Youngest Jean Valjean Ever in Broadway's Les Miserables - Easter Bonnet 2015

Published 2015-04-30
Opting to skew younger in casting, Les Misérables set out to find a new Jean Valjean and landed with a star-in-the-making performance of "The Confrontation" by 13-year-old Joshua Colley, who stunned the audience in his vocal duel with current Javert understudy John Rapson.

The generosity of the American theatre community shined brightly as six weeks of spring fundraising raised another record-breaking grand total for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The 29th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition raised a remarkable $4,711,386, making this the third year in a row the event set a new fundraising record.

***

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theater community, since 1988 Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS has raised more than $300 million for essential services for people with HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and other critical illnesses across the United States.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the major supporter of the social service programs at the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund), including the HIV/AIDS Initiative, the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative and The Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts. Broadway Cares also awards annual grants to more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., providing lifesaving medication, healthy meals, counseling and emergency assistance.

For more information, please visit Broadway Cares online at broadwaycares.org, at facebook.com/BCEFA, at instagram.com/BCEFA, at tiktok.com/@bcefa and at youtube.com/BCEFA.

All Comments (21)
  • @keplerr1512
    alternate title: beefy police man harasses a ten year old for three minutes
  • @kittykat123425
    Hollywood: Here’s a high budget film adaptation with a bunch of celebrities Theatre People: eh Broadway Cares: Here’s a 10 year old Valjean beating up Javert Theatre People: OMG THIS IS ALL I EVER WANT
  • @gingaindi
    Does anyone else watch this and want a fully child cast performance of Les mis now
  • @tristyy404
    Lord be kind to him in puberty! His voice is bananas!!
  • I love how there's that laugh when he comes out...and then the kid starts singing. And you hear that collective 'Whoa.'
  • @ShnoogleMan
    This is the same kid who sang the part of Angelica in the Miscast Schuyler Sister's performance
  • I hope this kid gets to play Jean Val Jean someday when he's older
  • My reaction to this: *Valjean walks on stage* Me: Ha! That kids cute *Valjean starts singing* Me: *Mouth drops* ... Me: Holy crap
  • @graphical7742
    It's so embarrassing when you lose to a 13-year-old kid.
  • @kcorona7715
    When Joshua sings the word "done" I literally almost cry because of the glorious vibrato.
  • Im sorry but why does this 13 year old have the best vibrato I've ever heard?!
  • oh my god the POWER in his voice, good lord what a belt range! and an even vibrato, wonderful breath support and phrasing, wow he's like the child version of Gavin Creel I am losing my shit right now
  • @elliart7432
    this is incredible, but I think Javert has a bit to much time on his hands if he spends 10 years hunting down a 12 year old kid over a loaf of bread...
  • "I am warning you Javert, I'm the stronger man by far." "Dude ... you're thirteen ..."
  • @joeyflint7232
    Joshua is absolutely amazing. But does anyone else agree that Javert is also very good as well?
  • It's really sad, because I feel like the older he gets, the less impressed people will be by his voice, even though it's still going to sound amazing.