I Am My Own Mom: Judy Kuhn, Once a Cosette, Will Play Fantine in Les Miz
By Kenneth Jones
17 Sep 2007
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Judy Kuhn
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Broadway's original Cosette, three-time Tony Award nominee Judy Kuhn, will return to Les Misérables, 20 years later, to play the role of Fantine — Cosette's mother — beginning Oct. 23.
Kuhn will succeed Tony Award winner Lea Salonga in Cameron Mackintosh's new production of the Boublil and Schönberg musical at the Broadhurst Theatre. Salonga's final performance as Fantine will be Oct. 21.
"I am thrilled to be returning to Les Misérables after all these years," Kuhn stated. "The original production was such an exciting and momentous part of the beginning of my career and now to go back to play the mother of the character I played originally, especially now that I am a mother myself will be great fun."
Judy Kuhn has been nominated for three Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards for her work on Broadway in the American premieres of Les Miz and Chess and in The Roundabout's hit revival of She Loves Me. She also starred in Rags, and appeared on Broadway in Richard Nelson's play Two Shakespearean Actors (Lincoln Center Theatre), Alan Menken & Tim Rice's King David and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (NYSF).
Most recently she appeared in a new adaptation of Chekhov's Three Sisters by Craig Lucas at the Intiman Theatre directed by Bartlett Sher, and co-starred in the world premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's The Highest Yellow at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA. She played Fosca in the critically acclaimed production of Passion at the Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration, and created the role of Betty Schaefer in the U.S. premiere of Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.
In London's West End she starred in Metropolis, for which she received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination.
She sang the title role in Disney's "Pocahontas" as well as the in the sequel "Pocahontas II: Journey To A New World."
She can be heard on numerous original cast recordings as well as her solo album "Just In Time: Judy Kuhn Sings Jule Styne." Her new CD "Serious Playground: The Songs of Laura Nyro" — celebrating the work of the pioneering singer/songwriter of the 1960s and 70s — will be released by Ghostlight Records on Oct. 2.
She will perform selections from the new disc at Joe's Pub in New York (Oct. 1, 8, 15 and 22) and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC (Oct. 26).
The current Broadway production of Les Miz opened at the Broadhurst on Nov. 9, 2006. It currently features Drew Sarich as Jean Valjean (to be succeeded by John Owen-Jones on Oct. 23), Robert Hunt as Javert, Lea Salonga as Fantine, Gary Beach as Thenardier, Ann Harada as Madame Thenardier, Megan McGinnis as Eponine, Adam Jacobs as Marius, Ali Ewoldt as Cosette and Max von Essen as Enjolras.
The original production of Les Miz remains the third longest-running show in Broadway history.
For tickets and information, call Telecharge.Com at (212) 239-6200, or visit www.telecharge.com or www.lesmisnewyork.com.
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