American actor and producer
Brandon Victor Dixon
(born September 23, 1981)
[1]
is an American actor, singer and
theatrical producer
. As a
musical theatre
actor, he is known for
Tony Award
-nominated
Broadway
performances as Harpo in the 2005 musical
The Color Purple
and
Eubie Blake
in
Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
(2016). He originated both roles, as well as the leading role of
Berry Gordy Jr.
in
Motown: The Musical
(2013) on Broadway, which earned a nomination for a
Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album
. In 2016, Dixon assumed the role of
Aaron Burr
in the Broadway company of
Hamilton
.
Off-Broadway
as well as in London's
West End
, Dixon played the role of Hayward Patterson in
The Scottsboro Boys
and was nominated for a
2014
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.
As a producer, Dixon's credits include Broadway revivals of
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
and
Of Mice and Men
(2014); the former won the
2014
Tony Award
and the
Drama Desk Award
for best revival of a musical.
In
2018
, Dixon portrayed
Judas Iscariot
in
NBC
's
live concert version
of
Andrew Lloyd Webber
and
Tim Rice
's rock opera
Jesus Christ Superstar
, for which he received a
Primetime Emmy
nomination for
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
.
Early life and education
[
edit
]
Dixon was born in
Gaithersburg, Maryland
on September 23, 1981, and attended the
St. Albans School
and
Columbia University
, where he graduated in 2003.
[2]
[3]
[4]
He attended the
British American Drama Academy
at
Balliol College, Oxford
, England, in mid-1999.
[5]
Dixon has noted
Ragtime
was the "first ever [Broadway] show I saw."
[6]
Career
[
edit
]
Theater
[
edit
]
Early performances
[
edit
]
In 2003, Dixon played Royal in the
Encores!
production of
House of Flowers
and adult
Simba
in the national touring company of
The Lion King
,
[7]
a role he landed immediately after graduating from Columbia.
[3]
The Color Purple
[
edit
]
In 2005, Dixon created the role of Harpo on Broadway in the musical
The Color Purple
, for which he was nominated for a
Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical
.
[8]
In
The New York Times
, theater critic
Ben Brantley
's review compared Dixon to castmates Felicia P. Fields and
Elisabeth Withers-Mendes
in the way the latter two "exude a sensual energy that you can feel the audience wants to luxuriate in. (The same impression is cut, in a sunnier vein, by Brandon Victor Dixon[...])".
[9]
Dixon subsequently joined the show's touring company. In a 2009 review,
The Boston Globe
noted the men in the cast were given less to work than the show's women, but said Dixon's performance was nevertheless "lithe and amusing," played to "superb comedic effect."
[10]
The Scottsboro Boys
[
edit
]
In 2010, Dixon originated the role of
Haywood Patterson
, in the
Off-Broadway
production of the musical
The Scottsboro Boys
, for which he was nominated for the
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical
.
[11]
In a review for
Variety
, David Rooney said, "Haywood Patterson['s] fierce pride and refusal to die for a lie provides an affecting center to the show in Brandon Victor Dixon’s charismatic performance."
[12]
In the
Times
, Brantley said, "Brandon Victor Dixon gives the show a shot of soft-pedaled star power. His 11 o’clock number, an angry what-I-stand-for anthem, is especially affecting."
[13]
In 2014, Dixon returned to the role of Haywood Patterson in London's
West End
production of
The Scottsboro Boys
.
[14]
Other shows
[
edit
]
In 2011, Dixon portrayed Tom Collins in the Off-Broadway revival of
Rent
.
[8]
Dixon created the role of
Berry Gordy Jr.
, founder of the
Motown
record label, in the original Broadway production of
Motown: The Musical
, which Gordy wrote himself. The show opened at the
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
on April 14, 2013. His first leading role on Broadway,
[15]
critics described it as a "tough, sketchy assignment" in what they felt was a flawed show,
[16]
[17]
[18]
[19]
but Dixon nevertheless earned a nomination for a
Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance
.
[20]
In 2016, Dixon appeared in the role of
Eubie Blake
in the musical
Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
on Broadway at the
Music Box Theatre
.
[21]
He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for his performance.
[22]
Also in 2016, he appeared as Coalhouse Walker Jr in
Ragtime
at
Ellis Island
.
[23]
From September to November 2022, he played Billy Flynn in the Broadway production of
Chicago
.
[24]
Hamilton
[
edit
]
Dixon assumed the lead role of
Aaron Burr
in the
Broadway
company of
Hamilton
on August 23, 2016,
[25]
recruited in part by the role's originator,
Leslie Odom, Jr.
, and selected over the role's three understudies when Dixon became available following the early close of
Shuffle Along
.
[6]
Previously Dixon had performed with
Hamilton
castmate
Renee Elise Goldsberry
in
The Color Purple
, as well as other members of the cast, including
Christopher Jackson
,
Ephraim Sykes
, and
Sasha Hutchings
, in workshops and festivals.
