Married to Broadway

They say that workplace romances are not a good idea, but don’t tell that to Ron Sharpe and Barbra Russell. They first met when they played the romantic leads of Marius and Cosette in Les Miserables. The story they like to tell is that they were married so often on stage that they decided to get married in real life. Their love affair with each other and with Broadway has never altered and they have asked some of their talented friends to join them in a special show, Married to Broadway, which features the best of The Great White Way from the past to the present. There will be songs from Phantom of the Opera, Carousel, Guys & Dolls, and West Side Story, as well as surprises for the audience.

Ron Sharpe was the first actor to have played both male leads, Marius and Jean Valjean, in Les Miserables on Broadway. Other Broadway credits include original productions of The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Civil War, and in Disney’s King David. He reprised his role of Jean Val jean for the 25^th anniversary production of Les Mis when it returned to Broadway in 2014 and he was featured in the production of Sweeney Todd at Live at Lincoln Center with Emma Thompson.

Barbra Russell performed as Cosette on the national tour of Les Miserables. She has performed as Luisa in The Fantasticks and Laurie in Oklahoma and has appeared in The Little Shop of Horrors, Side by Side by Sondheim and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. She has performed in concert around the world and conceived, produced and performed on the CD Sweethearts, the music of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. Both have performed at the White House for Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

The Sharpes are producers and directors and a recent high point was co-directing a production of Les Mis by the New Jersey Repertory Company. The romance and music continue.