You may recall that, in last weeks Mosh Pit, I discussed the casting of the upcoming film version of Les Miserables. Well, theres one part of the story that I left out. One Chicagoan has a very special role in this film. Its a story that some of you already know, but that to my knowledge hasnt been told to the world at large--before now. Jeff Award-winning Chicago musical director and vocal coach Roberta Duchak is coaching Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe on his songs for the film, and has been doing so since last summer!
I had the pleasure of speaking to Roberta by phone this past Monday. She couldnt meet with me at Columbia College Chicago, where she teaches, or at the DruryLaneTheatre in Oakbrook Terrace, where she frequently musical directs (Ragtime and Sweeney Todd are just two of her extensive number of credits there). Why isnt she in Chicago, you ask? Because she is New Orleans for a few weeks, teaching Stars to a star. Ever since last summer, when Crowe was living in Naperville, working on a certain superhero film in the Plano area, she has been paid by the Les Miz film itself, not Crowe, to get him in tip-top shape to play and sing the role of Inspector Javert in the highly anticipated film. She was with him for his audition for the role in New York (also in the room were stage producer Cameron Mackintosh and composer Claude-Michel Schonberg), and she has spent time with him in Los Angeles, Vancouver and (for three weeks in December) in Australia. She told me that he loves to sing (he comes from a rock background), he has improved and seen his hard work pay off, and that Old Man River from Show Boat is his favorite warm-up song! Sometimes they work every day. Sometimes they dont. He loves it. So does she. And you just never know what life will bring, do you?
She confirmed reports Ive read that the cast will have a six-week rehearsal period, commencing in mid-February, and that shooting will last until July, with mid-December as the targeted release date. It is true that the cast will be singing live while the cameras roll. But she told me that one aspect of the film that has been widely reported very recently is in fact not true! Stay tuned to your favorite media outlets for future developments.
Seriously. And in the meantime, lets all wish Russell and Roberta the best, and get just a wee bit jealous. But why shouldnt she be doing this? Im sure that the whole cast will have vocal coaches. Why not one of the best, our own Roberta Duchak? What an opportunity. Congratulations!
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