Donald Webber Jr. Knows Hamilton From Both Sides of the Duel

Donald Webber Jr., who plays Aaron Burr in Hamilton on Broadway, has been a part of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s blockbuster musical on and off for over a decade. The Los Angeles native first joined the Broadway company in 2017 as a cover for multiple roles, eventually graduating to an alternate for the $10 founding father. Webber also played Burr on tour, in Puerto Rico and in an extended engagement in San Francisco. Webber has stayed in the HamFam orbit throughout the years, serving as a standby for Hamilton Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr. in Purlie Victorious on Broadway and partaking in a workshop of Miranda and Eisa Davis’ new musical Warriors. While en route to a workshop rehearsal, Webber chatted with Broadway.com about his longstanding relationship with the show's original stars, how fatherhood has changed his performance and the real-life person he would love to play.

You’ve been part of Hamilton for more than a decade. How did you first enter the world of the show?
Right before Hamilton started up at the Public, I went in for an open call for Hercules Mulligan. I loved [Lin-Manuel Miranda's first Broadway show] In the Heights so much. The first time I was on a Broadway stage was actually at the Richard Rodgers after an In the Heights performance. I took a picture of the audience from where I was standing and would look at that picture all the time, envisioning myself performing at the Richard Rodgers. I heard that they were making a new show, and I didn't want to leave it to chance. I had a callback, I had a dance call, and then that was it.

Did you get to see it off-Broadway?
I got to see it at the Public. I was just floored. I’m close with Leslie [Odom Jr.], and I literally said to him as he was walking out after the show, "You're going to win a Tony for this, and I want to play that part." And he was like, "Oh, you will." A year later, I was out in Dallas doing a show, and I got an email from Hamilton’s casting team to see if I'd be available for a role. I told them, "I would love nothing more than to be a part of this show. It's just that I'm currently doing a show right now." And they said, "OK, well, we'll keep you in mind." And I thought, "Oh man, did I blow it?" But then the next day, I got another email that was like, "We'll wait for you. You start your rehearsals in October of 2016."

What was it like when you joined the Broadway company?
Obviously, it was life-changing. I replaced Sydney James Harcourt, who I love so dearly. My covers were originally John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan and Lafayette/Jefferson. [Hamilton director] Tommy Kail was there, and I caught him on his way out. I said, “Hey man, you got to see my Burr." He said, "I'd like to see your Hamilton." It was like a lightbulb went off, because I had never imagined that. He had seen something in me that I hadn't quite grasped yet. The creative team had a little mini audition and were very quickly like, "Yeah, you're going to also cover Hamilton." I played Hamilton a hundred times, which was incredible. People will come back to the show now that I'm playing Burr and they'll say, "You were our first Hamilton."

Did playing Hamilton teach you anything about Burr that you might not have discovered otherwise?
I think that's the joy of starting the show as a cover for a lot of roles. You get on the inside of each one of these characters, so that when you're standing across from them, it's easier for you to empathize with whatever it is that they're going through. One of my favorite scenes is during “Non-Stop” where Hamilton comes into Burr's drawing room at night and asks him to work on the Federalist Papers. Burr says, "What if you're backing the wrong horse?" and Hamilton responds to him by saying, "For once in your life, take a stand with pride." It cracks a little bit of my armor as Burr because I know how much it meant to Hamilton. I start empathizing with him more; it gives me a lot of ammo and gas for where we have to go throughout the rest of the show.

You performed with Lin-Manuel Miranda during the show’s run in Puerto Rico, which was staged as a recovery effort after Hurricane Maria. What stands out when you think back on that experience?
Hamilton anywhere is a special occasion, but the fact that we were there for that reason was just another level. I could feel that energy playing with Lin on stage. Seeing him as Hamilton, with that mission that he had in Puerto Rico, was like being on stage with a supernova. When Lin came down and said, "Alexander Hamilton," the audience would stand up and applaud for a minute and a half, and we'd just be frozen in time. That’s one of the coolest moments that I've ever experienced. Because I'm facing upstage looking right at him, so every night I got to watch his eyes and see just how much it means. [He was] just tearing up every night because of how important it was for him to be there.

Lin-Manuel Miranda has been a part of several chapters of your life. What have you learned from working with him over the years?
It's incredible because he's known me since before I had kids. He knew me as this kid who just wanted to be in the room and tell him, "Hey man, your work means something to me. Heights meant something to me." And now I’m able to be like, "Oh man, this is my friend." He's just such a great guy. My wife and I took our kids to go see the live-action Moana. We were in the middle of rehearsal for Warriors, and we're just sitting here talking and I said to Lin, "I felt like that movie was not just for kids—I feel like you made that for us too." And he was like, "I did." We talk about everything. I won't give anything away, but we talked about a couple moments in Warriors and something that he's shaping to have a really big effect on an audience. It's unbelievable to be like, "Oh, yeah. You're not just a genius because of the finished product, you're a genius because of these moments—before it opens or before it's in the theater."

How has becoming a father changed the way you understand Burr?
Oh my goodness. So my wife [Rebecca Covington Webber] and I were on the road [with Hamilton on tour]. After Puerto Rico, we went and had a sit-down in San Francisco and then the pandemic hit. We were out of work for about a year and a half. And in that year and a half, we had our firstborn. Our son was about three months old when Rebecca and I got back to work. We were having our first music rehearsal with the cast after coming back from the pandemic. We get to those first notes in the song, “Dear Theodosia.” And we've all got our Hamilton script and notebooks, and I'm looking at these notes from years before when I didn't have a son, knowing now exactly what it feels like to be in a room by yourself with your son and have a conversation. Needless to say, I did not make it through that number. In fact, I got about three words out and then I was completely in tears.

How did everyone respond?
The whole room allowed me to have this moment. My wife was trying her best to support me, but she was crying too. It felt like a million years, but it was probably more like a minute. After that moment, we all took a deep breath and recognized how beautiful life is. The last time I sang this song, I didn't have a child, and now we're singing it for the first time and I do. One of the things Burr says in the final duel is, "This man will not make an orphan of my daughter." That's something that Burr grew up with. His mother and his father died when he was young, leaving him an orphan. I have two kids now, a son and a daughter. There are many things in this life that I will allow, but one thing I will not allow is anything to happen to my kids. Knowing that as Donald makes it so easy to say that and to mean that as Burr.

You said you're close to Hamilton’s original Aaron Burr, Leslie Odom Jr. How did the two of you meet?
It was amazing. We were getting ready for my senior showcase [at the University of Southern California]. Our teacher was a manager out in Los Angeles, and she brought in three of her clients. [Leslie] was a guest star on [Grey's Anatomy]. It was just a two-day type thing. But he was like, "I've finally made it." It's just so funny because little did anyone know that wasn't even the tip of the iceberg. The way he would talk about what we do from a professional view, and then also from his own personal perspective, I was like, "I'm like that." So after the class, he stuck around. If you get a chance to meet him and talk with him, you'll see. He's one of us. He's a real human being and connection means something dear to him.

When was the next time you crossed paths?
My best friend, Nicolette Robinson, did a production of Once on This Island [in 2008] and fell in love with her castmate. So she's like, "I want you to meet this guy who I've been seeing." It turns out that guy was Leslie Odom Jr.!  Fast forward a few months and he calls me. At that point, I graduated college and had been teaching high school for three years. He said, "Hey, what are you doing this weekend? There's this show that they need guys to come and read for. I can't tell you the name of it or anything like that, but I think you'd enjoy doing this." That show ended up being my Broadway debut, Motown: The Musical. He’s always looked out for me. So it means a great deal to be able to step into his shoes, especially considering the connection we’ve had throughout the years.

You ended up being Leslie’s standby in Purlie Victorious in 2023. What did it mean to work with him on that?
Leslie called me and said, "OK, I'm doing Purlie Victorious. I know for sure I have one day that I am not going to be able to be in the show. I need to know that when I'm not there, the show is taken care of and I can't think of anyone better to do that than you." The director, Kenny Leon, and I had worked together. I chased him down the street to get an audition for Holler If Ya Hear Me, and I worked with him on The Wiz Live! Next thing I knew, I was back on Broadway and it was one of the greatest joys of my life being Leslie’s standby. A cool tidbit I learned is that Roscoe Lee Browne was Ossie Davis’ understudy in the original production. I felt like I was carrying the torch of someone who went on to have an incredible career.

Can you say anything more about Warriors?
My lips are sealed. Until full announcements are made, it's just a little, "Hey, this is something I'm doing this summer." I'll pitch it like that.

Besides Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, is there another historical figure you would love to play?
Flip Wilson comes to mind. I'm scared to say it because once it goes in print, someone might steal my idea. The world deserves to know more about that man and what he was, not only to Black Americans but to Americans—not only what he was to Black entertainment but to entertainment period. He did so many unbelievable things for a man of color in that time period. We'll see who gets to it first. If I do, I'll call you with the exclusive.

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