Aaron John Walpole (born March 7, 1979) is a Canadian actor and singer, who placed third on the third season of Canadian Idol.[1] He is best known for playing the role of Lonnie in the 2010 Toronto run of Rock of Ages and Annas in the 2012 Broadway run of Jesus Christ Superstar.[2][3] He appeared in the 2014 Broadway revival of Les Misérables, as a part of the ensemble.[1]
Early life
Walpole was born in London, Ontario, and has two siblings.[4] When he was 10 years old, he saw a production of Jesus Christ Superstar with his family, which inspired him to pursue musical theatre.[5]
In 2005, Walpole auditioned for the third season of Canadian Idol. He went to the auditions to support a friend, but was forced to register to audition so he could stay in line with her.[8] Walpole advanced through the audition stages, but was eliminated in the top 32 round. However, he was chosen to compete in the wildcard round where he received enough votes to advance. Walpole finished in third place, behind runner-up Rex Goudie and winner Melissa O'Neil.[9]
Following the show, Walpole released a self-titled album in 2006.[10]
In 2010, Walpole starred as Lonny in the Canadian premiere production of Rock of Ages.[11] The musical opened at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on April 20, 2010 and closed on January 2, 2011.
Walpole made his Broadway debut in 2012, where he appeared as Annas in the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar.[12] The production was originally presented in 2011 at the Stratford Festival, before transferring to the La Jolla Playhouse where it played a pre-Broadway engagement. [12] The show closed on July 1, after four months of performances.[13]
In 2013, Walpole appeared in a revival of Les Misérables, where he played Champmathieu and understudied the role of Jean Valjean.[1] The musical had a pre-Broadway engagement at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto between September 27, 2013 and February 2, 2014. The musical then transferred to Broadway, where it began performances at the Imperial Theatre on 1 March 2014.[14]
In 2015, Walpole joined the first national tour of Kinky Boots, where he played Don.[8]
In 2025, Walpole will appear as a standby in the Canadian revival production of Come from Away.[15] The musical will play at the Babs Asper Theatre in Ottawa between August 14 and September 1, 2024, before transferring to the Royal Alexandra Theatre where it will begin performances on September 22, 2024.[15]
Television and film
Walpole's first major acting role was in the 2003 television movie, Deacons for Defense. He also starred in the 2011 movie Silent But Deadly as Rob.[7] Since then, he has appeared in several television shows.[7]
Personal life
On October 4, 2014, Walpole married Stefanie Oechslin. They have one child, a son named Eli.[8]
