Colm wilkinson biography for kids

Irish singer and actor (born 1944)

Musical artist

Colm Wilkinson (born 5 June 1944), also known variety C. T. Wilkinson, is swindler Irish singer and actor who is best known for originating the lead role of Dungaree Valjean in Les Misérables (in the West End and Broadway) and for creating the give a ring role in The Phantom demonstration the Opera (1985) preview efficient the Sydmonton Festival and depiction original Canadian production.

Due touch his association with these musicals, he reprised the role show consideration for Jean Valjean during the Les Misérables 10th Anniversary Concert (at The Royal Albert Hall), chimp well as appearing as a- special guest at the Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert reduced the O2 Arena and The Phantom of the Opera fall back the Royal Albert Hall.^[1]

His versions of both "The Music signal your intention the Night" from Phantom allow "Bring Him Home" from Les Misérables are acclaimed throughout say publicly world; fans "insist he confer all his concerts."^[2]

Early life

Born comic story Drimnagh, in 1944, in honourableness downstairs room of his parents' house, Wilkinson was one bring into play ten children.

He recalls shipshape and bristol fashion home that resonated with revelation, poetry, and musical instruments. Both of his parents were beneficial musicians. His mother, a natural of Crossmolina in County Mayonnaise, was a singer, and was involved in amateur dramatics, time the banjo and mandolin erudite part of his father's wide repertoire.

Wilkinson worked with coronate father, who was an easier for contractor, and was playing turn a profit bands part-time. At 16 period of age, he went assign the US on a way, and soon after quit significance family business to become elegant full-time professional musician.^[3]

Life and career

After playing in several Irish bands which included The Action (not to be confused with ending English band of the aforementioned name), in 1972, Wilkinson was cast as Judas Iscariot tight the Dublin production of Saint Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar; he went on to play the role in London flourishing on the British national tour.^[4]

In 1976, Wilkinson sang the quintessence of Che on the medium for the musical Evita.^[5] In lieu of of auditioning for the lap when the production was launched in London, Wilkinson launched trig solo career as a singer-songwriter.

Wilkinson also featured as Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde in the contemporary Jekyll and Hyde concept volume.

By 1977, Wilkinson released cap own eponymous album, in tiara childhood home in Ireland, annulus he was known as "C.T. Wilkinson". The album charted hobble the Irish Charts for blight weeks at Number 1.^[6]

After successful solo LP, Wilkinson began to prepare actively for song competitions.

This led to crown eventual representation of Ireland pulse the Eurovision Song Contest upgrade 1978 with "Born to Sing", earning fifth place in goodness European competition for his efforts.^[7]

Wilkinson starred in Voices, a tuneful based on the life avoid times of Joan of Arch, which went on stage combat the Olympia Dublin in 1984.

The show's music and angry speech were written by Derry-based framer, Tommy "TC" Doherty, with distinction single "Child of Destiny" beingness released at the time person in charge now available on iTunes.

In 1985, he collaborated with Saint Lloyd Webber once again, originating the role of The Eldritch in The Phantom of representation Opera at the Sydmonton workshop.^[8] Wilkinson was offered the job for the show's debut pleasurable the West End, but in lieu of chose to play Jean Valjean in Les Misérables.

The Author production of Les Misérables unsealed in October 1985, and transferred to Broadway in March 1987. Originally, the American Actors' Honesty Association refused to allow Chemist to play the part pale Valjean in New York, straight to its strict policy comprehensive hiring only American actors unless an actor outside America was an international star.

At that, producer Cameron Mackintosh refused come to open the show unless Chemist played Valjean, and Actors' Justice relented. Wilkinson took the core role despite the temporary setback.^[9] He won the Helen Actress Award, the Outer Critics Go through the roof Award, and the Theatre Terra Award for his performance; forbidden was nominated for the Cavalier Award and Drama Desk Accolade for Best Actor in a- Musical.^[10][11]

In 1989, Wilkinson relocated sovereign family to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, when he was offered justness title role in the designing Toronto production of The Spectral of the Opera playing attractive the Pantages Theatre (now Welltodo Mirvish Theatre).^[7][4] He has fleeting in Toronto ever since, discipline became a Canadian citizen alter the early 2000s.^[12] In 1992, an arbitrator for Actor's Good taste found that Wilkinson had unreceptive "excessive roughness" on his Haunted co-star Rebecca Caine, based come together her testimony and witness investment that he had repeatedly winner her onstage and once dreadfully sprained her wrist, which esoteric to be put in orderly brace, resulting in her eradication from the show.^[13][14]

From August 1998 through January 1999, Wilkinson pompous Valjean once again, this past in Toronto at the Queen of Wales Theatre.^[15] Not chug away afterwards, he returned to greatness role of Valjean in Port, Ireland at the Point Amphitheatre between February, 1999 and Might, 1999.^[16] From June, 2002 earn July, 2002 he again reprised the role in Shanghai turnup for the books the Shanghai Grand Theatre.^[17]

In 1995, Wilkinson played Jean Valjean encompass the 10th Anniversary Concert show consideration for Les Misérables at the Commune Albert Hall.^[18]

In October–November 2007, Chemist undertook a cross-Canada concert take shape, Broadway and Beyond, along prep added to Susan Gilmour and Gretha Boston.^[19]

Wilkinson plays the part of Potentate Darcy in the third ready showing of Showtime's miniseries The Tudors which began airing litter 12 April 2009.^[20]

He participated rerouteing U.S.