[6]
Dixon played the role of Burr through August 13, 2017.
[26]
Reviewing the show in June 2017 for
Deadline Hollywood
, Jeremy Gerard said that Dixon and other replacements merited comparison with the original cast for the former's development of distinct but no less compelling interpretations of their characters: "Hamilton’s nemesis, Aaron Burr, is played by the exceptionally fine Brandon Victor Dixon replacing Leslie Odom Jr. The latter was steel cloaked in suavity, while Dixon is more severe in the opening number, which gives us both Hamilton’s back story and the seeds of a rivalry that will only conclude in a duel on the New Jersey shore many decades later. Delivering what is, to my mind, the show’s most astonishing number, 'The Room Where It Happens,' Dixon’s another knockout."
[27]
In November 2016, shortly after the
U.S. presidential election
,
Republican
Vice President-elect
Mike Pence
attended
Hamilton
and Dixon addressed him from the stage following the performance, thanking him for attending and stating: "We, sir?we?are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights. We truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us."
[28]
This statement was jointly written by the cast, show creator
Lin-Manuel Miranda
, and producer
Jeffrey Seller
. Pence stated that he was not offended,
[28]
but
President-elect
Donald Trump
demanded an apology for the "harassment" of Pence.
[29]
Producing
[
edit
]
In 2013, Dixon and
Motown the Musical
choreographer Warren Adams founded WalkRunFly Productions to support productions for young artists.
[30]
Through WalkRunFly Productions, he co-produced the 2014 Broadway productions of
Of Mice and Men
, which was nominated for the
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play
, and
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
, which won the
Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical
as well as the
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical
.
[31]
As of January 2017, WalkRunFly has two more shows in development: a transfer to Broadway of
Whorl Inside a Loop
, a play by
Dick Scanlan
and
Sherie Rene Scott
set in a prison, and
Trial of the Century
, a musical about the
Lindbergh baby kidnapping
.
[32]
Television
[
edit
]
In addition to his theater work, Dixon began a recurring role on
Starz
series,
Power
, in 2017 as attorney Terry Silver. He was promoted to a series regular as of the fifth season which aired in 2018.
[33]
Dixon portrayed
Judas Iscariot
in the
live televised concert production
of
Jesus Christ Superstar
on April 1, 2018,
Easter
Sunday. Reviewing the show for
New York
magazine,
Matt Zoller Seitz
named Dixon as giving one of the “strongest performances” in what Zoller Seitz called "one of the most impressive things I’ve seen in the 20-plus years I’ve been writing about TV." He found Dixon and castmates
John Legend
,
Sara Bareilles
,
Norm Lewis
and
Jin Ha
“so superb, in terms of their acting as well as their singing, that they diminished other performers who might have been singled out as scene-stealers in lesser productions, such as
Alice Cooper
’s
King Herod
.”
[34]
In
The New York Times
, Noel Murray gave a similarly rave review, calling the production "a conceptual and artistic triumph" and Dixon its "powerful and charismatic" standout: "Given what 'Jesus Christ Superstar' ultimately says about idols and the people in their shadow, it is appropriate that this production was dominated by Dixon's portrayal of Judas."
[35]
Dixon has also appeared on television in
The Good Wife
and in the
40th Annual Kennedy Center Honors.
[36]
In 2019, Dixon appeared in another televised concert production,
Fox
’s
Rent: Live
as Tom Collins.
[37]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Dixon lives in New York City.
[7]
In 2019, he delivered the Columbia College Class Day speech.
[38]
Accolades
[
edit
]
†: Dixon served as a producer on these productions.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Dixon, Brandon Victor (September 23, 2016).
"Happy Birthday to my Birthday Buddy! @KKChiMo"
.
Twitter
. Retrieved
4 April
2018
.
- ^
"Motown's Brandon Victor Dixon Remembers Break-Ups and Boyz II Men in High School"
, Broadway.com, September 9, 2013, accessed December 25, 2014
- ^
a
b
Ritzel, Rebecca (2016-06-10).
"Maryland native is hoping second time's the charm at this year's Tony Awards"
.
Washington Post
.
ISSN
0190-8286
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
Swindler, Josie (August 2007).
"Brandon Victor Dixon '03: From Lion to Lion King"
.
Columbia College Today
. Retrieved
December 21,
2020
.
- ^
Wolf, Matt.
"Brandon Victor Dixon on Coming Home to
The Scottsboro Boys
in London & His Side Gig as a B’way Producer"
, Broadway.com, October 8, 2014
- ^
a
b
c
Morgan, Richard (August 18, 2016).
"
'Hamilton': New Aaron Burr, Brandon Victor Dixon, Prepares to Take His Shot"
.
Rolling Stone
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
a
b
"Bio"
.
brandonvictordixon.com
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
a
b
"Brandon Victor Dixon Theatre Credits"
. Broadwayworld.com
. Retrieved
2012-05-26
.
