Kyle Jean-Baptiste Makes History As First Black Jean Valjean In Les Miserables

When Kyle Jean-Baptiste stepped on stage July 23rd he made history in a show that already has a very long history, Les Miserables. Not only did he become the youngest actor to play the role of Jean Valjean in a production produced by John Cameron but he also became the first black Jean Valjean on Broadway since the shows first premiere in 1987, making history twice!

Kyle Jean Baptiste is a 21 year old who just finished college. The day after he graduated from the college to Broadway pipeline, Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio, he was cast in Broadway’s Les Miserables as the understudy for Jean Valjean as well as Constable and Courfeyrac.

“It feels amazing to be here. I’m so grateful and humbled,” he explained during a recent rehearsal break. “It’s a dream come true.” … “Being an African American man I can have a different look at the role of this man who is a slave to the law,” he says. “You can’t get away from the fact that certain lines have more meaning [to me] because I’m black.”

We also knew about it before he went on because Mr. Baptiste told the world in a tweet and included us in the tweet.

And another person who seemed just as excited for the young performer was Lin-Manuel Miranda. Who responded to the news in true Miranda fashion, remixing the Red and Black song from Les Miz especially for the occasion

Also check out why this 6-foot-2 American tenor was snatched up for Broadway so quickly by listening to his voice in a performance below.