When A.D. Weaver returns to Chicago this week to perform as George Washington in the musical “Hamilton,” he says he will be grateful for the journey that led him there.
“I’ve lived quite a life,” said Weaver, 32, who was raised in Gary and Merrillville, Indiana, before beginning his professional acting career in Chicago. “God has been so good to me this far.”
Weaver’s resume includes performances at several well-known Chicago theaters such as Black Ensemble Theater, Goodman Theatre, Court Theatre, Mercury Theater, and Drury Lane in Oak Brook. In 2023, he moved to New York with plans to shift away from acting and pursue work in the music industry.
“My original plan when I moved to New York was actually to shift gears completely, to work in the music business, behind the scenes,” he told Block Club while in Kansas City during one of “Hamilton”’s tour stops.
Ironically, just before leaving Chicago in March 2023, Weaver performed “Dear Theodosia,” a song from “Hamilton,” at a benefit concert for Porchlight Music Theatre. After moving to New York, he found himself struggling emotionally and working odd jobs like selling merchandise at the Gershwin Theatre. Then his agent submitted an audition video on his behalf without telling him. That led to a role in an off-Broadway musical.
“So this whole time, I’m resisting being an artist,” he said. “And finally one day, God was like, ‘You just don’t get it yet, do you?’ Literally the voice was that clear. Once I submitted to God’s plan, everything fell in line.”
With renewed motivation, Weaver auditioned for “Hamilton.” By December of that year he had an in-person callback and began performing with the North American touring company by the following summer.
In “Hamilton,” Weaver’s portrayal of George Washington begins with an entrance during the song “Right Hand Man”: “Ladies and gentlemen! (Here comes the General!)/The moment you’ve been waiting for! (Here comes the General!)/The pride of Mount Vernon! (Here comes the General!) George Washington!”
Weaver credits his early experience singing in church and school choirs as important preparation for his career. He also recalls seeing a production of “Ragtime” at Drury Lane during high school—a pivotal moment for him—and later working alongside actors from that show.
“Those same people I saw in that production are my friends today,” he said about James Earl Jones II and Melody A. Betts. “Imagine, to be a 16-year-old kid watching them and professing, ‘Yeah, I’ll do that one day’ — and then, later on down the line, to work with them!”
Returning now for nearly eight weeks at CIBC Theatre downtown (18 W. Monroe St.), Weaver looks forward to sharing Chicago’s culture with his castmates: “I plan on hosting my own little version of Taste of Chicago for my cast,” he said. “And I definitely plan to take them to Black Ensemble Theater to see a show.”
He emphasized why “Hamilton” remains meaningful: its story shows how someone can rise from humble beginnings through hard work—“Not everyone comes from the best pedigree… Some of us really have to work for it and — all pun intended — wait for it,” referencing one of the show’s songs.
Weaver also reflected on playing George Washington during current times: “George Washington is not a perfect man, by far,” he said. “But for my country… I really try to play a man with dignity who loves this nation.”
He drew parallels between Washington’s legacy and recent U.S. leadership: “I keep what we saw during the eight years of the Obama administration in the forefront of my mind,” he continued. “Did we agree with every decision? No. But I can absolutely say that everything that man did was from love — love for the people of this country… And when I deliver Washington’s farewell address, that’s what I’m praying we get back to.”
Performances run through April 26 at CIBC Theatre; tickets are available via digital lottery starting at $10 per performance.
