Fantine Fantasy Dates! Les Miz's Caissie Levy Dreams a Dream of Patti LuPone, Lea Salonga, Anne Hathaway & More

Caissie Levy is living the dream: She gets to sell her hair, sob her eyes out and [SPOILER ALERT for the two people on earth who have never seen the musical] die eight times a week in the new Broadway revival of Les Miserables at the Imperial Theatre. But Levy isn’t the first actress to have the honor of dying a tragic death as tortured mother Fantine in the hit musical. Below, she highlights a few of the lovely ladies who have played Fantine in productions gone by, and dreams a dream of what it would be like to do drink shots, take road trips and play truth or dare with them. Have fun, Fantines—but watch out for those thunder-voiced, nocturnal tigers!

LEA SALONGA (2006 B'way revival)
Fantine I Want as a Wine Drinking Buddy
"I've always loved Lea Salonga's stunning voice, and on the occasions I've met her, she's been so funny and down to earth.'"

DAPHNE RUBIN-VEGA (2006 B'way revival)
Fantine I'd Like to Do Shots With
"I bet Daphne Rubin-Vega and I could get into some trouble together. She seems like she'd have some great stories and be a lot of fun. And as an ex-Maureen, it'd be a blast to hang out with the original Mimi."

LAUREN KENNEDY (2002 B'way cast)
Fantine I Want to Bring on a Road Trip
"But only if she'll let us play her debut album, Songs of Jason Robert Brown on repeat. 'Cause it's amazing."

RACHEL YORK (2000 B'way cast)
Fantine Who Would Make an Awesome Roomie
"Our husbands are old friends, so I think they'd be cool with it."

PATTI LUPONE (original 1985 London cast)
Fantine I Want to Play Truth or Dare With
"Am I alone in thinking Patti LuPone would be the BEST choice in this category?! I'm not sure what would be juicer, the dares she'd come up with, or hearing some of her legendary stories firsthand."

LAURIE BEECHMAN (1990 B'way cast)
Fantine Who Should Teach a Master Class
"The late, great Laurie Beechman. She was such a talent and her legacy lives on. It would have been an honor to meet her and learn from her."

RANDY GRAFF (original 1987 B'way cast)
Fantine I Want to Do Lunch With
"Actually, while auditioning for Fantine, Randy and I were doing a reading together, and she played my mother-in-law. I had to suppress my fangirl-ness the entire week! I think she's a genius on stage and off, and I admire her greatly."

LOUISE PITRE (original 1989 Canadian cast)
Fantine I Want to Take Out to Coffee
"But only if it's Tim Horton's. We're good Canadian girls!"

ANNE HATHAWAY (2012 film)
Fantine I'd Love to Sing a Duet With
"Can this be arranged? She's a remarkable talent and a big supporter of live theater. Sir Cameron, are you reading this? :)"