Since his Broadway debut in 2013, Nicholas Christopher has been delighting audiences in a wide variety of roles. As Broadway welcomes him back to the stage this fall in Chess, let’s look back on his journey from ensemble performer to leading man.
2013: Motown: The Musical, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Christopher made his official Broadway debut as an ensemble member and Smokey Robinson understudy in the jukebox musical Motown: The Musical. The show, which was an autobiographical piece based on Berry Gordy’s memoir, To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown, told the story of Gordy’s professional career and personal relationships and featured a total of 66 songs. Motown received four Tony Award nominations and began a national tour in April 2014, during which Christopher was promoted to the role of Smokey Robinson full-time. He remained with the cast until 2015.
2016: Hamilton, Richard Rodgers Theatre
The year 2016 marked the beginning of a long-standing relationship between Christopher and Hamilton. After serving as a standby for George Washington, Christopher officially took over the role that November, succeeding original cast member Christopher Jackson. Christopher’s initial run as George Washington lasted through January 2017.
He returned to the role at the Richard Rodgers Theatre again in 2019, in between runs as Aaron Burr both on the U.S. national tour and at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in California. He returned to the Broadway cast of Hamilton twice more after that, playing Washington again in 2024 and, finally, a brief stint as Burr in 2025.
2017: Miss Saigon, Broadway Theatre
Following a successful West End revival, Miss Saigon returned to Broadway for the second time, in 2017 at the Broadway Theatre. Christopher played the role of John Thomas alongside a noteworthy principal cast, many of whom reprised their roles from the London revival. The production received two Tony Award nominations, including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Eva Noblezada). Christopher remained in the role for the entirety of the run, officially closing in January 2018.
2023: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Widely considered his most notable role, Christopher held the role of Adolfo Pirelli in Stephen Sondheim’s revival of Sweeney Todd. During his time with the cast, he also understudied for the role of Todd, eventually taking on the role for a short stint following Josh Groban’s departure from the show. The role was soon taken over by Aaron Tveit, who Christopher would go on to work with again soon after.
2025: Chess, Imperial Theatre
Currently, Christopher is sharing the stage of the Imperial Theatre with Emmy nominee Lea Michele (Funny Girl) and Tony Award winner Aaron Tveit (Moulin Rouge! The Musical) in the latest revival of Chess. Christopher is playing the role of Anatoly Sergievsky. Chess is a seductive showdown of love, loyalty, and power on a global stage. As two of the greatest chess players in the world compete for something beyond victory, the woman between them is caught in a high-stakes battle of desire and devotion. Be sure to grab your tickets now to see Nicholas Christopher’s latest work on Broadway!
