ABOUT

Aiden James Poling is a professional actor, visual artist, singer-songwriter, creator, and teacher who believes in bringing diverse, inclusive, and truthful story-telling to life and making the arts accessible to all communities.

In 2019, Aiden was the Artist-in-Residence at Stage Center and spent the year working on their #WatchWhatHappens season as an actor & designer, as well as serving as an acting teacher for their Senior Performance Troupe. Some of his favorite roles include Jack Kelly (Newsies), Riff Raff (The Rocky Horror Show), Baby John (West Side Story), Princeton (Avenue Q), & Tunny (Green Day's American Idiot). In 2017, Aiden made his directing debut at ArtSTATION with his production of Constellations by Nick Payne. While much of his time is spent on the stage, Aiden is no stranger to the camera, having acted in and directed several independent film projects. He is passionate about stage combat and is certified with Recommendation in both Unarmed and Single Sword by the Society of American Fight Directors. Aiden is also an alumnus of Alan's Hot Tub improv troupe and is the lead voice in the What's Barbershop? quartet.

Aiden graduated summa cum laude from Centenary College of Louisiana with a BFA in Theatre and a BFA in Visual Art. Both areas of study have allowed him to succeed on stage as well as behind the curtain. He has designed and built sets, created props, designed playbills and posters for numerous productions, and--in his spare time-- builds furniture from scratch. In 2017, his art was showcased in his gallery exhibit entitled piece of mind. He accepts commissions for drawings, paintings, sculptures, custom built furniture/restorations, as well as murals.

Between 2017 and 2021, Aiden was on staff with the Bossier Parish Talented Arts program as a theatre teacher, where he first discovered his passion for helping students access the arts and gain experience from performing & viewing opportunities. He is a voice, acting, and audition coach & works both virtually & in person with people from all over.

Currently, Aiden resides in Omaha, NE. He serves as the Co-Artistic Director for RESPECT, an educational touring theatre company that aims to "stage conversations" and educate audiences of all ages and background about mental health, SEL concepts, and building and maintaining healthy relationships. He is also an actor for VROOM! Mobile Sensory Theatre, a one-of-a kind traveling theatre experience designed for audiences with autism, developmental delays, or other sensory sensitivities. VROOM!, offered through the Omaha Community Playhouse, is a program that provides a safe and personalized experience for these individuals by bringing the performance directly to their home.

In his downtime from creating or working on projects, Aiden enjoys weight-lifting, yoga, cooking, solving escape rooms, star-gazing, and a good glass of scotch. He is also a Dog/Cat Dad to Hazel and Alfie, who he raises with his fiancée, love of his life and creative-partner-in-crime, Maddison.