Christopher Jackson Returns to Hamilton as George Washington
Christopher Jackson, one of the original cast members of the acclaimed Broadway musical ‘Hamilton,’ will reprise his role as George Washington. Known for his Tony Award-nominated performance alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton, Jackson will return to the Richard Rodgers Theatre from September 8 to January 3.
Jackson expressed a desire to reconnect with an experience that profoundly influenced his artistic journey. He told The Associated Press, ‘I wanted to touch the thing that I feel turned me into an artist in a way that nothing I’d ever done had done. I wanted it to touch this thing again.’ His return is inspired by reconnecting with fellow cast members during the musical’s 10th anniversary events.
Jackson is the second original cast member to return. Previously, Leslie Odom Jr. reprised his role as Aaron Burr, which boosted the show’s success, achieving over $4 million in weekly sales for the first time since 2018.
Before his role in ‘Hamilton,’ Jackson had an impressive stage career with roles like Simba in ‘The Lion King,’ Benny in ‘In the Heights,’ and Delray in ‘Memphis.’ He was also involved in ‘After Midnight,’ ‘Bronx Bombers’ as Derek Jeter, and ‘Holler If Ya Hear Me.’ In television, Jackson contributed as a composer and songwriter for ‘The Electric Company’ and ‘Sesame Street.’
Post-‘Hamilton,’ Jackson appeared in the CBS drama ‘Bull,’ HBO Max’s series ‘And Just Like That,’ and returned to Broadway with ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ and ‘Freestyle Love Supreme.’ He also lent his voice to the animated film ‘Moana.’
Speaking about his career, Jackson stated, ‘I haven’t stopped working since I left ‘Hamilton.’ I’ve been very fortunate. But there’s nothing that I have done that has challenged me in the way that show does.’
Jackson left ‘Hamilton’ in November 2016, after the show had garnered 11 Tony Awards, including best new musical. The cast album became a major success, and the musical continued to attract large audiences throughout its tours.
The Richard Rodgers Theatre holds special significance for Jackson, whom he describes as his ‘favorite building in New York’ and where he experienced ‘the greatest, most profound artistic moments of my life.’
During Jackson’s original tenure in ‘Hamilton,’ the cast, which included Daveed Diggs, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Okieriete Onaodowan, Anthony Ramos, and Phillipa Soo, gained international recognition alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Jackson will return to perform songs such as ‘Right Hand Man,’ ‘History Has Its Eyes on You,’ and ‘Yorktown.’ He acknowledges the challenge of regaining the muscle memory for the performance but appreciates that his children can now watch him as adults. Familiarity with the theater’s layout also provides practical advantages.