Janet Aldrich

Janet Aldrich (born Janet Wallerich; October 16, 1956 in Hinsdale, Illinois) is an American actress and singer. Born in Hinsdale, Illinois and raised in Naples, Florida, she studied theatre at the University of Miami. She has had an active performance career since 1980. She has appeared in several Broadway musicals and plays, and has worked in American regional theatre; notably winning a Helen Hayes Award in 1986 for her performance in the Washington D.C. production of Forbidden Broadway. She has also worked in theaters in Europe, and was awarded France's Victoires de la Musique award in 1987 for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in the Paris production of Cabaret. While primarily a stage actress, she has also worked in American television and film.

Early life and education The daughter of George M. Wallerich and Frances Wallerich (later Frances Aldridge), Janet Marie Wallerich was born on October 16, 1956.Janet Wallerich in the U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 2 Originally from Hinsdale, Illinois, she moved to Naples, Florida with her parents in 1966. Her father worked in real estate development. Her mother was Canadian by birth, and was employed as a model and later secretary for the Marshall Field's department store. Her parents divorced and her mother married Janet's step-father, Frank M. Aldridge, in 1972.Frances Wallerich in the Florida, U.S., Marriage Indexes, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001

Janet studied theatre at the University of Miami (UM). While there she portrayed Maria in Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story at the UM's Jerry Herman Ring Theatre in 1976 with a student cast that included Ray Liotta as Riff, Valerie Perri as Anita, and Bruce Lazarus as Doc. She played Laurey in the UM's Spring 1977 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! with Steven Bauer (then billed as Rocky Echevarría) as Jud. She played Cunégonde with Bauer in the title role of Candide at the UM in the Fall of 1977 in a cast that also included Saundra Santiago as the Old Lady. She graduated from the UM with B.A. in Theatre.

Career

Janet began her career performing under the name Janet Aldridge, and it was under this name that she made her New York debut in November 1980 as one of the Geminae twins at the Equity Library Theatre in Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The summer prior to this she performed the role of Osgood in Sondheim's Anyone Can Whistle at the Berkshire Theatre Festival with a cast that included George Hearn as J. Bowden Hapgood, Mary Louise Wilson as Cora Hoover Hooper, and Rhonda Coullet as Fay Apple. By 1981 she was using the stage name Jane Aldrich when she made her Broadway debut at the Uris Theatre in the musical Annie.

Aldrich subsequently returned to Broadway in the ensemble of the 1984 revival of The Three Musketeers, and as Ruby in the 1987 revival of George Abbott's play Broadway. On April 27, 1989 she performed the role of Maligna in the musical Starmites for the grand opening of the Broadway theatre Criterion Center Stage Right. After the close of that show she portrayed Lady Jaqueline Carstone as a replacement cast member in the Broadway production Me and My Girl in 1989.

Off-Broadway Aldrich portrayed the roles of Joan, the Nurse, and Exerciser in American Princess at the INTAR Theatre (1982), and Mistress Dainty in The Heather Brothers's musical Lust (1995) at John Houseman Theater. In 1986 she starred in Pump Boys and Dinettes at the Geva Theatre Center. That same year she won the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actress, Resident Musical, for her work in Forbidden Broadway at the Omni Shoreham Hotel's theater in Washington D.C. For her portrayal of Sally Bowles in the Paris, France production of Cabaret she won the Victoire de la Musique award in 1987.

In 1992 Aldrich performed the role of the Baker's Wife in Sondheim's Into the Woods at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. She was nominated for a Philadelphia Inquirer Critics Choice Award for this performance. In 1993 she starred as Rose in The Song of Singapore at the Downtown Cabaret Theater in Bridgeport, Connecticut for which she received a nomination for a Connecticut Critics Choice Award. In 1996 she portrayed Karen Richards in Charles Strouse's musical Applause at the Paper Mill Playhouse. In 2017 she portrayed Sophie Tucker in the original musical Ben, Virginia & Me (The Liberace Musical) at the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

On screen Aldrich portrayed the role of Daniel Vigne in the 1985 French film Une Femme ou Deux starring Gérard Depardieu and Sigourney Weaver. She also worked as a guest actress on the soap operas As the World Turns and Guiding Light.

Personal life Aldrich married Carlos Valdes-Dapena on April 9, 1988.Janet Marie Wallerich in the Florida, U.S., Marriage Indexes, 1822-1875 and 1927-2001, Certificate 030202 They moved to Montclair, New Jersey in 1994 where they raised their two children.

