Bryson Bruce is currently making his Broadway debut in Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning international hit Hamilton, which celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Richard Rodgers Theatre August 6.
Bruce, who plays the dual roles of Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, arrived on Broadway last year following his work in the Hamilton national tour, where he was the principal standby for numerous parts, including Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, Lafayette/Jefferson, George Washington, and King George III. His current Broadway co-stars include Trey Curtis as Alexander Hamilton, Stephanie Umoh as Angelica Schuyler, and Morgan Anita Wood as Eliza Hamilton.
The multitalented actor was also seen in the 20th anniversary touring production of Jonathan Larson's Rent, playing Mr. Jefferson while understudying the roles of Benny and Collins.
In the interview below for the Playbill series How Did I Get Here—spotlighting not only actors, but directors, designers, musicians, and others who work on and off the stage to create the magic that is live theatre—Bruce shares how he was looking into other careers when Hamilton came along, and why "Washington On Your Side" is his favorite moment.
Where did you train/study?
Bryson Bruce: I
graduated from Mizzou [University of Missouri] in 2024, but have been studying theatre since I
was seven, when I enrolled in the Academy of Performing Arts, a local
community acting school in Grandview, Missouri. I learned something new with
each play and musical I was involved in ever since.
Was there a teacher who was particularly impactful/helpful? What made this instructor stand out?
Dan
Roberts was the first acting teacher I ever had. He wrote his own plays
and musicals and poured all he had into teaching fledgling thespians
the craft. He started me on this journey, and I can’t thank him enough.
Do you have a favorite moment in the show for Jefferson? What makes that part particularly special?
I
love "Washington on Your Side" for two reasons, one being that every
night is a little bit different. The song is about his bubbling
frustration with Hamilton and not being heard by Washington, so every
night, I react to both cabinet battles, and it informs my frustration and
makes it fresh every time. The other reason is I vividly remember
memorizing and preparing the song for auditions, so to get the chance to
perform it on a Broadway stage and make it my own eight times a week, it’s
so special to me.
You've performed in the Tony-winning musical on tour and on Broadway…
Do you notice any difference in audience response around the country?
You
can always sense how an audience is responding to a show. There’s
always a particularly great response in the cities where the show is set
or places mentioned: New York; Washington, D.C.; etc. I especially
remember Virginia giving Jefferson a warm welcome.
What do you think the cultural impact of Hamilton is?
“Those
who do not study history are doomed to repeat it.” I think it’s so
important that the show gets a generation of young people interested in
history as well as telling timeless stories of politics, hubris, love, and loss.
What does it mean to you to be part of this musical, especially during its 10th anniversary?
I’ve
been with the show in varying roles since 2018, so it feels like a well-earned celebration—it’s cool seeing Hamilton everywhere and knowing I
am a part of something big, and it feels like the show has many more
years in it still, so who knows where it will go.
Do you have any dream stage roles and/or actors you would like to work with?
The
opportunity to work with Leslie Odom, Jr. is a dream come true [Odom, Jr. returns to the role of Aaron Burr in September]. As for
roles, I would love to play Fiyero in Wicked or revisit Flick from
Violet, which was my first role in a musical back in freshman year of
high school.
What do you consider your big break?
I
booked the 20th anniversary tour of Rent in 2016, was gone from home
for nine pretty grueling months and making just enough to get by. And when I
got home, it was back to serving tables. I was still auditioning but
thinking pretty hard about other careers to make a good life for me and
my family. That’s when Hamilton came along!
Is there a person or people you most respect in your field and why?
I
respect anyone in the industry, onstage or off, that is having to jump
from job to job while living in this expensive city. I’m fortunate
enough to be with a show that feels more solid than I’ve ever felt, but I
know I’ll one day be back in the unknown, hoping I can share my talents
with the next job. I respect everyone in the unknown right now, cause
it’s hard work grinding in this career path. More power to you!
What advice would you give your younger self or anyone starting out?
The
advice I would give anyone starting out is to absorb everything! I
auditioned for just about all the school plays and musicals, and with
each new script I absorbed, I learned so much about different character
types, writers, directors, you name it. I also absorb a lot of TV, and
my favorite thing to do is turn on subtitles and talk along with the
lines being said. If they said it quicker or slower than how I said it, I
try to find out why. I learn so much about how they’re playing the
character, and I learn more about my own acting instincts.
What do you wish you knew starting out that you know now?
I
wish I knew that in auditions, you set yourself up for failure if
you’re going into the room or putting yourself on tape trying to match
the idea you think they have in their head about the role you’re
auditioning for. I wish I knew that it’s so much more powerful and
effective if you go into the audition and show them what it is that the
character is, and that it comes from a real part of you first and
foremost. I find that the people making the decisions can start to relax
when they see someone come in who shows them an authentic, truthful
attempt at a character, rather than a guess at what they may or may not
want.
Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette in Hamilton
Seth Stewart as Marquis de Lafayette in Hamilton
James Monroe Iglehart as Marquis de Lafayette in Hamilton
Kyle Scatliffe as Marquis de Lafayette in Hamilton
Bryson Bruce
Sydney James Harcourt
Andrew Chappelle
Gregory Treco
Jimmie 'JJ' Jeter
Marc delaCruz
Donald Webber, Jr.
Trey Curtis
J. Quinton Johnson
