Colm Wilkinson News

BroadwayWorld is thrilled to share with you a two part interview series featuring the cast and crew of Les Miserables which opens at McCallum Fine Arts Academy next Thursday, February 27th.

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Pops presents Valentine Romance this weekend, February 14-16, 2014, at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts with guest conductor John Morris Russell, vocalist Lisa Vroman, and members of Danceworks Performance Company

A look back at the Toronto sit down production as it comes to a close, with three of our very own stars Broadway Bound! Ramin Karimloo, Cliff Saunders, and Melissa O'Neil are all headed to the great white way in the new broadway revival!

Les Miserables has been delighting audiences in Toronto since it opened in October of last year, and a few of its cast members are now Broadway bound for the show's big debut in March. St. Thomas native Aaron Walpole is one of those Canucks headed to the Great White Way. Walpole has been with the new production of Les Miserables longer than most involved in the current production, as he actually joined the US tour before it came to Toronto and performed across Canada as well. He's an ensemble member as well as being the Valjean alternate, and in Toronto has been playing the role of Valjean every Thursday night. We sat down to talk to Aaron about what Les Miserables means to him, what it's like alternating roles and how he keeps his voice and body in shape to tackle the very demanding role of Jean Valjean:

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Pops presents Valentine Romance on February 14-16, 2014, at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts with guest conductor John Morris Russell, vocalist Lisa Vroman, and members of Danceworks Performance Company

London and Broadway's original Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson, performed the role of the Bishop for a special performance of LES MISERABLES Saturday evening, January 11 in Toronto at the Princess of Wales Theatre alongside Broadway's next Valjean, Ramin Karimloo, who will star in Cameron Mackintosh's new production of the legendary musical beginning March 1 at the Imperial Theatre. Wilkinson passed the torch - and the silver candlesticks - to Karimloo in a special benefit performance for five different Toronto charities: Casey House, Covenant House, Ernestine's, The Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa and Theatre 20. Wilkinson and Karimloo brought down the house with a special curtain call duet of 'Bring Him Home.' The Iranian-born Karimloo, who grew up in Toronto, has idolized Wilkinson since he was 12 and saw him perform in the title role in The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto. Karimloo went on to star as the Phantom in London, and since this November, as Jean Valjean, in Cameron Mackintosh's new production of LES MISERABLES in Toronto, for which he has received unanimous acclaim. BroadwayWorld brings you photos and video highlights below!

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, January 12, 2014 - Sunday, January 12, 2014.

History was made last night in Toronto when the originator of the central role in the international mega-hit mega-musical LES MISERABLES, Colm Wilkinson, joined the new 2014 Jean Valjean soon headed to Broadway to headline the highly anticipated revival, Ramin Karimloo, for both the performance of the show and a special encore duet at the Princess of Wales Theatre.

London and Broadway's original Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson, performed the role of the Bishop for a special performance of LES MISERABLES Saturday evening, January 11 in Toronto at the Princess of Wales Theatre alongside Broadway's next Valjean, Ramin Karimloo, who will star in Cameron Mackintosh's new production of the legendary musical beginning March 1 at the Imperial Theatre.

If you were a passerby outside The Princess of Wales Saturday night, you might have thought there was a rock concert going on inside. The audience reaction when Colm Wilkinson, the man who originated the role of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, stepped on stage was nothing short of deafening. That level of energy continued throughout the night as Wilkinson performed alongside Ramin Karimloo, who was inspired to become a musical theatre performer after seeing Wilkinson in the original Canadian production of The Phantom of the Opera.

Toronto's critically acclaimed production of Les Miserables was responsible for bringing Ramin Karimloo back 'home' to perform on Canadian soil, and now for one performance only, he will share the stage with the man who helped inspire his dream to pursue musical theatre - none other than stage legend (and original Jean Valjean) Colm Wilkinson.

Iconic originator of the central role of Jean Valjean in mega-successful mega-musical LES MISERABLES, Colm Wilkinson, will make a rare return to the Toronto stage in a different guise at this Saturday's special performance of the new revival in Toronto and he discusses the noble reason why in a new interview.

While more than 50 InDepth InterViews were conducted in the 2013 calendar year and it is impossible to choose favorites, today we are highlighting some of the most uniquely arresting and singularly revealing conversations featured in BroadwayWorld's most popular and expansive interview series - including Patti LuPone, Darren Criss, Josh Groban, Audra McDonald, Cameron Mackintosh, Stephen Sondheim, Joan Rivers, Jeremy Jordan, Megan Hilty, Bebe Neuwirth and many more!

The Great White Way is beginning to light up red and green and the massive sign of seasonal merriment represented by the several-story-tall tree in Rockefeller Center further cements the celebration with a brilliant blaze of light in New York City, signaling the season on Broadway and beyond - Christmastime is here again! Yes, indeed! Taking from the vast theatrical canon, today we are looking at some of the most memorable musical theatre moments pertaining to the holiday season with some of Broadway's brightest stars and some of the season's best selections, both old and new.

Laughing Dog Media has announced Broadway star and vocal powerhouse JAMES BARBOUR'S Special Guest Artists at his Sixth Annual Holiday Concert. STEPHEN WALLEM will join Mr. Barbour on stage Saturday, December 7. MARY TESTA will join Mr. Barbour on stage Today, December 12.

CHESS, the hit London and Broadway musical, will be performed in a concert presentation on December 8, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at Richland Performing Arts Center, on the campus of Richland High School in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

Laughing Dog Media has announced Broadway star and vocal powerhouse James Barbour'S Special Guest Artists at his Sixth Annual Holiday Concert. Stephen Wallem will join Mr. Barbour on stage tonight, December 7. Mary Testa will join Mr. Barbour on stage Thursday, December 12.

The legendary original star of LES MISERABLES, Colm Wilkinson, returned to the musical that first brought him to international acclaim to perform the role of the Bishop in the Toronto production- a role he played in the Oscar-winning film adaptation. As the Bishop he passed the torch, or the silver candlesticks that his character passes on to Jean Valjean, to Ramin Karimloo, the young Canadian star who has won unanimous raves for his portrayal of Valjean -- a role he will reprise in the upcoming new Broadway production. In the video below, Karimloo and Wilkinson unite to perform 'Bring HIm Home.'

Toronto's critically acclaimed production of Les Miserables was the vehicle responsible for bringing Ramin Karimloo back 'home' to perform on Canadian soil, and now for one performance only, he will share the stage with the man who helped inspire his dream to pursue musical theatre - none other than stage legend (and original Jean Valjean) Colm Wilkinson.

Laughing Dog Media has announced Broadway star and vocal powerhouse JAMES BARBOUR'S Special Guest Artists at his Sixth Annual Holiday Concert. STEPHEN WALLEM will join Mr. Barbour on stage Saturday, December 7. MARY TESTA will join Mr. Barbour on stage Thursday, December 12.