Character guide
Aaron Burr
from Hamilton
Aaron Burr is the narrator and central rival of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda's 2015 musical about the founding of the United States.
- Show
- Hamilton
- Premiered
- 2015
- Role
- Lead
- Composer
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
Who is Aaron Burr?
Burr serves as the show's narrator, framing the story of Alexander Hamilton's rise and fall while also living out his own parallel story as a cautious, calculating political operator. Where Hamilton acts on impulse and ambition, Burr is defined by patience and self-restraint, always waiting for what he calls the right room to be in.
The tension between the two men, one who says what he believes and one who withholds it, drives much of the show's dramatic engine and culminates in their famous duel.
Burr's role in Hamilton
Burr is a lead role, arguably the show's second protagonist, and he requires a performer with a commanding, controlled vocal presence and the ability to shift between narration and deeply personal emotion. Because he narrates so much of the show, the actor also has to hold the audience's trust as a storyteller even while playing a morally complicated figure.
Audiences and performers are drawn to Burr because his caution and regret feel relatable in a way that pure ambition sometimes does not, making him one of the more layered characters in the musical.
Frequently asked
What show is Aaron Burr from?
Aaron Burr is a lead character and the narrator of Hamilton, which opened in 2015.
Is Aaron Burr a lead or supporting role?
Burr is a lead role, functioning as both narrator and the show's central rival to Hamilton.
Who wrote the music for Hamilton?
Lin-Manuel Miranda composed the music and lyrics for Hamilton.
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