Exuding masculine grace in spades while driving the narrative, Dixon effectively leans on emotions of jealousy and bitterness rather than villainy or menace as Burr continually questions Alexander Hamilton’s influential rise. From the moment Burr advises Hamilton to “talk less – smile more,” Dixon becomes the perfect foil, interpreting disbelief and inquisitiveness with clear-eyed, unflappable resolve, particularly in the introspective “Wait for It.”
In a remarkable contrast, he passionately lets loose in Act 2 leading a rousing rendition of “The Room Where It Happens,” an electrifying showstopper that finds Burr longing for Hamilton’s clout as the mystery behind his private meeting with Thomas Jefferson (fantastic understudy Marcus John, a true hip-hop connoisseur) and James Madison (impressively versatile Desmond Sean Ellington) thrillingly builds heightened by Andy Blankenbuehler’s superb, Fosse-inspired choreography.
Previous credits: Dixon’s national tour credits include Simba in “The Lion King” and Grady/Harpo in “The Color Purple.” He’s also been in regional productions of “Rent,” “Hairspray,” “Violet,” “In the Heights” and “Sister Act.”
Thoughts on Burr: During the tour’s recent stop in Providence, Rhode Island, Dixon, a native of Queens, New York, shared insights on his role with Rhode Island Monthly:
“Aaron Burr is, I guess some would say, the antagonist – it depends on how you look at the story…We’re on this journey, watching Hamilton excel in life, then we’re also on this journey watching Burr bear witness to that success as someone who got their start in the political field and in the war around the same time as Hamilton. It’s the opposite side of the same coin: Where Hamilton came from nothing and moved to America as an immigrant and pulled [himself] up by the bootstraps, Burr was born into a rich legacy of elites in New Jersey, and just the same as Hamilton, lost his family very early in his life. He was left with just his name and the legacy of his family and whatever money was left behind to help support his academics. For some people, Burr is known as the fallen founding father; he did participate in a lot of things that helped us establish the United States, but just didn’t have as much of an important role in the things that would come after the Revolutionary War. For anyone who does know, he’s a well-respected political figure outside of being the person who killed Hamilton, unfortunately… A lot of his legacy was kind of washed away with the duel and the scandal around the duel. We start the show knowing he’s the villain because he shot Hamilton, but we get a sense of who the person was behind that lore throughout the story, and I think it’s really cool to be the person who gets to do that. It’s a little more multilayered than some of the other stuff in the show.”
Latest project: Dixon appears opposite his titular “Hamilton” cast mate Pierre Jean Gonzalez in Gonzalez’s new short film “American Made,” a product of DominiRican Productions. Dixon (Edwards) and Gonzalez (Perez) play book-binders at a U.S. correctional facility. As Edwards tries to convince Perez to join him on a strike against extremely low wages, Perez is faced with the dilemma of delivering the news to his mate that he has been offered a promising position. New revelations are made as they talk about the injustices of the prison system that perpetuate modern day slavery. The film has been submitted for potential awards consideration at such prestigious film festivals as Sundance and Tribeca.
HOW TO GO
What: “Hamilton: An American Musical”
Where: Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton
When: Through Feb. 6; Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 4 at 8 p.m.; Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Length: 2 hours and 50 minutes including a 20-minute intermission
Cost: $49-$349
Tickets: Call Ticket Center Stage at 937-228-3630 or visit daytonlive.org.
COVID-19 protocol: Masks are required for patrons over the age of 6
FYI: Be sure to visit daytonlive.org to stay informed of any potential “Hamilton” cancellations before or during its run.
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