Editing Colm Wilkinson (section)

{{short description|Irish singer and actor (born 1944)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Colm Wilkinson
| image           = Colm Wilkinson in 2007 (cropped).jpg
| caption         = Wilkinson performing in 2007 in Ontario, Canada
| birth_name      =
| alias           = C. T. Wilkinson
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|1944|6|5|df=y}}
| birth_place     = [[Drimnagh]], Ireland
| death_date      =
| death_place     =
| genre           = {{hlist|[[Rock opera]]|[[Broadway theatre]]|[[musical theatre]]|[[folk rock]]}}
| occupation      = {{Hlist|Singer|actor}}
| years_active    = 1972–present
| label           =
| associated_acts =
| website         = {{URL|colmwilkinson.com}}
}}

'''Colm Wilkinson''' (born 5 June 1944), also known as '''C. T. Wilkinson''', is an Irish singer and actor who is best known for originating the lead role of [[Jean Valjean]] in ''[[Les Misérables (musical)|Les Misérables]]'' (in the West End and Broadway) and for creating [[Erik (The Phantom of the Opera)|the title role]] in [[The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|''The Phantom of the Opera'']] (1985) preview at the Sydmonton Festival and the original Canadian production.

Due to his association with these musicals, he reprised the role of [[Jean Valjean]] during the [[Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert|''Les Misérables'' 10th Anniversary Concert]] (at [[The Royal Albert Hall]]), as well as appearing as a special guest at the [[Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary|''Les Misérables'' 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena]] and ''[[The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/work/les-miserables-in-concert-the-dream-cast-204176 |title=Les Miserables: In Concert - The Dream Cast (1995) - John Caird, Trevor Nunn, Gavin Taylor {{pipe}} Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related |website=AllMovie.com |access-date=2020-03-02}}</ref>

His versions of both "[[The Music of the Night]]" from ''Phantom'' and "[[Bring Him Home (Les Misérables)|Bring Him Home]]" from ''Les Misérables'' are acclaimed throughout the world; fans "insist he perform them...at all his concerts."<ref name=maskless>{{Cite news |url=http://ca.news.yahoo.com/former-phantom-star-colm-wilkinson-maskless-preps-toronto-191841915.html |title=Former 'Phantom' star Colm Wilkinson maskless as he preps for Toronto concert |first=Victoria |last=Ahearn |agency=[[The Canadian Press]] |location=Toronto |date=2011-07-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110731001105/http://ca.news.yahoo.com/former-phantom-star-colm-wilkinson-maskless-preps-toronto-191841915.html |archive-date=2011-07-31 |url-status=dead |access-date=2020-09-07 |via=Yahoo}}</ref>