One day more with Peter Lockyer.

Photo Credit: Peter Lockyer

"Valjean, at last! We see each other plain!" We caught up with Peter Lockyer, who is currently playing the lead role of Jean Valjean in the West End's production of Les Misérables. In this new interview, Peter discusses how it feels to portray an iconic character, his past roles and his directing skills.

What was your first car? What about your first job?

• "Plymouth Sapporo. It was a bad Mustang knockoff, really bad, and I loved it. Bucket, velvet seats, middle-console gear shift, stereo with lights etc. Paid $1200 for it that I made working as a janitor for an elementary school. First job before acting? My first job was taking care of grounds and a house for a family near where I lived when I was 13 yrs old. I mowed the lawn on a riding mower, I weeded gardens, painted the garage, did all the upkeep for a greenhouse, cleaned a pool, etc. Loved it."
  

 

What was your first memory of theater?

• "I did a production of The Princess and the Pea when I was in fifth grade. I played The Prince and got to kiss the girl...never turned back."
  

What is your favorite Broadway show and soundtrack?

• "Only one????? I have many for different reasons. This is going to sound politic but it so isn't, Les Misérables! I used to listen to the cassette tapes until they started sounding weird from the tape stretching, you know?  Now, I'm old, so when you say "soundtrack", this means a movie to me. But I think you mean Cast album/recording? I'll set Les Mis aside for a second, though it truly was one of my faves. I must've listened to Once on This Island thousands of times. And Forever Plaid! Time well-spent with those two! God, I love those shows."

You have performed in a variety of places - the United States, China, the West End and more. What was it like to travel and perform in all of these places?

• "One of the best parts of a job in showbiz is getting to travel places you never dreamed you'd go. With Les Mis alone, as you say, I've been all over North America, China, Korea and now London, what a blessing! I feel so fortunate to get a chance to experience life in all of these places; it's a constant education in life to "see" from a new perspective."
  

Throughout Les Misérables, Jean Valjean questions his identity, battles between his former life and present life, and between morality and survival. Do you personally relate to Jean Val Jean? How do you feel portraying this iconic role?

• "It's not often an actor gets to play a character so well drawn, never mind getting to live it all onstage. Often, you have to "fill in" missing beats and story arc offstage, because there's not enough time in a play to show everything a character experiences. But with JVJ [Jean Valjean], I get to take the entire journey onstage. I tell ya, I learn something about myself every time I do the show. I learn I'm not as good a person as I think I am; I learn I'm a better person than I think I am; and I learn I have so much to learn. I hope that if I remain focused, perhaps I'll be blessed with a peaceful death as well. Wow, that sounds morbid. But really, JVJ put it all out there and he died knowing that, knowing that he did everything he could to live honestly and leave the world a better place for having lived. I wish that for all of us."
  

Les Misérables is full of powerful numbers. What performance/song holds the most meaning to you?

• "Colm Wilkinson has such a presence and honesty about him. Like others, I've been blessed to have done the show with him when I played Marius. The impact of his presence is almost more important than any cool vocal sound he makes (and every sound he makes is cool). I'll never forget that lesson and try to bring a spirit of honesty to the show. There are very few lines or songs in Les Mis that don't carry tremendous weight but it's the quieter moments that move me, probably because of the powerful contrast to the huge moments. "Drink With Me" holds themes of the entire show, in a moment that is incredibly poignant to me." 
  

If you could switch roles with one of your castmates for a performance, who would it be and why?

• "I think it would be fun to alternate between Valjean and Javert week after week. It would be a crazy challenge vocally but it would be interesting to live both sides of the "argument"."
  

Like we mentioned before, Jean Val Jean is a very complex character and he struggles a lot during the show. How do you get yourself ready for a performance? Do you ever have trouble getting into character?

• "Thankfully, as I mentioned, what's written for JVJ is complete. So, it's most important for me to empty my thoughts and create a blank-slate-state. This allows me to just jump on the turntable and experience the story and the journey. It's so well written, so well conceived and adapted, directed, lit, composed, all I have to do is to allow it to happen and know that it's the work, not me, that makes it powerful."
  

You were also in Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon on Broadway. What were these experiences like for you? Any fond memories from these shows that you would be willing to share?

• "Yes, among others! I love every show I've ever done for wildly different reasons and because of the times in my life they represent. Phantom represents four and a half years of my life. I'll never forget the first time I got to play The Phantom and put that mask on...what.a.rush! And then I ended up playing every male role in the show except "The Slavemaster" and "Firmin"...it taught me a lot about being calm having to swing so many roles. Now, Miss Saigon was huge for me! I was 19 years old when I first auditioned for Vinnie Liff (God bless his memory), Mitchell Lemsky (the Associate Director at the time) and then, Nicholas Hytner. I met Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, David Caddick and many other people who would become so instrumental in my life and career. I'm so thankful for that show and it is so much fun to see it's rebirth here in London. But, perhaps the biggest impact Miss Saigon had on my life is that I met the woman I fell in love with and married, Melanie Tojio, who was the Alternate Kim. So, to say that Miss Saigon had an impact is an understatement in the least. It shaped much of my life and career and forged relationships that have remained for over 20 years now."
  

What is it like performing on the West End as an American? Do you ever get homesick?

