Making an impression: Tony nominee Brandon Victor Dixon wows with key role

Nine minutes, 12 seconds.

That's all it takes for Brandon Victor Dixon to make an impression in “Hell’s Kitchen” and — in the process — land a Tony nomination.

The three-time nominee (and winner for producing “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”) says he spends the bulk of the show “wandering the halls like the ghost of Christmas, knocking on doors trying to get people to entertain me before I go on stage.”

When he does, Dixon’s a powerhouse, playing the absentee father of the show’s leading character. He gets to join in the “can you top this?” singing and leave a lasting impression.

The role, oddly enough, came about during “Hell’s Kitchen’s” development phase. Director Michael Greif asked Dixon to do some of the early readings while they were working on the script.

“I stuck around and I become infectious,” Dixon says with a laugh. For the actor, it’s a welcome change of pace. In addition to producing, starring on television (he landed an Emmy nomination for his work in “Jesus Christ Superstar”) and developing new works, Dixon likes to encourage the young talent bringing Alicia Keys’ songs to Broadway. “They call me ‘pops’ in the theater…I’m very old-school. I’m the curmudgeon…but I love them dearly.”

Maleah Joi Moon, who plays Ali, an aspiring musician (read: Keys substitute), has the talent to fuel a long career, Dixon says. “It’s up to us to figure out how to do it. We at the theater do everything we can to support her. She knows she can speak with us and get advice.”

When crafting the role of her onstage father, Dixon relied on the script and listened to the advice he got during the creative process. Because his character – Davis – is not meant to be a literal translation of Keys’ father, he didn’t ask for details or advice.

“Alicia is like however you assume she is,” he says. “Her public persona is very much a genuine reflection of how she is in her work, her natural life and her interaction with people. She’s very open and collaborative. She has her thoughts and opinions about the best way for things to be presented but it’s very much through the lens of who you are and what your strengths are.”

Landing 13 Tony nominations, “Hell’s Kitchen” is one of the undisputed hits of the 2023-24 Broadway season. “I expect a long life on Broadway and a long touring life as long as society continues to move along,” Dixon says of the show.

He, meanwhile, has made it a point to maximize his exposure. Roles “don’t come in as big a concentration as they might seem,” the 42-year-old says. “There has been time to dip into one, then dip into another. Hopefully, those opportunities and projects will increase.

“I think your environment and your medium and your material shape how you manifest in the space you’re in. I’ve played a lot of characters who were people who really existed and, oftentimes, I’m reading a lot of biographies, autobiographies, and doing a lot of research. The more you can, the more vivid a picture you can create in your mind.”

In those less concrete roles – like Davis – there’s an opportunity to borrow from his own personality.

“There’s a whole lot of Brandon in this,” he says of “Hell’s Kitchen.” “The approach is to connect what I can give them in this space and time. Where is Maleah’s version of Ali today? Where is Shoshana’s version of Jersey today? How can I support them? How can I let them know I’m here for them and it’s going to be fantastic.

“I use the same tools in my real life when I want to comfort somebody. I play the same way. I flirt in the same way. Davis is a disappointment, but Davis is very clear about who he is. And he tries to be the very best he can with that.”

And Dixon? He’s just trying to maximize those nine minutes on stage.

“Hell’s Kitchen” is at the Shubert Theatre in New York. It’s nominated for 13 Tony Awards.