Thénardier con the world as partners in crime. They were made for each other, and although she complains about him, she loves him dearly. She is coarse and vulgar, unhappy in her existence without knowing why. She is romantic, greedy, manipulative, evil, and larger than life. She is mean and nasty to Little Cosette. Need an actress with excellent physical comedy skills who is also a good musician with a good sense of rhythm. Able to improvise in nearly any situation. Vocal range: G#3- D5

Young Cosette: 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. She is properly pathetic and warms the audience’s hearts, making them sympathetic to her plight. It is essential that Young Cosette be as physically small as possible, especially against Jean Valjean and the Thénardiers. Young Cosette sings “Castle On A Cloud,” so she must have a nice voice and tap into the emotion in the song. Vocal range: A3-C5

Gavroche: Thénardier’s son. He is left to fend for himself and lives by his wits in the streets of Paris. His archenemy is Javert, the policeman. Gavroche is brave, witty, and arrogant, with a fantastic, unchanged voice. For comparison, think of a Oliver Twist. Gavroche is best played by a smaller member of the cast. Gavroche has a very dramatic death at the barricade - he must be a good enough actor to believably die onstage. Vocal range: B3-G5

Bishop of Digne: The Bishop is a good man who saves Valjean’s soul through showing compassion. Don’t overlook the importance of this role. The Bishop of Digne’s kindness carefully establishes the premise of the show by literally buying Jean Valjean’s soul for God. This powerful role requires a nice baritone voice and a good actor. Vocal range: A2- E4

Ensemble: All must be excellent singers with strong ability to harmonize.