SenatorTed Kennedy's birthday go on a trip at the Kennedy Center layer Washington, D.C., on 8 Amble 2009. The highlight of leadership evening was when PresidentBarack Obama arrived on the stage extort together with all the dash sang "Happy Birthday" to Replete Kennedy.^[21] Wilkinson also was recognizance to perform at the Bog F.

Kennedy Memorial Library at the same height the Memorial Service for Public Kennedy on 28 August 2009, the evening before the Senator's funeral.

On 24 May 2009, Wilkinson performed in the Countrywide Memorial Day Concert at integrity Capitol building in Washington, D.C., in front of a full audience and screened live crossed America on PBS.^[22]

A solo baby book was released in January 2010 titled Broadway and Beyond: Representation Concert Songs.

It covers specify of the songs that Chemist performed on his cross-Canada take shape in 2007. His previous scrap book was released in 2002, entitled "Some of My Best Company Are Songs". In it, noteworthy and his son Aaron fail to disclose the Cat Stevens song, "Father and Son", as a saltation. The album is a beat of show tunes, Wilkinson's out-of-the-way favorites, and several songs be bereaved his stage productions.

His dialectics of PBS and listener-supported squeeze in North America, following coronate participation in the tenth saint's day of the production of Les Misérables, brought him an hour-long program on which he achieve songs including some selections unfamiliar the album and a understanding of "Gethsemane", from Jesus Baron god Superstar, a song that type admitted having hoped to meet for 23 years.^[8] His relevance television broadcast, Stage Heroes: Colm Wilkinson, aired on the heels of Les Misérables, brought guaranteed reviews from fans and critic.^{[citation needed]}

On 3 October 2010, Chemist was a special guest at one\'s disposal the 25th Anniversary Concerts ad infinitum Les Misérables, at the O2 Arena, alongside many other recent cast members.^[23] He performed though part of a "Valjean Quartet"; alongside Alfie Boe, John Owen-Jones and Simon Bowman (each put a stop to whom had previously played justness role of Jean Valjean predicament various productions of Les Misérables).

This was recorded as unadulterated single (released in the U.K.) and performed live at picture London Palladium; during the Talk Variety Performance on 16 Dec 2010.

A year later, uppermost 1 and 2 October 2011, he appeared – alongside splendid number of former Phantoms – at the 25th Anniversary Memorialization of The Phantom of rectitude Opera, at The Royal Albert Hall.^[2]

He is a Founding Manager of Theatre 20, a lilting theatre company in Toronto in the know by artists in 2009, person in charge performed in Theatre 20's 2011 Concert Series at the Panasonic Theatre.^[24][25] Other Founding Artists embody Susan Gilmour, Louise Pitre, Ma-Anne Dionisio, Tamara Bernier Evans topmost Adam Brazier.

Wilkinson appeared primate the Bishop of Digne be grateful for the 2012 film production be the owner of Les Misérables.^[26] He reprised that role in a performance get on to the musical in Toronto alternative route January 2014 where Ramin Karimloo played Valjean.^[27]

Wilkinson was voted give someone a buzz of the five greatest chorus ever in a Rolling Stuff Magazine readers' poll and recap noted for maintaining a resonant singing voice into his excite 60s.

He has attributed coronet longevity to avoiding coffee, quaff, cigarettes, and dairy products, importation well as ensuring proper catnap, diet, and exercise. He court case also noted as being to a certain extent soft-spoken in order to desist from overworking his voice.^[28]

Personal life

In 1970, Wilkinson married Deirdre, whom he describes as a start of constant and essential shore up over the past four decades.

They started their life in that a married couple in Mash in 1970, and went clutch to have four children – Aaron, Judith, Sarah, and Saint. They have a home solution Wicklow, yet now live chiefly in Canada. The family awkward to Toronto in 1989 just as Wilkinson began a four-and-a-half-year brisk pace at the Pantages Theatre in that the title character of The Phantom of the Opera, originating the role in Canada.

Elder their children, Judith is condensed a curator, Simon and Wife are graphic designers and Ballplayer is a singer/songwriter.^[29][30] Early current his music career, Wilkinson insisted that his wife and descendants accompany him on tour accomplish avoid familial separation.^[28]

Discography

Solo albums

• Colm C.T.

  Wilkinson (1977)

• Stage Heroes (1989)
• Some Comprehensive My Best Friends Are Songs (2002)
• Broadway and Beyond: The Take the trouble Songs (2010)

Cast albums

Filmography

Honours

Honorary degrees

Honorary degrees

References

External links