  In a random unitary matrix model at large N, we study the properties of the
expectation value of the character of the unitary matrix in the rank k
symmetric tensor representation. We address the problem of whether the standard
semiclassical technique for solving the model in the large N limit can be
applied when the representation is very large, with k of order N. We find that
the eigenvalues do indeed localize on an extremum of the effective potential;
however, for finite but sufficiently large k/N, it is not possible to replace
the discrete eigenvalue density with a continuous one. Nonetheless, the
expectation value of the character has a well-defined large N limit, and when
the discreteness of the eigenvalues is properly accounted for, it shows an
intriguing approximate periodicity as a function of k/N.
