It started with dancing and singing with his grandmother. Next year his dream will come true: Milan van Waardenburg was chosen to play the role of Jean Valjean in the musical Les Misérables.
“When I got the call that it was me, it was a few minutes before I had to be on another theater production, after that it was really hard to play with that in mind!” says Milan from Hamburg, where he has lived for a number of years.
Kerkraads folk theater
It took some time to sink in that he can really play ‘the role of the roles’ in Les Miserables next year. From childhood, Van Waardenburg looked up to roles like that of Jean Valjean in Les Miserabes† It all started with his grandmother, who herself played in Kerkrade’s folk theatre. “I went to my grandmother’s one day a week, she would babysit me. Then we would always dance to music and sing,” he says. At one point his grandmother suggested to his parents to put Milan on stage too, and so it happened. From the age of seven, the latent musical star was part of the Kiek in Kerkrade children’s theater association. But already at the age of eleven he had a part in Can you tell me the way to Hamelin, sir?†
Hard time
In addition to his high school period, Milan continued to be passionate about theatre. “There was no special program or anything at the time,” he says. “But what I did do, and in hindsight that was actually quite difficult, was travel to the weekend drama school in Zoetermeer during the week, for example, in addition to secondary school. And that for six years.” It was his own initiative, says the now 28-year-old singer. “My parents never pushed me, they have no background at all in the musical world or anything like that.”
Also read: Musical Les Misérables to Maastricht
Germany
Those six hard years did him no harm. After high school he went to the conservatory in Tilburg and played in major productions such as the musical rent† He graduated early because he had auditioned for the musical in Germany Tanz of the Vampire† To his own surprise, he was accepted. He moved to Germany and has lived there ever since. “There is a lot of work to be found here in the musical world, also because it is just a larger country. A lot of singers and actors therefore move to Germany.”
Secret
But last year he was called by the Dutch theater producer Hans Cornelissen, who invited Milan to participate in the audition rounds. “That was all very secret at the time, because if you announce that there are auditions, you also have to announce that a new production will be coming, that was not possible then,” says the singer.
Different than usual
Nine audition rounds later, it turned out to be a prize for the Kerkrade resident. “The further I got, the more I got my teeth into it. In that respect, I noticed that this audition procedure was different than usual. I really wanted that part. And you have already invested so much, then there is also I realize that I am very young, but I also believe that when things happen, it is the time for it too.”
Substantial for private life
And that time is rushing forward, says Milan. “You have roles that are less and roles that are more intrusive to your private life.” For the role, the singer has to do a lot, but also leave a lot behind. “It means playing six to seven times a week. In that role you are on stage about eighty percent of the time and it is through-composed, which means that everything has to be sung. Then you have rehearsals and you also have to be fit So ensure enough sleep, also exercise and of course healthy food. And then talk as little as possible during the day to save voice,” says the singer.
Social life will be put on the back burner for a year. But it’s all worth it to him. “This is one of the most beautiful male roles out there, a classic!” says the Kerkraadaar. He does not know whether there is a higher goal than that to be achieved in his theater career. “But there will probably be new dreams after that. Let’s see next year first!”
Popular musical in the world
Les Misérables has been playing in London’s West End since 1985, making it the longest-running musical in the United Kingdom. On Broadway in New York it was one of the most successful musicals ever with eight Tony Awards. The musical is also very popular in our country. Last September, the songs Bring him home and Another day during the Uitmarkt 2021 were voted in the top 10 by the Dutch public in the category Favorite musical song of all time.
The production can be seen 13 times next April in the Theater aan het Vrijthof, the theater announced on Monday. Milan van Waardenburg will be a live guest on Saturday in the radio program L1 Cultuurcafé.