“Hamilton” star Leslie Odom Jr. is bringing the spotlight to Starkville for his headlining performance in Mississippi State’s 2026-27 Lyceum Series.
Mississippi State University announced on Monday that Odom Jr.’s concert will be at the Bettersworth Auditorium in Lee Hall on Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m., marking Odom Jr.’s second performance for Mississippi State, where he sold out a concert at their Meridian campus last December.
Born in New York City, Odom Jr. was raised in Philadelphia, Penn., before returning to the Big Apple for his Broadway debut at 17 in the Tony Award-winning production of “Rent.” Afterward, he enrolled in Carnegie Mellon University’s highly acclaimed School of Drama.
The Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway singer is best known for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “Hamilton,” which premiered in New York in 2015.
Odom Jr. won his first Tony Award in 2016 for the role, earning the nod for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. His Grammy came from the musical’s album release, where he won Best Musical Theater Album as a principal soloist on “Hamilton.”
The highly decorated Broadway star returned as Aaron Burr in 2025 for the production’s 10th anniversary revival, as well as a recent nine-week run of “Hamilton” in London’s West End.
Odom Jr. added producer to his resume for his help in the 2023 comedy “Purlie Victorius,” which won a Tony of its own.
In addition to Broadway, Odom Jr. has grown some recognition in the television acting world with roles in shows like “Smash,” “Law and Order: SVU,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “CSI: Miami.”
He has also written a book titled “Failing Up: How to Task Risks, Aim Higher and Never Stop Learning,” which was published in 2018 before being re-released as a paperback in 2025.
Tickets start at $65 and go on sale on Aug. 5 at 10 a.m.
