Earl Carpenter

Earl Carpenter (born 9 May 1970) is an English musical theatre actor and singer, recognized chiefly for his work in London's West End. He is known for his performances as Inspector Javert in the stage musical Les Misérables and as the title character in The Phantom of the Opera, both roles he has played on and off for two decades. He is widely known for his rich, deep baritone singing voice.
In 1995, he made his West End debut as a Javert understudy in Les Misérables. In 2003, he became the standby for the role of The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and two years later was promoted to the principal actor for the role replacing John Owen-Jones for two years before being replaced by Ramin Karimloo. In 2008, he returned to the West End production of Les Misérables as the principal Inspector Javert and also played the role a year later on the 25th Anniversary UK Tour. 2011 and 2012 saw Carpenter reprise his roles of both the Phantom and Inspector Javert in the West End productions of each show, he also played The Phantom in the 25th Anniversary UK Tour in 2012, replacing John Owen-Jones, who left the tour in September. In 2015, Carpenter returned to the West End production of The Phantom of the Opera in March as an emergency cover for the Phantom, he returned to Les Misérables two months later in the second Broadway revival reprising his role of Inspector Javert, he also played the role in 2013 and 2016 in new productions in Canada and Singapore. He understudied Michael Ball and Bradley Jaden when they played Javert in the 2019/2020/2021 West End concerts of Les Misérables as well as understudying the role in the 2021 UK/Ireland tour. He returned to his role of The Phantom in 2023 replacing Killian Donnelly for two months in the West End production before being replaced by Jon Robyns.
He had the part of The Bishop of Digne in Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary at the O2 Arena and in Les Misérables: The Staged Concert at the Gielgud Theatre and Sondheim Theatre. He also played the Auctioneer in The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall.
Carpenter played The Beast in the closing cast of the original West End production of Beauty and the Beast, he also played Joe Gillis and Gaston in the UK tours of Sunset Boulevard and Beauty and the Beast as well as Monsieur André in the Italian tour of The Phantom of the Opera. He is also known for his work in Ginger Boy Productions. In 2018, he funded and produced a production of Disney's Peter Pan Jnr at the Regent Centre in Christchurch, Dorset.
Training
Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth and Poole College
Poole College of Further Education
Television
As part of the 25th anniversary of The Phantom of the Opera, Earl performed the title song at The Royal Variety Performance – held in The Lowry, Manchester – on Monday 5 December 2011. Performing alongside Nicole Scherzinger, Earl was joined by three other former Phantoms (Simon Bowman, John Owen-Jones, and Ramin Karimloo). The performance was aired on ITV1 on Wednesday 14 December 2011.
Stage credits
Major Theatre Credits
Other Theatre Credits
Between the Lines – Roger Flint – Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Mozart – Winter Gardens Theatre, Bournemouth
Dick Whittington – King of Dreams / Sultan of Morocco – Theatre Royal, Plymouth
Her Benny – Jazzer – Empire Theatre, Liverpool
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Simeon – Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead
Robin Prince of Sherwood – King Richard / Will Scarlett / Robin Hood (Understudy)
West Side Story – Riff – Winter Gardens, Bournemouth
The Ultimate Illusion – Bournemouth Youth Theatre (Best Young Actor's Award 1988)
You, Me And Mrs Jones – Bournemouth Youth Theatre
Oklahoma – Poole Arts Centre
Merchant of Venice – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth
Measure for Measure – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth
The Glass Menagerie – Tom – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth
The Dumb Waiter – Gus – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth
Journey's End – Hibbert – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth
Luther – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth
The Tempest – Prospero – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth
Julius Caesar – Brutus – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth
Hitler Dances – Hans – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth
Tales From The Vienna Woods – Eric – Jellicoe Theatre, Bournemouth
Bugsy Malone – Snake Eyes – Southampton Mountbatten Theatre
Hampshire Tales – Tom – Forest Forge Theatre Company
My Lady of Ellingham – Robert – Forest Forge Theatre Company
The Happiest Days of Your Life – Hopcroft Minor – Ringwood Musical and Dramatic Society
Concerts
Les Misérables: The Staged Concert - The Bishop of Digne/Bamatabois, u/s Javert - Gielgud Theatre/Sondheim Theatre
Three Phantoms – UK, Scandinavia, Macau, China and Singapore
The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall – The Auctioneer – Royal Albert Hall
Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary – The Bishop of Digne – The O2
Last Night of the Christmas Proms 2007 – Portsmouth Guildhall, Southampton Guildhall, Exeter Great Hall, Poole Lighthouse
Christmas at the Musicals – Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow and Nottingham
Hot Summer Classics – Wilton House, Salisbury
Last Night of the BSO Proms – Portchester Castle, Fareham and Upton House, Poole
Encore – Buxton Opera House
Last Night of the Christmas Proms 2006 – Southampton Guildhall, Bristol Colston Hall, Poole Lighthouse, Portsmouth Guildhall, Exeter Great Hall
Encore – Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai
West End at Home – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton and Lighthouse Poole
Summer Showstoppers – Osborne House, Isle of Wight
Last Night of the Christmas Proms 2005 – Portsmouth Guildhall, Bristol Colston Hall, Poole Lighthouse, Exeter Great Hall
One Enchanted Evening – Weymouth Pavilion, Southampton Guildhall, Bournemouth Pavilion
The Best of the West End – Buxton Opera House
Live and Let Die – Meyrick Park, Bournemouth
The Last Night of the Christmas Proms 2004 – Portsmouth Guildhall, Poole Lighthouse, Southampton Guildhall, Exeter Great Hall, Bristol Colston Hall
Les Misérables in Concert – Windsor Castle Entente Cordiale Celebration
Chess in Concert- The Russian – Bournemouth International Centre
Les Misérables in Concert – Courfeyrac – Bournemouth International Centre
Les Misérables in Concert – Hylands Park, Chelmsford
Closing Ceremony of Euro '96 – Wembley Stadium
Film
From the Diaries of Jojo the Dog Faced Boy
Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary
The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall
Les Misérables: The Staged Concert
Recordings
Musical Mad
Disney's Beauty and the Beast – Original London Cast Recording
The Witches of Eastwick – Original London Cast Recording
Sunset Boulevard – UK Tour Promotional Recording
Act One: Songs From The Musicals Of Alexander S. Bermange
The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall Cast Recording
Les Misérables – 25th Anniversary Tour Cast Recording
Les Misérables: The All Star Staged Concert Cast Recording
Association with theatre industry organisations
He has been creative producer and owner of Ginger Boy Productions Limited since 2006; patron and associate artist to the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton and as has recently accepted a visiting professorship at Solent University.
References
External links
1970 births
Living people
English male musical theatre actors