Les Misérables Auditions
Classic Musical to open PacRep’s 2027 Season
Pacific Repertory Theatre will hold auditions for its 2027 production of Les Misérables on Monday and Tuesday, August 10 & 11, from 6 PM to 10 PM. Additional auditions will be scheduled on Wednesday August 12, if demand requires. Callbacks will be scheduled August 17-19, by arrangement after the general auditions. Auditions will be held at the Golden Bough Playhouse, located on Monte Verde between 8th and 9th, in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Audition sessions will be limited to timed 3-minute appointments.
All auditioners should present one song excerpt and one monologue within a 3-minute total time limit. Auditioners should provide their own electronic accompaniment (cell phone, smart speaker, etc.). The song excerpt can be from this show or another show of a similar nature. Auditioners should bring a resume and recent headshot to the audition, if available.
Les Misérables will be Directed by Gary Bolen. Rehearsals will begin on January 4, 2027. Performances are February 18 through March 27 in the Founders Theatre at the Golden Bough Playhouse. The roles of Jean Valjean and Javert have been cast. Understudies will be cast from the general auditions.
To schedule an in-person audition appointment, call Cindy at the PacRep Box Office (831) 622-0100, Tuesday through Saturday, 11 AM – 4 PM.
Based on Victor Hugo's classic novel, Les Misérables holds the record for the longest-running musical in the world and continues to thrill and captivate audiences in every corner of the globe. Epic, grand and uplifting, Les Misérables is a treasured tale about the survival of the human spirit. The magnificent score features classic songs that are now staples of any musical theatre audition including, "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," "Stars," "Bring Him Home," "Do You Hear the People Sing?," "One Day More," "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," "Master Of The House" and many more.
From the wrongfully accused hero Jean Valjean and his loving daughter Cosette, to the misunderstood heroine Eponine and the relentless Inspector Javert - Hugo’s characters have proved themselves timeless and contemporary in every country and society in which it plays. Les Misérables is truly an emotional and uplifting story.
Character Breakdown
Jean Valjean (understudy)
Jean Valjean is 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 robust. 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. Jean Valjean is a vocally demanding role.
Gender: male, Vocal range top: A4, Vocal range bottom: G#2
Javert (understudy)
Javert is 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 and be a good singer.
Gender: male, Vocal range top: F#4, Vocal range bottom: F2
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.
Gender: male, Vocal range top: E4, Vocal range bottom: A2
Fantine
Fantine is the beautiful, young girl who, abandoned by her lover, 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.
Gender: female, Vocal range top: Eb5, Vocal range bottom: F3
Foreman
The Foreman begins Fantine on her desperate, downward spiral. He should be virile, commanding, and a bit sleazy around the edges.
Gender: male, Vocal range top: D4, Vocal range bottom: D3
Bamatabois
Bamatabois is the customer who taunts Fantine into violence. He is a wealthy, dissolute young man who thinks of himself as a gentleman, even dressing in expensive clothes. He is drunk and in a sadistic mood. He chauvinistically feels it is his right to buy anything, even Fantine.
Gender: male, Vocal range top: D5. Vocal range bottom: D3
Young Cosette
Young Cosette is 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. Make sure your Young Cosette is small and looks properly pathetic yet warms the audience’s hearts. They should be sympathetic to her plight. It is essential that your Young Cosette be as physically small as possible, especially against Jean Valjean and the Thénardiers. Cosette sings “Castle On A Cloud.”
Gender: female, Vocal range top: C5, Vocal range bottom: A3
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PacRep holds Les Misérables auditions, continued
Madame Thénardier
She is married to 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 and able to improvise in nearly any situation. An actress is needed with excellent physical comedy skills who is also a good musician with a good sense of rhythm.
Gender: female, Vocal range top: D5, Vocal range bottom: G#3
Thénardier
Thénardier is the true villain of Les Misérables . 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). Cast an excellent comedic actor who con portray a nasty edge. Vocally, the role is not incredibly demanding; a character voice is best.
Gender: male, Vocal range top: G4, Vocal range bottom: C2
Young Eponine
Young Eponine is the pampered daughter of the Thénardiers. She does little except taunt Young Cosette. The role requires no singing or speaking. She should be a smaller version of grown Eponine and resemble Eponine in appearance and features.
Gender: female
Gavroche
Gavroche is 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 young Artful Dodger. Gavroche is best played by the smallest boy available. Gavroche has a very dramatic death at the barricade.
Gender: male, Vocal range top: G5, Vocal range bottom: B3
Eponine
Eponine is the Thénardiers’ daughter. Living hand to mouth, she survives by helping her father in his life of crime. She is a young girl who is streetwise and tough but also sensitive and lonely. This tragic character is hopelessly in love with Marius, knowing that he will never love her. She bravely follows Marius to the barricades in the hope that they will die there together. She sings one of the most famous numbers in the show, “On My Own,” and should be an excellent actress and singer with a contemporary edge to her voice.
Gender: female, Vocal range top: E5, Vocal range bottom: F3
Enjolras
Enjolras is 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.” On the barricade, he should dominate everyone else physically and vocally. Enjolras is one of the more difficult roles to cast. He should be a natural leader oozing with charisma and have a very strong high baritone or a tenor voice. The role is also difficult to cast because many young actors do not perceive it as a coveted role like Marius or Jean Valjean; remind them that the original Enjolras won a Tony Award® for his performance. Casting a true leader from your organization in this role is one way to ensure the character is believable. Remember, 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.
Gender: male, Vocal range top: G4, Vocal range bottom: A2
Marius
Marius is 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.
Gender: male, Vocal range top: Ab4, Vocal range bottom: A2
Cosette
Cosette is 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.
Gender: female, Vocal range top: C6, Vocal range bottom: Bb3
Plus: Inmates, Constables, Farmers, Factory Workers, Prostitutes, etc.
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PacRep’s audition policy is centered on casting the very best actors for each role. Our directors are committed to racial, cultural and artistic diversity and they embrace our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy at all times. The company values diversity in race, disability, gender, sexuality, socio-economic background, faith and age, so casting will start from this position and always be open and neutral. Everyone is welcome and warmly encouraged to attend auditions.
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Resumes, photos, and video are accepted year-round!
Pictures and resumes may be emailed to: pacrepcasting@gmail.com or snail-mailed to: PacRep Theatre, PO Box 222035, Carmel, CA 93922.
Or fill out and submit the online form below, including a 2-minute video of one modern comedic monologue/excerpt. Upload your video where indicated.
