Broadway NewsBen Platt Departs Tony-Winning Role in Dear Evan Hansen November 19The award-winning actor will first be succeeded by Noah Galvin and, subsequently, Taylor Trensch.
By
Andrew Gans
November 19, 2017
Ben Platt, who won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his performance in the title role of the Tony-winning Dear Evan Hansen, plays his final performance at the Music Box Theatre November 19 at 3 PM. The actor has been with the musical throughout its journey from Washington, D.C.'s Arena Stage to Off-Broadway's Second Stage and, subsequently, Broadway.
Benj Pasek, Steven Levenson, Ben Platt, and Justin Paul
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Platt—who earned raves for his emotional, riveting performance as Evan Hansen, the sensitive high school student caught at the center of a story that spirals out of control—also received The Drama League's Distinguished Performance Award, which is awarded to one artist a year and can only be won once in a lifetime. Platt is the youngest actor to have ever won the award.
As for future plans, in September it was reported that Platt, who recently made a guest appearance on Will & Grace, had signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records. Although no other details have been announced, the actor said in a statement at the time, “I am beyond proud to be joining the Atlantic family, amongst a roster of legendary artists. It has been a longtime dream to create original music; I am so excited to be working on this debut album and even more excited for the day I can share it with the world.”
Platt, in a recent joint interview with Hello, Dolly!'s Beanie Feldstein, also told Vanity Fair that he plans to focus on TV and film for the immediate future: “That’s the main focus. I have a TV thing I’m not at liberty to discuss, but that’s going to be really great and wonderful, that I’m looking forward to. And I’m trying to find some films to do as well. And then I’m sure I’ll come back to the Broadway soon.”
As previously announced, Dear Evan Hansen will first welcome The Real O’Neals' Noah Galvin in the title role beginning November 21, followed by Hello, Dolly! star Taylor Trensch, who will take over beginning mid-January 2018.
Dear Evan Hansen features a score by the Tony- and Oscar-winning songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dogfight, A Christmas Story), a book by Tony winner Steven Levenson (Masters of Sex), choreography by Danny Mefford (Fun Home), and direction by multiple Tony nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, If/Then).
Original cast members Laura Dreyfuss, Tony winner Rachel Bay Jones, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Tony nominee Mike Faist, Michael Park, and Will Roland have all extended their contracts and will remain with the musical through May 2018. Kristolyn Lloyd will depart in March.
In October Platt teamed up with the show’s incoming title players, Trensch and Galvin, for a fun, ’70s-inspired music video shot on the streets of New York City. Watch it below.
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Get Up-Close With the Props of Dear Evan Hansen
Get Up-Close With the Props of Dear Evan Hansen
We head backstage at the Music Box Theatre for a behind-the-scenes look at the Tony-winning show.