• "Oh, man, I LOVE it in the West End. It's always been a fantasy to come work and live here and do it with this role, this show is a blessing beyond belief. I don't get homesick, really, because my wife and I are enjoying this experience together. I wish I could stay longer!"
  

What are some of your favorite London hangouts?

• "If I told you, I'd have to kill ya...ha! Let's just say I LOVE coffee shops and I've developed an unhealthy addiction to Almond Croissants from Fortnum & Mason."
  

What are you most passionate about in your own life?

• "I'm most passionate about trying to be the best man I can be, the best husband, and the best energy for those that I encounter throughout the day. I falter, I fail, I sometimes succeed, and I hope to succeed more and more and more."
  

In July of this year, you performed with Kristin Chenoweth at the Royal Albert Hall.  What was that experience like? Do you ever get nervous performing in a concert setting?

• "What a gift to perform at RAH (Royal Albert Hall)! Just gorgeous. Yes, I'm so thankful Richard Jay Alexander (Kristin's director) contacted me. He has been a champion of mine for a long time. I've been a long time admirer of Kristin's work but had never met her until that concert and I can say, unequivocally, that she is one of the most talented women and most sincere women I've ever worked with, and to get to sing with her was a gift. I hope to again someday 'cause she's amazing. I get a healthy dose of nerves whether I perform in concert or in character in a show. I've done enough concerting now that it no longer feels odd to just be myself, though that did take a period of adjustment when I first started doing concerts."
  

Aside from acting and performing, you are also credited as a director for several shows. Do you find it more difficult being, shall we say, behind the scenes rather than on the stage? Do you prefer acting or directing?

• "Yes! Thanks for asking. I LOVE directing and I hope to move into doing it more and more. I cherish how much interaction directing allows for, how much collaboration there is with so many artists. I'm not sure I find one more difficult than the other. They each have their challenges and rewards. I enjoy seeing great talent shine and helping make people look as good as they are though. It is often the case that directors haven't had careers as actors and don't quite understand what the actor is carrying in their head. It feels good to have a shorthand with performers, and I've been able to cut rehearsal time down immensely because of it. Now, it's not essential that someone was an actor to direct actors well. Case in point, John Caird is tremendous with actors, he completely speaks our language and gets what we're asking and has specific answers when needed and I don't think he was an actor? Shoot, I have to go ask now, because I'm not sure. There are many aspects of directing that I prefer to acting, such as giving deserving talent jobs and helping them to be their best, getting a chance to shape a piece and bring out themes, but the responsibility required of acting is so much less than directing, it's nice to chill sometimes as well!"
  

What was the most memorable show you have directed and why?

• "Well, my directing resume isn't as large as my acting resume so, I'd have to say I enjoyed directing One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest for The Ivoryton Playhouse. It was a small production, low budget, but the actors were so fantastic and committed to making the best show we could, it was a complete joy. And the support of the artistic director, Jackie Hubbard, was just a great environment to direct in."
  

What is your dream role? 

• "I have a few. I'd love the opportunity to go back into Phantom contracted as "The Phantom". I played the role many times but always as an understudy. Many Valjeans have made that move so it would be cool to do that. I'd love play Harold Hill (it's a side I haven't been able to show onstage before), I'd love to play Miguel De Cervates/Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, I would love to play Bert in Mary Poppins!"
  

What is your favorite book? Favorite movie?

• "Again, only one? Boo, for fiction, Shogun. Movie, for light entertainment - any sports movie. Jerry Maguire, All the Right Moves, Coach Carter, Rudy, Heaven Can Wait, Bad News Bears, Slap Shot, Victory, Caddyshack, Breaking Away, Bull Durham, The Natural, We Are Marshall, Miracle, Hoosiers."
  

What book or movie would you like to see interpreted for the stage, or star in?

• "I'm going to get some flack for this but I'm tired of seeing hit movies turned into stage works. Don't get me wrong, I wish them all long healthy runs and I love that friends are getting work etc. and I'd be happy for the work as well. But, if it's going to be an adaptation, I just feel that it's way more interesting to see a book that hasn't had a visual translation done yet adapted. Or, perhaps the movie isn't a well known movie and that wouldn't bug me as much. So, with that in mind, I'd love to see a production of anything that I kind of don't know. I love to be surprised and brought into a world I didn't know previously. There's a lot of regurgitation these days of things we already have consumed."
  

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage?

• "Oh man, too many! I've done the "go onstage with your fly down," forgetting lines, nothing too horrendous though. Oh! I was a nun on a Broadway stage...that was...yah, that happened."
  

What is a piece of advice you could give to aspiring young actors and actresses who want to break into the business?

• "I say the same thing always. I think the best actors are the smartest and most educated people I know. So, it's not enough to perform in shows. It's important to educate ourselves in as many varied disciplines in life as we can, not simply to be a better actor but a better person. Education is the key. And, the nice by-product is that you end up being armed with knowledge and understanding of the lives you will inhabit as an actor. If we are to be believable as these characters we step into, we have to understand how they think, act and go about their days. I'll be a student forever, both formally and self-study. Find a class that sounds interesting to you and sign up, I haven't regretted any class I've taken (well, except that one acting class...oy! That's another story! But even then, I got some good stories."