Les Misérables

Les Mousserables on Sesame Street

Sesame Street at SeaWorld spoof poster.

Les Misérables is a 1980 French musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil (with Herbert Kretzmer adapting it to English) about prisoner Jean Valjean, who breaks his parole and starts his life anew, with officer Javert constantly pursuing him. It is based on the book of the same name, written by Victor Hugo, and is the third longest running musical on Broadway.

Jim Henson saw Les Misérables on Broadway several times while living at the Sherry-Netherland in New York City in the late 1980s, and he especially adored Jean Valjean's heartfelt solo "Bring Him Home." Louise Gold sang the song at Henson's New York memorial service on May 21, 1990.

References

• In the book What's in Oscar's Trash Can?, Oscar's bookcase contains a copy of Les Grouchables, referencing the source novel, while subsequent references focus on the musical.

• The Shalom Sesame episode, "It's Passover, Grover!", features a spoof of the show, Les Matzarables. In the musical, a family looks all around for the "Matzah in the House" in a song that spoofs "Master of the House."

• The 2012 movie adaptation was parodied in the "Cookie's Crumby Pictures" segment, "Les Mousserables." In addition to featuring caricatures of the cast (with dessert pun names), the segment features parodies of various songs from the musical, including "I Dreamed a Dream," "Look Down," "Who am I," "Castle on a Cloud," "Do You Hear the People Sing," "On My Own," and "One Day More." Cookie Monster starred as Jean Bonbon (Jean Valjean) while the supporting characters included Flantine (Fantine), her daughter Creamette (Cosette), Epienine (Eponine), Enjelfood (Enjolras), and a Marius caricature (no name mentioned on screen, but identified in closed captioning as Marshmallowius).

FlantineLeslie Carrara-Rudolph

CreametteCarmen Osbahr

EpienineStephanie D'Abruzzo

EnjelfoodTyler Bunch

MarshmallowiusJohn Tartaglia

• A poster for "Les Monstérables" (featuring Zoe) is displayed at Sesame Street at SeaWorld.

• A July 2022 social media post promoting Sesame Street: The Musical depicts Cookie Monster in a production of "Les Macarons." [1]

Connections

Shalom Sesame - Les Matzarables

"Les Matzarables" from Shalom Sesame

• Alun Armstrong originated the role of Thenardier on London's West End (1985) and played it in the 1995 concert version
• Justin Bohon played Joly, a worker, sailor, and major domo in the Broadway revival (2006-2008)
• Michael Burgess played Jean Valjean in the Toronto production (1989-1990) and subsequent Canadian tour
• Kerry Butler played Eponine on Broadway (1998)
• Helena Bonham Carter played Madame Thenardier in the 2012 film version
• Jesse Corti played Courfeyrac, a farmer, worker, and drinker in the original Broadway cast (1987)
• Madeleine Doherty played the old beggar woman, a factory worker, whore, diner and others on Broadway and understudied Madame Thenardier
• Sutton Foster played female ensemble roles on Broadway and was a replacement understudy as Eponine
• Aymee Garcia played Madame Thenardier as a replacement on Broadway (2002-2003)
• Anne Hathaway played Fantine in the 2012 film version
• Leah Horowitz played Cosette and a whore as a replacement (2007) in the Broadway revival (2006-2008)
• Lisa Howard played a factory worker, old woman, and understudied Madame Thenardier during the third national tour
• Hugh Jackman played Jean Valjean in the 2012 film version
• Nick Jonas was a Gavroche alternate on Broadway and played Marius in the 25th anniversary concert (2010)
• Skaila Kanga played on the soundtrack of the 2012 film version
• Ricky Martin played Marius on Broadway in 1996
• Olga Merediz was a replacement in female ensemble roles and understudying Madame Thenardier, between 1987 and 1990
• Maria Lucia Heiberg Rosenberg played Eponine in a production at Det Ny Teater in Denmark
• Daphne Rubin-Vega played Fantine in the 2006 Broadway revival
• Lea Salonga played Eponine on Broadway (Jan-March 1992) and in the 1995 concert, and Fantine in the Broadway revival (2007) and 2010 concert
• Amanda Seyfried played Cosette in the 2012 film version
• Emanuel Vardi performed viola in the original Broadway cast recording (1987)
• Robert Westenberg played Javert, as a replacement, on Broadway
• Øystein Wiik played Valjean in Norway and in the international Valjean segment of the 1995 concert