Joshua Henry of 'Hamilton' fame to perform with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra on Friday
If you have attended the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra’s soiree concerts for the past several years, you may feel as though you have seen much of the cast of the Broadway hit “Hamilton.”
In 2018, Leslie Odom Jr., who played Aaron Burr in the original cast of “Hamilton,” performed with the orchestra for its annual fundraiser concert; then, in 2020, Renee Elise Goldsberry, who played Angelica Schuyler in the original cast, joined the orchestra for the same concert.
Now the New York-based actor and vocalist Joshua Henry — who portrayed Burr in the first U.S. national tour of “Hamilton” — will be featured in ProMusica’s latest soiree concert at 8 p.m. Friday in the Southern Theatre. A pre-concert party will take place at 6 p.m. in the Westin Great Southern Hotel.
ProMusica CEO Janet Chen says that the organization hasn’t been actively pursuing the stars of “Hamilton.”
“It’s not like it’s a concerted effort only to bring in artists who were in a specific show,” Chen said. “Honestly, I would say it’s kind of a testament to ‘Hamilton’ — look at what that show has done for the world but also for the careers of all these incredible, talented artists, like Leslie, Renee and now Joshua.”
A native of Canada who grew up in Florida, Henry, 39, has also appeared in the Broadway productions of “In the Heights,” “Violet” and “Waitress.” He has received three Tony nominations.
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“It’s going to be a real pumped-up program,” Chen said of the concert. “When I look at the list of songs he’s going to do, it’s from Gershwin . . . all the way up to a 20-minute set that’s called ‘The History of Soul.’”
Henry recently spoke by phone with The Dispatch about the concert, his career and “Hamilton.”
Question: Where does your love of musical theater come from?
Joshua Henry: You know, I am not one of those people who has been doing it since I was like five, nor did my parents know anything about musical theater, except for “West Side Story.” My junior year in high school, I did a production of “The Music Man,” where I got to play Harold Hill. That was my first exposure to what a musical was. I had done a play in middle school, or been in a church band, but nothing like a musical before. There was a teacher there in my little high school in Florida who said, “You can do this for a living.”
Q: Did you know you had a good voice?
Henry: That much I did know. I grew up singing in church. I had a band called Peanut Butter and Jam Sessions with me and my brother growing up in Florida. We used to gig around.
Q: What was it about musical theater specifically that appealed to you once you discovered it?
Henry: I think it’s the emphasis in live storytelling — making someone who is potentially 50 yards away from you question something deep about their humanity or think a lot further about something that they never have before. The first couple of musicals I saw were “Rent,” “Wicked” and “The Light in the Piazza” here in New York City, and I remember feeling changed. But yes, that idea that I could be a part of that, and use my body and my voice to do that for someone, was what was appealing to me.
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Q: Do you have a favorite role or show?
Henry: The favorite show I’ve ever seen, and/or played a part in, is “Hamilton,” pretty easily. Playing Aaron Burr, he’s one of the most complex characters. We get to show different sides, show him as a full person. . . . I grew up with hip-hop, I grew up with R&B, so being able to tell those stories (in “Hamilton”) with that music background is extra-special.
Q: Do you enjoy performing with orchestras like ProMusica?
Henry: I absolutely love it. It’s like being washed over with this incredible sound. When I thought about this show, . . . I remember that feeling of when I just got into musical theater and I would go see ensembles play in the music school, hearing a 20-piece orchestra play a familiar song but hearing it with super-unique orchestrations. It touches you in a different way.
Q: What will you be performing with ProMusica?
Henry: I’ll definitely give folks soul music, things that I grew up on: Marvin Gaye, Prince, Aretha Franklin. Those are the legendary sounds that I tried to emulate, even before getting into musical theater. But I’m also going to show folks some of the songs in musical theater that I consider soul-moving songs, songs from “Hamilton”: “Dear Theodosia” has got a big resonance for me as a father. As a matter of fact, I was actually doing that show when my wife and I realized we were pregnant for the first time. . . . (The couple has three children.) I’m going to show (audiences) my influences and what has helped me celebrate and be joyous over the years.
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At a glance
The ProMusica Chamber Orchestra’s annual soiree concert, featuring vocalist Joshua Henry, will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday in the Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St. Concert tickets start at $45; packages to attend the pre-concert party and the concert cost $250 to $350. For more information, visit www.promusicacolumbus.org.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Vocalist and actor Joshua Henry to perform with ProMusica on Friday
