Leaving Hamilton: The End of a Chapter, the Start of a New One

After more than 3000 performances of Hamilton in the UK, my time with the show has come to an end. The decision I made before Christmas - while emotional - is one I feel completely certain about. Sometimes, you reach a point where staying would be easy, but growth demands that you step forward into the unknown.

I first stepped into the world of Hamilton in 2016, just after the show had opened on Broadway. I had the privilege of learning it with the first Chicago company—artists like Karen Olivo and Miguel Cervantes—alongside the brilliant creative team of Thomas Kail, Alex Lacamoire, Andy Blankenbuehler, and Lin-Manuel Miranda (who sat down beside me in rehearsals one day - I didn’t catch his name when I asked and didn’t recognise him at first without long hair - I asked him what his involvement with the production was… is there a more embarrasing start?!). It was immediately clear that Hamilton wasn’t just a piece of theatre; it was a movement, a conversation, a piece of history unfolding in real time.

When Hamilton crossed the Atlantic, I worked with Tommy Kail, bringing his unique people-centric style of directing, and a remarkable new company at the Victoria Palace Theatre. I was privileged to work alongside Tommy during that launch, and after the production was established, I had the honour of taking it forward- helping it to grow, directing subsequent casts, and leading the show across the UK and Ireland.

Working with the extraordinary original London company - Giles Terera, Michael Jibson, Rachelle Ann Go, Jamael Westman, Rachel John, Obioma Ugoala, Jason Pennycooke, Tarinn Callender, Cleve September, Christine Allado, among so many others - was one of the great privileges of my career. Their talent, commitment, and spirit helped the show find its home here, and each new artist who joined the company afterwards brought their own voice and heart to it.

One of the most remarkable things about Hamilton is how endlessly it can evolve. Every person who stepped into the room offered a new perspective. Every rehearsal sparked new conversations about leadership, revolution, identity, responsibility. It’s rare to work on material that can hold so many different points of view, that feels deeper the more you turn it over.

And as the world changed outside - political shifts, social reckonings, the pandemic - so too did Hamilton. Different lyrics landed differently. Whole scenes seemed to reshape themselves depending on the moment we were living through. The show never stood still. It stayed alive because the people in it - and the world around it - kept moving forward.

Being part of that ongoing conversation changed me as an artist. It demanded more than technical skill; it required real listening, leadership, compassion, and relentless curiosity. It showed me what it means to truly collaborate, to trust a room full of extraordinary people, and to hold space for new ideas and new voices.

Most of all, it taught me that with enough dedication, belief, and courage, things that once seemed impossible are absolutely within reach.

That lesson is at the heart of my decision to leave now. After nearly a decade with Hamilton, I know it’s time to take what I’ve learned and step into the next challenge. Comfort is not where growth lives. Nobody chose a career in the arts for job security - we are risk takers, agitators, people who like living outside of their comfort zone. New beginnings, new risks, new creative conversations are calling - and I’m excited to answer them.

And I can step away with peace in my heart, knowing the show is in incredible hands. The teams of actors, musicians, stage managers, crew, and creatives who carry Hamilton forward are extraordinary. They will continue to deepen, reshape, and reimagine the piece, just as it’s always been meant to do.

As for what comes next - I’m stepping into a new era of creating and developing new work. Some projects already in motion, others still just ideas at the edge of possibility. It’s daunting, but it’s also thrilling to be at the beginning again - to stand at the edge of the unknown and know it’s time to leap.

To everyone who has been part of this journey - from New York to Chicago to London to cities across the UK and Ireland - thank you. You have made these years unforgettable. You have made them transformative.

I will carry Hamilton with me always. But it’s time for new rooms, new stories, new revolutions.

See you out there.