- ^
Brantley, Ben (2005-12-02).
"The Color Purple - Review - Theater"
.
The New York Times
.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
Kennedy, Louise (2009-06-19).
"A strong and spirited "Color Purple"
"
.
Boston.com
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
Healy, Patrick (2010-04-29).
"Brandon Victor Dixon to Play Ray Charles on Broadway - NYTimes.com"
. Artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com
. Retrieved
2012-05-26
.
- ^
Rooney, David (2010-03-11).
"The Scottsboro Boys"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
Brantley, Ben (2010-03-10).
"Kander and Ebb Revisit an Infamous Case"
.
The New York Times
.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
Gardner, Lyn.
"
The Scottsboro Boys
review ? a dazzling civil rights musical"
,
The Guardian
, October 20, 2014
- ^
Bonazzo, John (2016-06-03).
"
'Shuffle Along' Star Talks Tonys and Diversity"
.
Observer
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
Jones, Chris.
"Songs, not stories, get top billing in 'Motown'
"
.
Chicago Tribune
. Retrieved
2018-04-04
.
- ^
Isherwood, Charles (2013-04-14).
"
'Motown: The Musical,' Berry Gordy's Story"
.
The New York Times
.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
2018-04-04
.
- ^
Giltz, Michael (2013-04-18).
"Theater: Motown: The Musical a Missed Opportunity"
.
Huffington Post
. Retrieved
2018-04-04
.
- ^
Rooney, David (April 14, 2013).
"
'Motown: The Musical': Theater Review"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. Retrieved
2018-04-04
.
- ^
Evans, Suzy (23 April 2013).
"2013 Drama League Awards Nominees Announced"
.
Backstage.com
. Retrieved
18 December
2014
.
- ^
Purcell, Carey.
"Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald Will Reunite on Broadway in
Shuffle Along
, Billy Porter Joins Them"
, Playbill.com, August 9, 2015
- ^
"See Full List of 2016 Tony Award Nominations"
, Playbill, May 3, 2016
- ^
Gans, Andrew (2016-06-23).
"Laura Michelle Kelly, Brandon Victor Dixon Set for Site-Specific Ragtime Concert"
.
Playbill
. Retrieved
2016-08-14
.
- ^
Brandon Victor Dixon and Amra-Faye Wright Will Join Angelica Ross in Broadway's Chicago
- ^
"New Burr, Sir: Brandon Victor Dixon Joins Hamilton Tonight | Playbill"
.
Playbill
. Retrieved
2016-08-24
.
- ^
"Photo Flash: Brandon Victor Dixon Toasts Final Performance in Broadway's HAMILTON"
.
BroadwayWorld.com
. August 16, 2017
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
Gerard, Jeremy (2017-06-26).
"Review: 'Hamilton's Revolution Still Shoots Fireworks Over Broadway"
.
Deadline
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
a
b
Nelson, Eliot (21 November 2016).
"Mike Pence's 'Hamilton' Recollection Conflicts With Donald Trump's Take"
.
Huffington Post
. Retrieved
21 November
2016
.
- ^
Levine, Sam (20 November 2016).
"Donald Trump Is Really Upset Mike Pence Got Booed At 'Hamilton'
"
.
Huffington Post
. Retrieved
21 November
2016
.
- ^
Rapp, Ilana (24 April 2014).
"Grammy and Tony Award Nominated Brandon Victor Dixon is on Broadway in MOTOWN: The Musical"
.
The Huffington Post
. Retrieved
18 December
2014
.
- ^
"WalkRunFly Productions"
.
IBDB: the Internet Broadway Database
. Retrieved
December 25,
2014
.
- ^
Cox, Gordon (2017-01-17).
"
'Hamilton' Star Brandon Victor Dixon Reflects on That Mike Pence Moment"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
2018-04-04
.
- ^
Petski, Denise (2017-10-04).
"
'Power': Brandon Victor Dixon Upped To Series Regular For Season 5"
.
Deadline
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
Seitz, Matt Zoller (April 2, 2018).
"NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar Set a New Standard for Live Musicals"
.
Vulture
. New York Magazine
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
Murray, Noel (2018-04-02).
"Review: In 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' an Old Story for (Yet Another) New Millennium"
.
The New York Times
.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
Otterson, Joe (2018-02-22).
"
'Hamilton' Alum Brandon Victor Dixon Joins NBC's 'Jesus Christ Superstar Live'
"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
2018-04-03
.
- ^
Turchiano, Danielle (29 October 2018).
"Tinashe, Kiersey Clemons Among Cast for Fox's Live Version of 'Rent'
"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
January 28,
2019
.
- ^
College, Columbia (2019-05-21).
"Behind the scenes: Deantini and Columbia College Class Day speaker Brandon Victor Dixon CC' 03. #myccjourneypic.twitter.com/hBKajSvb0H"
.
@CC_Columbia
. Retrieved
2019-05-21
.
External links
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