Brandon Victor Dixon Biography

Brandon Victor Dixon (born 1981) is an American actor, singer and theatrical producer. As an actor, he is known for creating the Broadway roles of Harpo in The Color Purple (2005), for which he was nominated for a Tony Award, and Berry Gordy Jr. in Motown: The Musical (2013). In London's West End, in 2014-2015, he played the role of Hayward Patterson in The Scottsboro Boys. In 2016, he played the role of Eubie Blake on Broadway in Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, for which he was nominated for another Tony.

His producing credits include Of Mice and Men (2014) and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

Dixon is currently performing the lead role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway company of Hamilton.

Early life

Dixon was born in Gaithersburg, Maryland and is a graduate of St. Albans School and Columbia University. He attended the British American Drama Academy at Balliol College, Oxford, England, in mid-1999.

Career

In 2003, Dixon played Royal in the Encores! production of House of Flowers and Simba in the Chicago production of The Lion King. In 2005, he 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. In 2010, Dixon originated the role of Haywood Patterson, in the Off-Broadway production of The Scottsboro Boys, for which he was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. In 2011, he portrayed Tom Collins in the Off-Broadway revival of Rent.

Dixon created the role of Berry Gordy Jr. in the original Broadway production of Motown: The Musical, which opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on April 14, 2013. For this role, Dixon was nominated for a Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance. In 2014, he returned to the role of Haywood Patterson in the London West End production of The Scottsboro Boys.

Also in 2013, Dixon and Motown the Musical choreographer Warren Adams founded WalkRunFly Productions to support productions for young artists. 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 and also garnered the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical.

In 2016, Dixon is appearing 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. He has been nominated for a Tony Award, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical, for his performance.

Dixon assumed the lead role of Aaron Burr from Leslie Odom, Jr. in the Broadway company of Hamilton on August 23, 2016.