An Equity audition notice indicates a Sept. 26 first preview toward an Oct. 9 opening night. Rehearsals would begin Aug. 19. However, no official announcement about the booking has been made by Mirvish Productions, the respected Toronto theatre presenter/producer that owns and operates theatres there.

On Jan. 17, the Toronto Star reported probable casting for the engagement, including Canadian and London theatre star Ramin Karimloo as Jean Valjean. The Mirvishes were to present a Canadian-cast production of the newly conceived version of the classic in 2012, but that engagement did not materialize.

The separate U.S./North American national tour continues at the moment. Canadian dates on that tour were recently announced for Vancouver, BC (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, June 12-23); Calgary, AB (Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, June 25-July 7); Edmonton, AB (Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, July 9-14); Regina, SK (Conexus Arts Centre, July 16-21); Winnipeg, MB (Centennial Concert Hall, July 23-28).

This reconception of the smash 1985 London hit musical (the Broadway run began in 1987) has music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, lyrics by Alain Boublil and Herbert Kretzmer. Original producer Cameron Mackintosh again produces (he is a co-producer of the current film version, too).

The 25th-anniversary production's directors are James Powell & Laurence Connor, who borrow visual elements from the paintings of Victor Hugo (on whose epic novel the show is based) and infuse a more naturalistic, conversational singing style in this version. (The beloved score remains.) The musical supervisor is David Caddick. For more about the confirmed shows in the Mirvish Productions season in Toronto, including the current The Wizard of Oz, visit Mirvish.com.