Christopher Jackson to reprise his Tony-nominated role as George Washington in ‘Hamilton’

NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� , one of the original cast members of the megahit Broadway musical is coming back to reprise his George Washington.

Jackson, who earned a Tony Award nomination playing opposite Alexander Hamilton, will return to the on Sept. 8 through Jan. 3.

鈥淚 wanted to touch the thing that I feel turned me into an artist in a way that nothing I鈥檇 ever done had done,鈥� he tells The Associated Press. 鈥淚 wanted it to touch this thing again.鈥�

Jackson is the second original cast member to return, following , who reprised his Aaron Burr last year, pushing the show to the top of the box-office charts again and bringing in over $4 million in one week for the first time since 2018.

Jackson says he was inspired to return while reconnecting with his fellow actors during the 10th anniversary events last year.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a feeling of being alive in a different kind of way in this show. The timing was right and, quite honestly, I needed that infusion and that challenge again,鈥� he says.

Before landing 鈥淗补尘颈濒迟辞苍,鈥� Jackson played Simba in 鈥淭he Lion King,鈥� Benny in 鈥淚n the Heights鈥� and Delray in 鈥淢emphis.鈥� He also was in 鈥淎fter Midnight,鈥� 鈥淏ronx Bombers鈥� as Derek Jeter and 鈥淗oller If Ya Hear Me,鈥� the musical that used Tupac Shakur songs. He was a composer and songwriter for the children’s television programs 鈥淭he Electric Company鈥� and 鈥淪esame Street.鈥�

After 鈥淗补尘颈濒迟辞苍,鈥� Jackson had a role in the CBS drama 鈥淏ull鈥� and HBO Max’s 鈥淎nd Just Like That,鈥� returned to Broadway in 鈥淗ell’s Kitchen鈥� and 鈥淔reestyle Love Supreme,鈥� and sang in the hit animated movie 鈥淢oana.鈥�

鈥淚 haven鈥檛 stopped working since I left 鈥楬amilton.鈥� I鈥檝e been very fortunate,鈥� Jackson says. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 nothing that I have done that has challenged me in the way that show does.鈥�

Jackson left the show in November 2016 after having been with 鈥淗amilton鈥� since it began performances in early 2015 off-Broadway. The Broadway show won 11 Tony Awards, including best new musical, best book and best score. The cast album was a blockbuster and the show has toured to packed houses.

Jackson calls the Richard Rodgers Theatre his 鈥渇avorite building in New York鈥� and the site of the 鈥済reatest, most profound artistic moments of my life. I want to see if I can go in there and have new ones.鈥�

Many in the cast alongside Jackson were relatively unknown to the wider world when they hit the stage: Ren茅e Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Okieriete Onaodowan, and Phillipa Soo. Even Miranda wasn鈥檛 yet a brand name.

Jackson 鈥� the subject of the song 鈥淲ashington on Your Side鈥� 鈥� will return to sing such songs as 鈥淩ight Hand Man,鈥� 鈥淗istory Has Its Eyes on You鈥� and 鈥淵orktown.鈥�

He says he’ll have to recapture the muscle memory of the show but there are benefits, like that his children can see him play the role as young adults. Plus, he knows his way around the theater.

鈥淚 just don鈥檛 have to look for where the bathrooms are. I know where all the bathrooms are. I know how to get into the stage door. I know where to park, how long it takes me to go from Point A to Point B.鈥