City of Philadelphia - File #: 190751

• File #: 190751
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 9/26/2019
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 9/26/2019
• Title: Recognizing Leslie Odom, Jr. for his Extraordinary Accomplishments on the Occasion of the Launch of the Philadanco 50th Anniversary Celebration.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Bass, Councilmember Gym, Councilmember Parker, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Domb, Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember Oh, Councilmember Henon, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Squilla

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
9/26/2019	0	CITY COUNCIL
9/26/2019	0	CITY COUNCIL

Title
Recognizing Leslie Odom, Jr. for his Extraordinary Accomplishments on the Occasion of the Launch of the Philadanco 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Body
WHEREAS, Leslie Odom, Jr. was born in Queens, New York on August 6, 1989. His family soon moved to the Philadelphia neighborhood of East Oak Lane where he was raised. Growing up, he attended Julia R. Masterman School and the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts while taking classes at Philadanco for additional training in dance. Leslie went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts with honors at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, In 1998, Leslie made his Broadway debut at the age of seventeen playing Paul in a production of Rent-a musical to which he attributes the inspiration to pursue a career as a Broadway actor. In 2010, he performed as Isaiah Sturdevant in the musical Leap of Faith at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. He reprised the role in 2012 when the production moved to New York and Broadway, for which he won the 2012 Astaire Award for Outstanding Male Dancer on Broadway. He was also nominated for a Drama League Award. Additional theater credits include a one-night Broadway concert version of Dreamgirls, Being Alive, Once on this Island, and the Encores! Off? Center production of Tick, Tick... Boom! Leslie first performed at The Public Theater in New York City during his role in the off-Broadway production of the musical Venice in 2014; and
WHEREAS, Leslie returned to The Public for the off-Broadway release of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton. He starred opposite Miranda originating the role of Aaron Burr, President Hamilton's Vice President and killer. He earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical for the role. He continued in the same role as the musical transferred to Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway. Leslie's final appearance in H...