Hamilton Performer Discovered Role While Working in Kitchen

An actor in the musical Hamilton revealed he learned he secured his role while working in a pub kitchen, preparing burgers. Levi Tyrell Johnson, a member of the ensemble and an understudy for a principal character in the production, commenced performances in Cardiff this week. The show, conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda, draws inspiration from the biography of one of America’s founding fathers, featuring musical styles that encompass hip hop, RnB, and pop. “I was working in a kitchen at the time which was very stressful,” stated Levi, a Cardiff native. He added, “So I was hoping for that kind of saving call. In the end it came while I was in the kitchen flipping burgers, and I pretty much quit there and then on the spot.” The audition process spanned three months and involved 10 callbacks before he was selected for the touring cast. Mr. Johnson has been performing with the production since last year, and the Wales Millennium Centre marks his last engagement before a cast rotation. He commented, “There’s no feeling better than being back in Cardiff doing my dream show, and pretty much in my dream venue. It’s pretty surreal, to be honest.” The 30-year-old performer mentioned that mastering the intricate, rapid rap sequences was straightforward due to his personal history. He explained, “My brother’s a rapper, my uncle’s a rapper. So I’ve got a lot of the hip hop in my family. It’s nice to be in a show that although it’s about America, it feels like it embodies my upbringing as well.” He also expressed enthusiasm about being near his home for the Christmas period. “My mum will still have to pick me up but at least I’m only in Cardiff Bay. Last year for Christmas I was in Manchester which was a four-hour train,” he stated. While growing up on a council estate in Llanrhymney, Levi developed a strong fascination with two musicals: Jesus Christ Superstar and The Wizard of Oz. “So my first ever movie musical, which was what gave me the musical theatre bug, was Jesus Christ Superstar, the 1973 film version,” he recalled. He continued, “I grew up watching that and The Wizard of Oz back to back. I would just pop one VCR out, one VCR back in and rewind and just keep doing that.” Accompanied by his mother, Nicola Herron, he has also attended performances at the Wales Millennium Centre on multiple occasions, citing The Book of Mormon and Bedknobs and Broomsticks as particular favourites. Prior to pursuing musical theatre studies, Levi served as the lead singer for the Cardiff-based rock and roll group Black Elvis. He completed his graduation from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2022. “Growing up, I’d skate past the [Royal Welsh College] building and never thought I’d be able to get in somewhere like that. But I applied and as soon as they met me, being a Cardiff boy who speaks Welsh, they took me in with open arms,” he shared. He expressed a desire to transition into film acting in the future. “I want to be on the big screen, hopefully. I’ve done martial arts most of my life, so I can see myself playing an action hero, I guess. It seems like a kind of childish dream, but this dream came true. So why not?” he remarked. Hamilton is scheduled to run at the Wales Millennium Centre until 25 January.