'Hamilton' star Leslie Odom Jr. talks about "failing up"

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WLS) -- Broadway, film, television and recording star: All these apply to Leslie Odom Jr. The Tony Award-winning Aaron Burr of the phenomenon "Hamilton" was in the Chicago area recently and spoke with Janet Davies about failure.

To many, this versatile performer seems to have first appeared on the scene as Burr, but Odom Jr. has been around for years, successful and, he says, "failing up."

That's the title of his new book: "Failing Up: How to take risks, aim higher and never stop learning." Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville hosted Odom for an event at North Central College.

Odom began his Broadway career at 17 in the mega-musical "Rent." Seventeen years later, "Hamilton" thrust him into stage history once again.

Odom has been busy since exiting the "Hamilton" stage: he's had several movie roles, performed at the Super Bowl, become a dad, and he's now occupied promoting his book. If the "Hamilton" gang wanted to do one last time onstage?

"I would do it in a heartbeat," he said.