ORLANDO, Fla. – One more day, actually, in more like a week, the popular musical, “Les Misérables,” will be in Orlando.
The show from Cameron Mackintosh brings the production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical to a Central Florida stage.
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The musical is based in 19th century France, some decades after the French Revolution, during an uprising known as the “June Rebellion.”
“Les Misérables” focuses on several themes including broken dreams, unrequited love, sacrifice, and redemption.
Nick Cartell plays Jean Valjean. He said he first joined the tour in 2017 and left in 2019, right before the pandemic. He said when he first joined, he lost his mom to ovarian cancer.
“The show was kind of a therapy for me, to work through some of that grief.”
He joined the tour again in September of 2022 as a new father to a little girl, so now, he relates to Valjean in that way, too.
″It truly is having your heart outside your body when you see your child. The sacrifices that I would make for her, I would go to the ends of the Earth for her,” said Cartell.
He talked about the physical and vocal demands of the show, and even told us what happens behind the scenes. His character wears four wigs throughout the show.
“My first costume change, I’m a convict right at the start of the show, and then I become the mayor, and so I have a two minute and 30 second costume change that I have to do backstage, and it takes a group of individuals, including myself, to make sure that I make it back on stage in time to sing,” said Cartell.
The actor said there’s choreography that’s happening backstage.
“I wish we that we could sell tickets to what happens backstage for us, because it is another choreographed dance that is happening with sets being lifted into the air, sets moving out of the way, so actors can get on stage. We’re all about safety in the theatre, but there is another show that’s happening backstage,” explained Cartell.
“Les Misérables” is considered one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history, and it’s one of the world’s most popular musicals. It’s been in 53 countries and in 22 languages.
Top songs from the musical include “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” “Master of the House” and many more.
Opening night is Tuesday, and it runs through Sunday. Click here for ticket information.
As for Cartell, you may see his name and face pop up again.
He’s getting ready to release his “A Thousand Spotlights” album next month on July 26. The album includes Broadway, Disney, and some jazzy standard songs.
Watch our interview with Cartell in the video player below:
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