Talent and Tenacity of Phillip Johnson Richardson

Thespian alum Phillip Johnson Richardson is on top of the world, and no wonder. At 22-years-old he joined the Chicago company ensemble of the sold-out musical phenomenon Hamilton. He played various characters, but the big deal is: He’s understudying Hercules Mulligan, James Madison … and the man himself, Alexander Hamilton. In fact, Johnson Richardson began his Chicago journey, center stage, in the title role. “The crazy thing was I actually learned Hamilton first, before I learned my ensemble track. I made my debut in Hamilton as Hamilton,” he said. “That was super epic!”

[Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2019 issue of Dramatics Magazine. Today, June 2023, Phillip Johnson Richardson has been announced as the Tinman in The Wiz Broadway! With the International Thespian Festival just around the corner, we can’t help but wonder which of tomorrow’s stars will be with us in Bloomington. Read on to see what Johnson Richardson said about his experiences at festival and how they affected his career.]

Just like that this actor from Charlotte, North Carolina, ended up playing the titular role in the show that’s changed the entire musical theatre game. Hamilton’s contemporary take on U.S. history is bringing new audiences to the theatre (when they can get a ticket). Aspiring actors have memorized the score and will perform their favorite sections at the drop of a hat. But the number of performers who actually have walked into the leading role remains small, and if you’re on that list, the larger arts contingent will pay attention to your career trajectory.

Phillip Johnson Richardson (right, with Jamaal Fields Green) in costume for the title role in the Chicago company of Hamilton. Photo courtesy of Phillip Johnson Richardson.

During his years in Thespian Troupe 5634 at Northwest School of the Arts, Johnson-Richardson was “on fire,” said his teacher Corey Mitchell. Mitchell, first recipient of the Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and lead teacher in Northwest’s theatre arts program, is also the first name that comes up when Johnson Richardson is asked about his mentors.

“I met Phillip when he came to Northwest as a freshman,” Mitchell said. “He appeared in every musical, including Chicago, The Music Man, The Wedding Singer, West Side Story, Godspell, The Color Purple, Footloose, Once on This Island, and he was in some of the plays, too. I knew there was something special there, primarily because of his willingness to work. Tenacity can win out over talent. Phillip has the work ethic and the talent to back it up. It’s a great formula for success.”

Johnson Richardson credits his high school program with giving him the tools to get into college. “We did the International Thespian Festival. When I think back about what my high school did, we were dope,” he chuckled. “I was doing play festivals, cabarets, and other performances outside of school. I acquired stamina. I learned how to pace myself.”

Despite his youth, Johnson Richardson projects a Hamilton-sized self-command, which he earned through considerable trials. Part of his heartbreaking, heartwarming story is preserved in the 2017 documentary Purple Dreams, which follows high school actors preparing and performing The Color Purple at Northwest, one of the first high schools licensed to stage the show. Film director Joanne Hock chronicled Johnson Richardson’s artistic journey from a boy whose family suddenly fell homeless and was sleeping on the floor of a relative’s garage, to a young artist with a steely resolve and an eye on the prize.

His stint in Hamilton comes on the heels of his graduation from Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music musical theatre program, one of the most respected in the country. “It was a hard four years,” said Johnson Richardson, “but it was worth it, because the training was great, and you’re around amazingly talented people. The program pushed me to where I am today.”

Given the demands of a show like Hamilton, especially considering the understudy work on top of a regular track, Johnson Richardson benefits from strong educational underpinnings that keep his instrument in shape.

“I didn’t have vocal training until I went to college. I studied with a few different teachers, but the teacher I really credit with giving me my technique is Amy Johnson. She whipped me into shape. She did wonders for my voice,” he said.

“Our training was classically based,” Johnson-Richardson said. “We spent time learning the songs from the Golden Age of musicals, lots of Rodgers and Hammerstein, but we also focused on the styles of singing that fit our voices naturally. My training with Amy Johnson gave me the groundwork to do what I do.”

Before he graduated from CCM, Johnson Richardson faced what every aspiring actor ultimately faces: the chicken-and-egg conundrum of agency representation. You need a job to get an agent, but you need an agent to get that job. For him, an agency came nearly in tandem with his big break. “In the summer between my junior and senior year of college I went to an EPA [Equity principal audition] in New York, because I wanted to get my face out there,” Johnson Richardson said. “I thought my initial audition was terrible, because I was stressed out, but I got a callback from the Hamilton people for Aaron Burr. I went in and did some of the Burr stuff for them, and it went well. I had to go back to school, so they said they’d keep me on file.”

Sandra Okuboyejo and Phillip Johnson-Richardson as Maria and James Reynolds backstage at Chicago's Hamilton. Photo courtesy of Phillip Johnson-Richardson. — Sandra Okuboyejo and Phillip Johnson-Richardson as Maria and James Reynolds backstage at Chicago's *Hamilton*. Photo courtesy of Phillip Johnson-Richardson.

Phillip Johnson-Richardson in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music production of A Chorus Line. — Phillip Johnson-Richardson as Richie in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music production of *A Chorus Line*. Photo by Mark Lyons.

Phillip Johnson-Richardson as Judas in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music production of Jesus Christ Superstar. — Phillip Johnson-Richardson as Pontius Pilate in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music production of *Jesus Christ Superstar*. Photo by Kaelin Butts.

Phillip Johnson-Richardson and Mekhai Lee in the Northwest School of the Arts’ 2012 production of The Color Purple. — Phillip Johnson-Richardson as Harpo and Mekhai Lee as Mister in the Northwest School of the Arts’ 2012 production of *The Color Purple*. Photo by R. Bruhn.

Once he caught the attention of the Hamilton casting team, it was a matter of the producers finding the right spot, in the right company, at the right time. “After I’d graduated, they called me into an audition for an immediate replacement in Chicago for an ensemble member and understudy for Hamilton and King George. I went in and did the Hamilton stuff, and they were adamant about considering me for that character. I didn’t feel King George was the best fit for me, and they were cool with that. Then I did a showcase in New York.” That’s where Johnson Richardson met his agent. “Several agents approached me after the show. I chose my agency from a group of possibilities, because they saw me as I want to be seen as an actor. I signed with them because they believed in me.”

Meanwhile, the callbacks for Hamilton continued. “I remember I was doing this reading, and my agent saw the first act of the reading then told me at the intermission to call him when I got out because he had some news. When I called, he said we had an offer from Hamilton. After my agent did some negotiating, I got the formal offer in late May and had to be in Chicago to start rehearsals by June 5. It was a whirlwind, but I love it. I’m so grateful — so blessed.” ♦

This story appeared first in the February 2019 print issue of Dramatics. It has been edited in this online post.