Returning to the stage for his first role since Hamilton, Jason Arrow has gone from founding father to small-time gambler.
The role of US Treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton could not be more different to easygoing New York crook Nicely-Nicely Johnson in the Handa Opera production of Guys and Dolls, the actor says.
"The contrast could not be greater - Nicely-Nicely is more of a comedic character, as opposed to someone who's trying to, you know, establish a country," he said.
Having played Hamilton an incredible 897 times, the tenor says he's relishing the transition from rapid-fire rapping to simply being able to sing up to the rafters.
Guys and Dolls is classic Broadway fare, set in Depression-era New York and first staged in 1950, while a 1955 film version starred Marlon Brando with Frank Sinatra.
"It's the most basic of stories - boy meets girl, just your classic music theatre but adapted in a more modern way," Arrow said.
The new production directed by Shaun Rennie updates the music to a big-band jazz sound, modernises some of the 1950s gender politics and reworks the slapstick comedy for a contemporary audience.
Nicely-Nicely is a supporting role, yet somehow Arrow still gets the standout number - a jazzed-up version of Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat.
Although he does sound like he might regret suggesting (alongside Joel Granger as Benny Southstreet) dashing across the stage to get some laughs - the raked platform is so big Arrow has dubbed it the Handa Opera football field.
"We thought it would be so funny to have them running around ... but it's a lot, doing incline sprints the whole show," he joked.
After West Side Story and The Phantom of the Opera, Guys and Dolls is the latest musical to get the Handa Opera treatment.
The lavish productions are set against the skyline of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, with the stage extending over Sydney Harbour.
This should be no problem for champion swimmer Cody Simpson, who makes his Australian musical theatre debut with Guys and Dolls in the starring role of high roller Sky Masterton.
Forget Arrow's four years of Hamilton - Simpson has not only toured with Justin Bieber and sung on Broadway, he's swum for Australia at the Commonwealth Games.
It all adds up to some star power that Opera Australia hopes will be good for its bottom line, with the national company posting a deficit since 2020 and a governance review under way.
Opera Australia's Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour runs from Friday to April 20.
