Peter Lockyer, Timothy Gulan Rise in Casting Shuffle of Touring Les Miserables

When the 25th anniversary touring version of Cameron Mackintosh’s “Les Miserables” hit East Lansing, Mich. over the weekend, it was with a major cast shake up.

Peter Lockyer, who many years ago played young Marius in Broadway and touring productions returned, this time in the role of the heroic patriarch Jean Valjean. Among other new faces for the touring version are Timothy Gulan as Thenardier, Lauren Wiley as Cosette and Jason Forbach as Enjorlas.

The new 25th anniversary edition is a revised production of the famous musical, complete with reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.

The play was performed at the Wharton Center in East Lansing before it closed last night, and it will be traveling next to Indianapolis and will play at the Clowes Memorial Hall April 10-15. After that, it will move to Greenville, S.C., where it will be performed at the Peace Center from April 17-22.

In addition to playing Marius on Broadway, Lockyer also played the role at the history-making Shanghai premiere in 2002. Lockyer has also appeared on Broadway in “South Pacific, “The Phantom of the Opera,” Baz Luhrmann’s “La Boheme,” “Miss Saigon” and “Cyrano: The Musical.”

Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, “Les Miserables” features music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Alain Boublil. Herbert Kretzmer provided the English adaptation of the lyrics, while Trevor Nunn and John Caird adapted the book., originally also by Schonberg and Boublil.

The production features the classic songs “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” and “Master Of the House,” among many others.

In other “Les Miserables” news, a new film adaptation currently is being filmed in London. The film is reported to feature stars such as Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter.