The original Broadway production of Les Misérables opened in 1987.
The musical began previews at the Broadway Theatre in February 1987 and officially opened on March 12, 1987. It was adapted from Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel and had music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, and a book by Alain Boublil and Schönberg.
The Broadway production starred Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean and brought the story of nineteenth-century France to a large American audience. Its score includes “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “One Day More,” and “Bring Him Home.”
Les Misérables had already become a major success in London before its Broadway arrival. The Broadway staging won eight Tony Awards in 1987, including Best Musical. The show’s historical setting can cause confusion with its release dates: the novel appeared in 1862, the original French-language concept production came much later, and the Broadway opening occurred in 1987.