In 1987, he played the role of Inspector Javert in the original Broadway cast of "Les Misérables". His portrayal of Javert earned him his first Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role, a role which he would later reprise near the end of the musical's run at the Imperial Theatre in 2003. Mann returned to the role once more in June 2015, directing and starring as Javert in a staged concert of the show at the Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Storrs, Connecticut.