Performer’s decade with Hamilton highlights the show’s reach for Hamilton audiences

For more than a decade one actor has navigated the world of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s stage phenomenon, moving between Broadway, national tours and regional houses while staying connected to the show’s original ensemble. His journey underscores how the production named after a Canadian city remains a major force in the theatre ecosystem that feeds audiences in Hamilton and beyond.

From open call to major stages

Donald Webber Jr. first entered the Hamilton company’s orbit shortly before the show opened at the Public Theatre in New York. He auditioned for the role of Hercules Mulligan at an open call and subsequently joined the Broadway company in 2017 as a cover for multiple roles. From that starting point he became an alternate for the production’s portrayal of Aaron Burr, and has played the part on tour and in extended regional engagements.

His résumé with the musical includes performances on tour, appearances in Puerto Rico and an extended engagement in San Francisco, illustrating how the show has travelled across diverse markets and diverse audiences. He has also served as a standby for original Hamilton Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr. in another Broadway play, demonstrating the professional continuity that circulates among major New York productions.

Keeping ties to the original company

Webber’s relationship with the production has been steady and multifaceted. Beyond performing, he has been involved in workshops for new material from artists associated with the show’s creative circle. That kind of work keeps performers connected to evolving projects while they carry a signature role across theatres.

• Joined Hamilton company: 2017 (cover for multiple roles)
• Roles: Alternate/performer as Aaron Burr on Broadway and tour
• Other work: Standby for Leslie Odom Jr. in Purlie Victorious; workshop participant for new material

Those movements between productions and roles are part of the professional life for many stage actors. For Hamilton audiences — including local theatre-goers in Hamilton, Ontario — the result is a steady flow of talent shaped by an international hit, with performers building careers that bridge New York, regional stages and touring stops that often visit Canadian cities.

Personal life shaping performance

Webber has said that becoming a father changed his approach to the role and his stage work more broadly. Life events such as parenthood often influence how actors interpret characters, and in long-running productions that can alter performances over time.

“I literally said to him as he was walking out after the show, 'You're going to win a Tony for this, and I want to play that part.'”

That recollection refers to his early enthusiasm for the show and his close relationship with members of Hamilton’s original company. He has remained in the broader “HamFam” orbit, moving between replacement roles, standbys and workshop rooms — a trajectory that shows both the demands and opportunities of working on a landmark musical.

The story of a performer who has moved from open calls to major stages offers perspective on how a single production can sustain and shape careers. For people in Hamilton, Ontario, the musical’s continuing cultural visibility matters in practical ways: it affects ticket demand at touring stops, influences local theatre programming choices and contributes to the broader dialogue about how celebrated productions name, represent and reverberate across cities.

While the musical’s title carries the city’s name, its ripple effects are found in the careers of actors like Webber, who carry the show into new communities and help keep audiences engaged with live theatre. For local theatre patrons and practitioners in Hamilton, that circulation of talent and attention is part of what keeps the stage scene active and connected to larger cultural currents.