a conversation with Nick Cartell, who plays Jean Valjean in the national tour of LES MISÉRABLES

Nick Cartell
photo by Matthew Murphy

by Gil Benbrook

Nick Cartell may not have been born in Arizona but he still has a huge following in the Phoenix area from the many parts he played in town, including appearing as Marius in Phoenix Theatre's production of Les Misérables in 2009. Cartell is getting ready to head back to Phoenix and to that beloved musical, in the national tour of the recent Broadway revival, but this time he's appearing as the lead in the classic role of Jean Valjean. The tour stops at ASU Gammage, for performances from May 15th to May 20th.

While Cartell wasn't born here, he grew up in the area and has appeared in dozens of shows in town. Cartell's family moved from Michigan to Phoenix when he was just six months old, he attended Chaparral High School and ASU, and appeared in dozens of productions across the Valley, including shows as a youth at Valley Youth Theatre. He also sang with the Phoenix Boys Choir, was a solo artist with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra and his performance in Light in the Piazza at Phoenix Theatre earned him an ariZoni Award.

After his ASU years, Cartell left Arizona to forge a professional theatre career which included three years with Disney in Tokyo and he's appeared on Broadway in the recent revival of Jesus Christ Superstar and was last in town when he appeared in the touring production of Phantom of the Opera. For that show, he appeared in the ensemble, served as the production's fight captain, and also understudied the romantic lead Raoul, a part he played for several performances, including ones here during the Gammage tour stop.

Cartell took a few moments between getting ready for performances of the show in Albuquerque this week and before heading to Tempe next week, to answer some questions about his experience with the show.

What was your first experience with the musical version of Les Misérables?

"My first experience was seeing the 10th Anniversary Concert version on PBS. I was immediately captivated by the music and story after that, it came on tour to ASU Gammage and I went to see it LIVE for the first time with my parents."

Nick Cartell as Marius in Phoenix Theatre's 2009 production of Les Misérables
photo by Laura Durant

I know you played the part of Marius in Phoenix Theatre's production of this show. When was that, and what was that experience like?

"I played the role of Marius at Phoenix Theatre the first time that they produced the show with Arkansas Rep in 2009. It was incredible being able to finally play a role that I had coveted for so long and to be able to play it at PT, which was and still is like a home to me. It was an absolutely beautiful production and one that I still cherish to this day."

What was the audition process like to be cast in this role in the national tour?

"My audition process was over several months. I first went in for the role in April 2017 and finally was cast in July 2017. During that time, I had work session and, because Cameron Mackintosh is located in London, had to record my callbacks on video a couple times. The day before my final callback I lost my mom to her battle with ovarian cancer. I will never forget going into the audition room, knowing that she was on my shoulder and watching over me. Now she has the best seat in the house every night."

What type of research did you do to prepare to play Jean Valjean?

"For me it was reading the amazing work of Victor Hugo. These characters are so well written and described down to every detail. I feel that for many of us in the cast, any time that need inspiration or help discovering a deeper understanding to these characters, being able to open the book and discover new things is so exciting for us."

Josh Davis, left, as ‘Inspector Javert’ and Nick Cartell, right, as ‘Jean Valjean’
photo by Matthew Murphy

Why do you think audiences identify so strongly with Valjean?

"At his core, Valjean is a man trying to make a difference and just “do good.” I think that there are so many people that are trying to make the world a better place, which is why this character and this show resonates with so many people. This story truly is about a fight for the human spirit and is more relevant today than ever."

What is your most favorite part of the show?

"Singing “Bring Him Home” is my favorite part of the show every night. It allows me a chance to not only connect to the character of Valjean and what he is willing to sacrifice for Marius, but also to think about my mom and the sacrifices that she went through during her cancer treatment to come and see me in shows across the country. It is such a special moment and such an amazing song."

The last time you were at Gammage was in the national tour of Phantom of the Opera where you were in the ensemble and also understudied the part of Raoul. That was your first national tour of a show. What did you learn from that experience that has helped you for touring with Les Mis, and how have your feelings about appearing in a tour of a show changed since the Phantom tour?

"What I love about touring is the chance to see the country and so many amazing places. It is also so great to be able to bring productions home to Arizona and see so many friends and family while I am there. The one downfall is that I have to be away from my wife. I married an amazing woman, and this coming November we celebrate 10 years of marriage, who is so supportive and I wouldn’t have been able to do this without her."

What do you think it is going to be like coming back to ASU, where you graduated with a BFA in Theatre, in one of the most popular musicals of all time where you are playing one of the most iconic and beloved characters in musical theatre on the same stage where you received your diploma?

"It is going to be epic and I am so excited you have no idea. I have such a love for this show and to be able to share it with so many that I love is going to be amazing."

This touring production is based on the 2014 Broadway revival. I know this production eliminates the infamous turntable from the original London and Broadway version. What else can you tell us about the physical production of the show?

"While we don’t have the turntable, we have been able to incorporate these amazing projections that are of Victor Hugo’s original artwork depicting how he saw the times he was writing about into the physical design of the production. Not giving anything away, but as an audience member you will feel like you are marching down the streets of Paris and exploring the sewers. Along with these and other design elements, it only helps to emphasize the story and characters and keep the show moving in a beautiful cinematic way."

Why do you think this show, and this story, resonates so deeply with individuals around the globe?

"Our world is in such a state of unrest. People fighting to make a difference, fighting for change, fighting for a better world. This story and these characters are about that. We sing “Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me.” at the end of the show and every time it fills me with a sense of hope. We are helping to bring this message of hope across the country and I feel it is needed now more than ever."

What do you hope audiences will take away from seeing the tour of Les Misérables?

"If the audience walk out the door feeling inspired, wanting to make the world better, even if that means giving someone a smile, then we did our job. Actors have been a mirror for society and sometime we have to explore things that society as a whole would like to turn a blind eye to. We are telling a story that actually happened. Young men and women laid down their lives for a cause that they were passionate about and how is that different than what students are walking out of schools for? Than teachers standing together for better work conditions? These are the themes of Les Miserables and I, and this entire company, are proud to stand on that stage and share this story each night."

CLICK HERE for more information on Les Misérables, which plays ASU Gammage from May 15th to May 20th