Performance credits Filmography Year Title Director 2026 See Me Cormac Fingeret 2026 Expired_Link Freya Golden 2025 Her Turn Rebecca Skirboll 1985 Ringers Tony Cookson 1985 Une Femme ou Deux Daniel Vigne 2000 Jails Hospitals & Hip Hop Danny Hoch 2008 In 500 Words or Less Molly Fowler 2011Liberty Road Jason Fraley2020#FareLifeBrian Hogan

Television

Year Title Role Location1995The Cosby MysteriesPaige Coleman Episode 6NBC1993 Another World Madame Charpentier, Courturier NBC1993Saturday Night LiveCanteen Boys Eyes, Amy #4NBC1992Saturday Night LiveJack McManusNBC1992Saturday Night LiveUnfrozen Caveman LawyerNBC1992Saturday Night LiveUnfrozen Caveman LawyerNBC1992Saturday Night LiveTyson/Tall Tales of RecessionNBC1992Guiding LightPatsy, PTA ChairCBS1991Saturday Night LiveJohnny LetterNBC1991 Saturday Night Live Alec Baldwin host: Jackie, his tough Biker Chick CBS1990 Saturday Night Live Sheba, "Bleak Poetry" sketch with Sting CBS1987 Guiding Light Sheila, Josh's call girl CBS1986 This Is Your Life Nikolai Volkoff Magda, Nikolai's First Girlfriend WWE1985 Guiding Light Suzy, Roxie's Friend from her dark past CBS1984 As the World Turns Courtney, Script 7176 CBS1983 Ryan's Hope Nurse Nancy CBS

Theatre

Year Title Theater Director Location2025ReunionsCity Center Stage IIGabriel BarreOff Broadway, New York City2024The Wedding SingerGateway PlayhouseKeith AndrewsBellport, Long Island2021Turtle On A Fence PostTheater 555Gabriel BarreOff Broadway, New York City2020Tuning In - Cancelled due to COVID-19Adirondack Theater Festival 2017 Ben, Virginia & Me – The Liberace Musical NYMF Paul Stancato Off Broadway, New York City2016The House of Glass - WorkshopArena StageMatt CowartWashington, DC 2012 The Music Man Arena Stage Molly Smith Washington, DC 2010 Annie Olney Theatre Center for the Arts Mark Waldrop Olney, MD 2002 Annie Warbucks Montclair Operetta Conservatory John de la Rosa Montclair, NJ 2001 Annie Montclair Operetta Conservatory John de la Rosa Montclair, NJ 1996 Applause Paper Mill Playhouse & Pre-Broadway Tour Gene Saks Millburn, NJ 1995 On the Town- Concert Version Westfield Symphony Orchestra Brad Keimach Westfield, NJ 1995 Anything Goes Downtown Cabaret Theater Scott Thompson Bridgeport, CT 1995LustJohn Houseman TheaterBob Carlton Off Broadway, New York City 1995Lust – The American PremiereWalnut Street TheaterBob CarltonPhiladelphia, PA 1994 Me and My Girl Walnut Street Theater Charles "Chuck" Abbott Philadelphia, PA 1993 The Song of Singapore Downtown Cabaret Theater Michael Garin Bridgeport, CT 1993 Prime Time Prophet Players' Theatre Kevin Connors Off-Broadway New York City 1992 Into The Woods Walnut Street Theater Charles "Chuck" Abbott Philadelphia, PA 1989 Me and My Girl Marquis Theater Mike Ockrent Broadway New York City 1988 Starmites Criterion Center Stuart Ross Broadway New York City 1987–1988 Cabaret – In French Théâtre Mogador Jérôme Savary Paris, France 1987 Broadway Royale Theatre George Abbott Broadway New York City 1987 Broadway Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival George Abbott Cleveland, Ohio 1987 The Boys From Syracuse Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival Gerald Freedman Cleveland, Ohio 1986 Pump Boys and Dinettes Geva Theatre Center Jon Glazer Rochester, NY 1985-1986 Forbidden Broadway Omni Shoreham Hotel Marquis Room Jan Neuberger, Gerard Alessandrini Washington, DC 1985 Godspell Ford's Theater David Bell Washington, DC 1985 They're Playing Our Song Downtown Cabaret Theatre Richard Sabellico Bridgeport, CT 1984 The Three Musketeers Broadway Theatre (53rd Street) Joe Layton Broadway New York City1984Meet Me In St. LouisDarien Dinner TheatreDennis ColeDarien, CT 1984 Comedy of Errors Equity Library Theater Kent Thompson Off-Broadway New York City 1983 Wanted Dead Or Alive Panache Cabaret Chapman Roberts Off-Broadway New York City1983La Chanteuse ExtraordinaireLe RagtimeBart TaylorCannes, France1983The Stronger - WorkshopMiddlesex College TheaterBobby LuPone, Bernie TelseyEdison, NJ 1983 The Men's Group Equity Library Theater Kent Thompson Off-Broadway New York City 1982 American Princess INTAR Theatre Jed Feuer Off-Broadway New York City1981 Annie Uris Theatre Martin Charnin Broadway New York City1980 Annie 2nd National Tour Martin Charnin Broadway National Tour1980 Anyone Can Whistle Berkshire Theatre Festival Robert Tucker Stockbridge, MA 1980 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Equity Library Theater Cash Baxter Off-Broadway New York City

Janet Aldrich

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