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Leslie Odom Jr.
Leslie Odom Jr. In Concert With the Des Moines Symphony
Multifaceted performer Leslie Odom, Jr. has most recently been seen in the blockbuster Broadway musical Hamilton, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for the role of “Aaron Burr.”
He is a Grammy Award winner as a principal soloist on Hamilton’s Original Broadway Cast Recording, which won the 2015 award for Best Musical Theater Album.
Odom, Jr. originated the role of “Burr” in a sold-out run at The Public Theater in 2015, earning a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical.
Odom, Jr. made his Broadway debut at the age of 17 in Rent, before heading to Carnegie Mellon University’s prestigious School of Drama, where he graduated with honors. He is the recipient of a 2002 Princess Grace Award for Acting, which is dedicated to identifying emerging talent in theater, dance and film.
Additional theatre credits include Leap of Faith on Broadway, for which he won the 2012 Astaire Award for Outstanding Male Dancer on Broadway and was nominated for a Drama League Award; the 2014 musical Venice, which also played at The Public Theater; and the Encores! Off-Center production of Tick, Tick... Boom! which was his first time working with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
On the small screen, Odom, Jr. is best-known for his portrayal of “Sam Strickland” in the NBC musical series “Smash,” and his recurring role as “Reverend Curtis Scott” on “Law & Order: SVU.” He’s also appeared in episodes of “Gotham,” “Person of Interest,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “House of Lies,” “Vanished” and “CSI: Miami.” On the big screen he starred in the 2012 film Red Tails opposite Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and David Oyelowo.
As a recording artist, his self-titled debut album was part-funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign which raised $40,971. The album was released in 2014 by Borderlight Entertainment, Inc.
Odom, Jr. was raised in Philadelphia, and currently resides in New York City.
Thomas W. Douglas is a compelling and passionate conductor who has done more than 200 orchestral, musical theater, opera and oratorio productions, remaining a favorite of all orchestras. He is the Music Director of the Newton Symphony in Kansas and is also the Artistic Director of the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh who is regularly receiving accolades for innovative, creative and dramatically provocative productions. Career highlights include conducting Webber’s Phantom of the Opera in Basel, Switzerland, Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, the Pittsburgh premiere of the classic silent films The Passion of Joan of Arc, with live orchestra and chorus, the U.S. premiere of David Chesky’s The Agnostic, the rousing Camina Burana Africana, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Don Giovanni.
Mr. Douglas is the resident musical director and conductor for Music Theater of Wichita, and has worked with the Anchorage Opera, Pittsburgh’s City Theater, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Canton Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Dallas Symphony, River City Brass Band and the Pittsburgh Symphony. He has also worked with classical guitarist and Latin Grammy winner, Berta Rojas and Tony winner, Kelli O’Hara.
Mr. Douglas is the Director of Opera Studies and the Director of Choral Activities at Carnegie Mellon University and is thrilled as he looks forward to several other concerts with Leslie Odom, Jr.