Christopher Jackson is back home on Broadway. The 49-year-old Tony-nominated star of Hamilton is currently playing the role of Davis in the hit Alicia Keys musical, Hell’s Kitchen. Entertainment journalist Frank DiLella from Spectrum News NY1 recently caught up with Jackson to talk about the thrill of getting to perform some of Keys’s most notable tunes, his unique collaboration with Keys, and the upcoming 10th anniversary of Hamilton.
For music, it doesn’t get bigger than Alicia Keys. Were you a fan prior to signing on to do Hell’s Kitchen?
She’s reached icon status. Her first album came out when I was doing The Lion King on Broadway. I’ve always been in touch with her career, and I know people in her orbit as well. I’ve always appreciated her.
I know Alicia has been very hands-on with her show. Did you have a work session with her prior to your first performance?
I first sat down with Adam Blackstone, who’s our music orchestrator and musical supervisor, and Alicia FaceTimed in. We got to make music together in that way. The 2025 version of making music. [Laughs.]
You’ve gone on record saying you connect with Alicia’s music. Why does it speak to you?
It’s blues-based and there’s a singer-songwriter feel in there — and a lot of hip-hop involved. Alicia has synthesized a lot of things that I consider the bedrock of my musical life and what I gravitate to. I get to sing “Fallin’” in this jazz arrangement in the show, which I love.
Hell’s Kitchen marks your first time back on Broadway in almost a decade. Eight shows a week is no joke. How was it getting back into the groove of the schedule?
The tightrope is the thing that I enjoy the most. The audiences are always my first priority. But being able to work with this cast is wonderful. They’re mostly young and energetic, and incredibly good at what they’re doing. Hamilton was my last point of reference of being on stage. It’s been over eight years since I was last on stage. Every day presents a new challenge. Just getting your street legs back and walking around the city like you do and being on that treadmill is a completely different thing — but it’s glorious. The audiences are appreciating us and the seats are full. It’s a cool feeling.
You’ve been doing a lot of TV of late, including And Just Like That…. But there is nothing like the Broadway community. What do you love most about the community?
I occupy a different space in the community. I was 21 when I started on Broadway, talking to actors who have done this for 20-plus years, and I remember the conversations and influence and promise of hard work and perseverance — being told that that can lead to a deeper connection to the community. And now I’m 49 years old. I get to have conversations with these young actors and folks coming up and I’m able to share my experience and infuse a lot of optimism in the process. Broadway is a hard thing to do. And yet it’s singular in that the reward is always present. You’re always getting to share a story with someone. And the community that we have on Broadway is remarkable. There’s nothing better than being in a Broadway show.
The Hamilton performance at the 2025 Tony Awards was incredible. Talk to me about reuniting with the entire original Broadway company.
It was truly an amazing thing. Just showing up and seeing people who I haven’t seen in years. I mean, social media makes it possible to connect with people somewhat, but it’s not the same. I kept marveling at the fact as I looked at the entire group — we used to come to work together every day. I’ve tried for the last 10 years to describe what it was like, and I still haven’t gotten there. I can take any cast member and come up with 50 different things that I’ve seen and am in awe of.
August marks 10 years of Hamilton on Broadway. I hear you will be involved in the Hamil-TEN celebration.
Yes. I wish we were all coming back on stage, but that’s not the plan. They will be announcing some things that we will all be doing, and we will have the opportunity to engage with people.
One thing I admire about you is that you’re always there to lend a helping hand. The first-ever autism-friendly performance of Hamilton took place on June 29, and you were an advocate for this performance. And you showed up before your matinee of Hell’s Kitchen to experience the performance.
Hamilton has been accessible in ways that most shows aren’t, like through the cast album and the film. What I witnessed at the performance was an outpouring of generosity of spirit. TDF went in and trained the staff. They consulted the necessary folks to open the show up sensory-wise. Every single cast member was so excited and so happy that they were going to perform for a house full of folks who normally wouldn’t experience theater in the way that we’re accustomed to doing it and presenting it. Every single person on stage was so locked in and so dedicated to doing their best for this audience of people who don’t normally find themselves in this situation where they get to engage in theater the way it’s traditionally presented. There was a young man who could not wait for King George to walk out. He was having the time of his life!
You can catch Jackson in Hell’s Kitchen, now playing at the Shubert Theatre.
