Broadway’s Prodigal Son: Leslie Odom Jr.’s Hamilton Encore for Landmark Anniversary
In a move that has sent ripples of excitement through the theater world, Tony Award-winner Leslie Odom Jr. is set to reclaim his iconic role as Aaron Burr in the revolutionary musical phenomenon “Hamilton.” This limited 12-week engagement, commencing September 9 and concluding November 23, coincides beautifully with the production’s milestone 10th anniversary celebration.
Odom’s relationship with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s masterpiece began long before its meteoric rise to cultural touchstone status. First encountering the work during a workshop at Vassar, Odom found himself profoundly moved by what he witnessed. “The Story of Tonight” particularly resonated, representing a watershed moment in theatrical representation—four men of color expressing brotherhood and friendship on stage, a sight Odom had never before experienced in musical theater.
“Returning to Hamilton is a deeply meaningful homecoming,” Odom shared in a recent press statement. “I’m so grateful for the chance to step back into the room—especially during this anniversary moment and to revisit this brilliant piece that forever changed my life and the lives of so many.”
The Richard Rodgers Theatre will once again witness Odom’s commanding presence and haunting vocals that first captivated audiences and critics alike. His original portrayal of the complex Founding Father’s rival earned him not just a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, but also catapulted him into an enviable post-Hamilton career renaissance.
In the years following his departure from the show in 2016, Odom has cultivated an impressive portfolio spanning television, film, and stage. Television audiences have delighted in his performances in “Love in the Time of Corona,” “Abbott Elementary,” and “The Good Wife,” while cinephiles have appreciated his work in “The Many Saints of Newark,” “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” and “The Exorcist: Believer.” Broadway enthusiasts have had the pleasure of witnessing his continued theatrical excellence in productions like “Purlie Victorious” and “Gutenberg! The Musical!”
“You don’t get shows that run 10 years,” Odom reflected during a recent appearance on “The Today Show.” “There are a lot of shows we love, great shows, that they come and they go—that’s the nature of the theater. So for something to be embraced by the public and the culture, and the way that Hamilton has and the way that Rent was—it’s twice in a lifetime.”
Indeed, “Hamilton” stands as one of Broadway’s most extraordinary successes. Having grossed over $1 billion throughout its 3,380+ performances, the production joins an elite circle alongside “The Lion King,” “Wicked,” and “The Phantom of the Opera” as the highest-grossing Broadway shows of all time—with “Hamilton” achieving this milestone in remarkably less time than its predecessors.
As Odom prepares to once again don the period attire and step into the shoes of the man who would fatefully end Alexander Hamilton’s life, theater aficionados are eagerly securing tickets to witness this historic return. For those who missed his original, career-defining performance, this limited engagement offers a rare second chance to experience theatrical lightning in a bottle—the perfect marriage of actor and role that comes along perhaps once in a generation.
The countdown to September 9 has begun. The room where it happens awaits.
