Leslie Odom Jr. (Photo from Mississippi State University)
- Born in New York City and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Odom Jr. made his Broadway debut at 17 in the Tony Award-winning production of “Rent.”
Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway star Leslie Odom Jr. is sure to pack Mississippi State’s Bettersworth Auditorium for the first performance of the university’s 2026-27 Lyceum Series.
Odom Jr., best known for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “Hamilton,” makes his MSU Starkville campus appearance September 11 at 7:30 p.m. in historic Lee Hall.
Among the 2015 original cast members of “Hamilton,” Odom Jr.’s Tony Award recognition followed in 2016 when his name was called for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He won the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album as a principal soloist on the “Hamilton: Original Broadway Cast Recording.”
He returned to his original Aaron Burr role in 2025 for the show’s 10th anniversary revival after adding “producer” to his resume for the 2023 Broadway comedy “Purlie Victorious,” which earned six Tony nominations and one win. He also just completed a nine-week run of “Hamilton” in London’s West End theater district.
Born in New York City and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Odom Jr. made his Broadway debut at 17 in the Tony Award-winning production of “Rent” before deciding to enroll in Carnegie Mellon University’s acclaimed School of Drama. He also began to gain recognition in several TV shows including “Smash,” Law and Order: SVU,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “CSI: Miami.”
Last year, Odom Jr.’s book Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher and Never Stop Learning was reissued in paperback, with the original hardcover first appearing in 2018. One of his most repeated quotes from the book speaks to his private and relentless dedication over the years. He said, “The work you put in when no one is watching will matter far more than the work you do when the cameras are rolling.”
Tickets, which start at $65, went on sale August 7. Tickets can be purchased online here or by calling the MSU Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930.
If available, tickets may be purchased the day of the performance at the door. Odom Jr. performed last December at MSU-Meridian’s Riley Center to a sell-out crowd.
Susan Marquez
