On Sunday, August 9, LES MISÉRABLES: THE ARENA CONCERT SPECTACULAR closed out its two-year global tour in epic fashion at Radio City Music Hall. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh, Nick Grace Management, and presented locally by The Bowery Presents, the 22-performance engagement sold 117,000 tickets, drawing audiences from all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and across 58 different countries. The engagement capped off a global tour that welcomed over 1.3 million fans to the barricade across 34 cities internationally.
On Tuesday, July 28, a Gala celebration welcomed notable Les Misérables alumni and guests, including Patti LuPone (original Fantine in 1985 Barbican Centre production), Aaron Tveit (Enjolras in 2012 Les Misérables film release), Debbie Gibson (Éponine in 1992 Broadway production), Hugh Panaro (Marius in first national tour and original Broadway production), Peter Lockyer (Marius on Broadway and Jean Valjean in the West End and 25th Anniversary US Tour), Jordan Donica, Katie Hall, Emily Bautista, Alexa Lopez, Red Concepcion and more. Photos from the evening’s celebrations can be found here.
On Tuesday, August 4, Alfie Boe took his final bow in the role of Jean Valjean after over 16 years playing the iconic protagonist. Check out photos from the special night below!
LES MISÉRABLES: THE ARENA CONCERT SPECTACULAR has travelled over 40,000 miles and been carried across 13 trucks and shipping containers with 21 nationalities in the touring company, 120 crew and company members for each territory and 2,400 local crew members have worked on the production over the last two years. The tour has visited 17 different countries and regions – United Kingdom, Ireland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, Japan, Mainland China, the Philippines, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Taiwan and finally New York City, bringing the concert to the United States for the very first time.
“The World Arena Tour of Les Mis, which has been such a huge success in 17 countries and regions around the world over the last two years, could not have had a more spectacular finale than playing the iconic Radio City Music Hall in New York,” said Cameron Mackintosh. “This production was staged as part of the worldwide celebrations of Les Misérables, the world’s longest running musical, still selling out after over 40 years in London. The Arena Tour has been an incredible achievement, both on and off the stage, touring the world and yet being able to open in a new venue in only three days. It has taken an incredible Company of over 150 people, including actors and musicians delivering brilliant performances with sensational sound thanks to my inspired creative team and production staff. Radio City has made our great family at Les Misérables feel wonderfully at home in this remarkable building, so thank you all and I dream that one day more we will be able to live this dream again.”
“I am extremely grateful to Sir Cameron Mackintosh for inviting me to co-produce this spectacular arena production of Les Misérables,” said Nick Grace. “It’s been a privilege to take this wonderful tour around the world over the last two years, to sell-out seasons and to work with such a wonderful and inspiring group of artists, musicians and crew. It has also been a real pleasure to partner with Jim Glancy and his amazing team at The Bowery Presents and to end the world tour in New York at Radio City Music Hall, one of the world’s most iconic venues.”
“It has been a privilege to partner with Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Nick Grace, and their exceptional teams on bringing Les Misérables: The Arena Concert Spectacular to North America for the first time,” said Jim Glancy, co-president of The Bowery Presents. “All of us at Bowery are immensely proud to have welcomed more than 117,000 fans to the iconic Radio City Music Hall for what has quickly become the theatrical event of the summer.”
The Radio City Music Hall engagement welcomed notable guests including Bernadette Peters, Luke Evans, Neil Patrick Harris, Rachel Zegler, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton Morgan, Gaten Matarazzo, Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada, Ben Vereen, Lea Salonga and more.
The final engagement featured Les Misérables stars in their multitudes, with Alfie Boe (La Bohème), Killian Donnelly (Kinky Boots), and Gerónimo Rauch (Les Misérables: The 25th Anniversary) sharing the role of Jean Valjean, Bradley Jaden (Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends) and Jeremy Secomb (Evita) sharing the role of Javert, Samantha Barks (The Greatest Showman, Les Misérables film adaptation) as Fantine, Matt Lucas (Les Misérables: The 25th Anniversary) as Thénardier, Marina Prior (The Phantom of the Opera) as Madame Thénardier, Jac Yarrow (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) as Marius, Beatrice Penny-Touré (The Book of Mormon) as Cosette, Shan Ako (Les Misérables 40th Anniversary West End) as Éponine and Christian Mark Gibbs (Camelot) as Enjolras, leading an on-stage company of cast and orchestra members of over 65.
Three-time Olivier Award winner Philip Quast, who originated Javert in the Australian production in 1987, a role he reprised for the 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall returned in the role of the Bishop of Digne. West End performer Rob Madge returned to the production as well, this time as Bamatabois, having previously starred as Gavroche in the 25th Anniversary Concert at The O2.
The ensemble included Kelly Agbowu, Amelia Broadway, Mary-Jean Caldwell, Harry Chandler, Rosy Church, Gabrielle Cummins, Beth Curnock, Jade Davies, Jordan Lee Davies, Jonathan David Dudley, Bryony Duncan, Harry Dunnett, Thiago Phillip Felizardo, Charlie Geoghegan, Nic Greenshields, Christopher Key, Michael Kholwadia, Andrew Maxwell, Jill Nalder, Lisa Peace, Emma Ralston, CIARAN RODGER, James Sillman, Geddy Stringer, Helen Walsh, Raymond Walsh, Danny Whitehead, Owain Williams. Cian Bhalla, Alfie Buck and Mateo Casado alternate the role of Gavroche and Lillian Alice Castner, Olive Ross-Kline and Ella Tokita alternate the role of Little Cosette.
