Review: LESLIE ODOM JR. - THE CHRISTMAS TOUR at Fox Cities Performing Arts Center

What would it be like to have one of the most well-known names of modern Broadway sitting in your living room?  Leslie Odom Jr. - The Christmas Tour is not just a concert, rather a warm invitation into an intimate, almost storybook holiday gathering. With a voice described as silky, controlled, and effortlessly expressive, Odom wraps each song in elegance, whether he’s offering a classic carol or a soulful reimagining of a seasonal favorite. What makes the evening special is not just the vocal excellence, but the ease and sincerity with which he connects to the audience. Every single person in the room is pining for his next word.  His storytelling between songs is thoughtful and unpretentious, blending reflections on faith, family, and gratitude with a gentle touch of sentimentality. It’s rare to find this compelling of a storyteller.  

Supported and uplifted by a superb ensemble of instrumentalists delivering tasteful and creative arrangements, the tour balances festive joy with quiet reverence. It’s a reminder that the season doesn’t need pageantry to feel meaningful. Sometimes it just needs a beautiful voice, honest music, and a shared moment of stillness. Rather than reshaping holiday standards beyond recognition, Odom approaches each song with deep respect for its original spirit, carefully preserving the melodies and emotions audiences know and love, infusing them with renewed life. The result is a concert where familiarity and freshness coexist, allowing these classics to feel both timeless and newly discovered.

In reimagining these Christmas classics, Leslie Odom Jr. doesn’t attempt to reinvent tradition, he deepens it. Grounded in musical theater training and shaped by jazz, gospel, and soul, his genre-fluid approach allows each song to feel both reverent and renewed. As he moves through familiar favorites, an unspoken confidence settles over the room: I trust you. The audience senses it immediately, faith in his voice, his instincts, and the care with which he handles cherished material. His precision provides clarity, his phrasing brings nuance, and his restraint gives the music space to breathe. Nothing feels overdone or self-serving; every choice honors the song. With a keen sense of when to hold back, when to linger, and when to let stillness speak, Odom creates performances that feel quietly profound, earned through intention, not excess.

One of the evening’s most inspired moments comes with Odom’s rendition of “The Christmas Song.” Rather than relying on the lush orchestration audiences expect, he strips the arrangement back and centers it around drums; a thoughtful and deeply intentional choice, given that the song was co-written by drummer Mel Tormé. The rhythm becomes the heartbeat of the number, grounding the familiar melody in warmth and subtle drive. It’s a reinterpretation that feels less like a departure and more like a return to the song’s origins, revealing new texture without sacrificing its timeless comfort. In Odom’s hands, the classic doesn’t just sound different, it feels understood.

It’s clear that Odom is uninterested in staying in a single musical lane. Jazz phrases melt into Broadway clarity, gospel warmth flows into R&B grooves, and moments of pop sit comfortably beside classical restraint. The transitions reflect an artist fully in command of his voice and vision. Odom understands not just how to sing across styles, but why each one serves the story he’s telling. Vocally, he is at the height of his powers. His tone remains pristine across registers, his phrasing is deliberate and intelligent. He knows when to lean into intimacy and when to let a phrase expand, often reshaping familiar holiday standards into new revelations. Even the most well-worn carols take on new meaning.

The musicianship supporting him is equally refined. The band navigates stylistic shifts with ease, allowing jazz improvisation, gospel drive, and theatrical precision to coexist in the same space. The level of musician on the stage is world-class.  Odom’s love for music is clear as he sits back and allows those who are with him on stage serenade the audience with free-flowing artistic excellence.

Ultimately, Leslie Odom Jr. - The Christmas Tour succeeds because it trusts the audience. It doesn’t rely on spectacle, but on artistry, craft, and emotional honesty. Incorporating smart and imaginative technical components like the lighting design, Odom proves himself not just a gifted vocalist or Broadway star, but a true storyteller and visionary. This is holiday music for listeners who appreciate nuance, musicianship, and genre without borders; a quietly stunning reminder of just how music can and should make you feel this time of year.

Appleton, WI Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (Sheboygan Theatre Company)

40.5% of votes

2. ALICE BY HEART (The Forst Inn Arts Collective)

23.3% of votes

3. NEXT TO NORMAL (Play-by-Play Theatre)

19.5% of votes

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