Playing Aaron Burr in ‘Hamilton’ is no stunt, Brady says

Wayne Brady clearly did not like being called an unusual casting choice for the role of Aaron Burr in the Chicago production of “Hamilton,” an assignment he begins Tuesday night at Chicago’s PrivateBank Theatre.

“Why do you say that?” the actor asked, talking by phone as he made his way to one of his precious few rehearsals with the Chicago cast — of which he soon will be a member.

It seemed to me an obvious observation — Brady is a bona fide household name, thanks mostly to his hosting duties on “Let’s Make a Deal” and a long run on “Whose Line is it Anyway?” By 2001, he was sufficiently known to get his own daytime talk show on ABC. It lasted for two seasons, but was highly regarded in the industry. In 2002, he hosted “Miss America.” He has been a frequent guest star on “The Drew Carey Show,” “How I Met Your Mother” and many other shows. He has voiced characters in several animated movies. He has released two studio albums, including one aimed at kids. He is not staying in Chicago in your standard actor housing.

Not only is that not your usual profile for an actor replacing an original cast member in the second production of a musical, but the circumstances of this interview were unusual. A tense publicist was on the line listening in and anxious to cut things short. These are all the standard rules of La La Land engagement for TV stars like Brady, but far more unusual for an actor in a stage show in Chicago, where conversations tend to be longer and deeper.

They even are unusual circumstances for “Hamilton,” a show that, aside from its creator, LinManuel Miranda, has never before cast anybody you might reasonably term even a demi-celebrity (to borrow a term coined by actress Sherie Rene Scott).

That’s before the gig. After is a whole other matter.

Even the amount of time you have to see Brady as Burr is unusual. A busy guy (see above), he’s doing the show only through April 9. Musicals like “Hamilton” generally prefer six-month or yearlong contracts. Especially for stars.

So, I said, that is what makes him very unusual in my book.

“I don’t think of myself as an unusual choice but a well-qualified choice who happens to be known,” Brady said. “This is not stunt casting. ‘Hamilton’ does not need stunt casting. You and I both know that the show was rolling along fine with people who are just good at their jobs.” All true. “I auditioned like anyone else,” Brady said. “I really wanted this role. I’ve wanted to do it ever since I saw Leslie (Odom Jr.) do it. I am unusual only in that I am the performer-singerdancer-actor-dancer you need to do this role. I’ve got to kick a—. This is a great piece of American art, especially in this day and age. It is important. I just want to be part of the cast. This already has been a life-changing experience for me, and I’ve not even gone on yet.”

All fair enough. Did it have to be Burr?

“Yes. There is no other role that suits what I particularly can do.”

And then Brady got very interesting, talking about how he saw in Burr a reflection of his own self as a young AfricanAmerican man making his way in Los Angeles show business, trying to figure out how much to speak up and how much just to keep smiling at the suits. In the show, Burr, a pragmatist, tells Alexander Hamilton, a sometimes insufferable wonk, to talk less and smile more.

“That was very telling for me,” Brady said. “When I started working on TV, I didn’t feel the need to be super outspoken about anything. I didn’t want anything to distract from my work as an actor. As I got older I learned you sometimes have to use your platform to make noise. That is what Burr learns. You know, he is in many ways a very sympathetic character. He tries to stop the duel. He looks after Hamilton, even though Hamilton throws his philosophy up in his face.