Odds & Ends: Leslie Odom Jr. Tops Chart, New Character Added to The Lion King & More

Here's a quick roundup of stories you may have missed today.

Leslie Odom Jr. Tops Chart
What comes next after sweeping the Tony Awards? More fantastic news from Broadway.com vlogger—and 2016 Tony winner—Leslie Odom Jr. Using our very own Squigs' sketch to celebrate, the Hamilton star tweeted on June 14 that the show's cast album was number one on iTunes in all genres and that his own debut album had made it to number eight in all genres and number one in jazz. Congratulations (again!) to all!

Hamilton cast album is currently #1 on iTunes ALL GENRES. My debut album is #8 on All Genres and #1 in Jazz. pic.twitter.com/X4mUOTkrqy

— Leslie Odom, Jr. (@leslieodomjr) June 14, 2016

Daveed Diggs' Wriggle
Odom Jr.'s fellow Hamilton Tony winner Daveed Diggs also has a new record out; check out below a sample of his latest EP, Wriggle. Recorded with his L.A. hip-hop group, clipping, you can see why Diggs is known as the fastest rapper on Broadway!



New Character Added to The Lion King
The first Mandarin production of Disney's The Lion King made its global premiere at Shanghai Disney Resort's at the Walt Disney Grand Theatre on June 14, complete with a brand new character! To make the show more relatable to Chinese audiences, Variety reports that the new version has added a mischievous monkey character. "It is the first time we have brought in a new character,” said Tony-winning director Julie Taymor. “And it is the year of the monkey after all.”

Michael C. Hall Tapped for Will Eno's Gnit
Michael C. Hall will headline a one-night-only reading of Will Eno’s play Gnit, adapted from Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt. The event is set to take place at Classic Stage Company on June 20. Hall appeared in Eno’s The Realistic Jonses on Broadway back in 2014 and may be returning to the boards to reprise his performance in David Bowie’s Lazarus in London this fall.

P.S. Take a look at the new trailer for Disney's Pete's Dragon, featuring honorary Matilda Tony winner Oona Laurence: