Hamilton's Brandon Victor Dixon shot to national prominence when he delivered a protest speech to Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who attended the Broadway musical shortly after the 2016 election. In this article, the two-time Tony-nominated actor and producer reflects on that night at the theater, his acting career, and the crisis that prompted him to reevaluate his ambition and passion for performance.
From the Judges' Report
At first glance, this looks mainly like a story focusing on an alumnus who earned a starring role in the musical Hamilton. And while it is that, it zeroes in on how Dixon used his newly found star power to confront vice president Mike Pence at one of the performances he attended shortly after the election, enjoying an added whirlwind of political fame as a result. It was that unexpected twist that elevated this story beyond a run-of-the-mill profile of a (somewhat) famous alumnus.
