Janet Aldrich's life began in Illinois, where she was born to Fran and George Wallerich, the youngest of four siblings. Her parents' divorce had a profound impact on her, as it was during this time that she discovered her passion for acting and singing after watching Bob Fosse's film adaptation of "Cabaret" in 1972.
Janet then relocated to the San Francisco Bay area, where she attended high school and later graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Initially, she majored in pre-law philosophy, but she eventually switched to theatre after being cast as Maria in the production of "West Side Story" at the Ring Theatre, alongside Ray Liotta as Riff and Steven Bauer as Diesel.
As a trained soprano with a substantial belt, Janet's first professional job in the theatre was at the Coconut Grove Theatre's production of "Bubblin' Brown Sugar," where she understudied the role of Sophie Tucker. It was during this time that she met her first two mentors, Chapman Roberts and Elliott Lawrence, who played a significant role in shaping her career.
After graduating, Janet toured South America with a show and eventually moved to New York, where she met Bob Fosse, her new mentor. She was discovered by her first agent in a showcase production, in which she played the role of Joan Crawford. Her first professional performance was on the soap opera "Ryan's Hope" in 1975, followed by a national tour of "Annie" as the Star To Be.
Janet's illustrious career in New York and Paris included five Broadway shows, with her third being written and directed by George Abbott. Just after this, she flew to Paris and starred in Jérôme Savary's French production of "Cabaret" as Sally Bowles, replacing Ute Lemper. Despite initially struggling with her American accent, she learned to adapt and even recorded several demo songs with her French mentor, Jacqueline Danno.
In addition to her stage work, Janet appeared on various television shows, including CBS' "Guiding Light," As the World Turns," and NBC's "Another World." She also made a memorable appearance on Saturday Night Live in 1985, just six months after giving birth to her first child.
Janet married Carlos Valdes-Dapena mid-career and continued to perform on Broadway while pregnant, twice. She credits casting directors Sue Crystal and Jim Pitt for her appearances on SNL, which lasted for three years. In her spare time, Janet enjoys being a "Glamma" to her two granddaughters and records audiobooks. She currently resides in Montclair, New Jersey, near her first child.
