Producers for the Tony Award winning musical Dear Evan Hansen have unofficially confirmed the hit show will transfer to London’s West End.
Talking to the Daily Mail, Broadway Producer Stacey Mindich outlined her plans for the London production which included having a Brit play the lead role and using blind-casting.
She stated ‘it was important for audiences to feel as close to Evan as possible.’
Of course this also confirms that Ben Platt will not be reprising his Tony Award winning performance when the show eventually transfers.
Dear Evan Hansen opened on Broadway in 2016 to widespread critical acclaim, winning 6 Tony Awards including Best Original Score for Benji Pasek and Justin Paul, Best Book of a Musical for Steven Levenson, and Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for Platt.
The show is a contemporary new musical about a high school student who suffers from social anxiety, which inhibits his ability to connect with people and make friends. When a classmate suddenly dies he fabricates a story which brings him closer to the boy’s family but also allows him to grow.
Benji Pasek and Justin Paul are the song-writing team behind smash-hit films La La Land starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling and Hugh Jackman’s The Greatest Showman.
Their other projects include the musical adaptation of James and the Giant Peach, the Tony-nominated A Christmas Story: The Musical and the forthcoming live action Disney film of Aladdin.
Dates and venue have yet to be confirmed however this won’t stop us speculating on where the show might land.
If Producers were hoping for a similar size theatre to the 1000 seat Music Box Theatre on Broadway, the Phoenix Theatre or the Aldwych Theatre would be a natural fit. Based on ticket sales it looks like Tina Turner will be playing for the foreseeable and Chicago has a limited run so it might just land at the Phoenix.
If they were game they could go for the 1500 seat Adelphi Theatre, but this would require Kinky Boots to vacate. Alternatively, if they wanted to play it safe the 850 seater Noel Coward Theatre would make a good fit.
Keep an eye out for our Dear Evan Hansen London production fantasy casting post.
Rest assured when all the details are announced we’ll be posting it right here!
UPDATE 3/Oct/2018: Dear Evan Hansen will open at the Noel Coward Theatre, London in 2019.
UPDATE: 8 February 2019: Dear Evan Hansen will begin previews on 29 October 2019, with opening night on 19 November 2019 at the Noel Coward Theatre. Tickets will go on sale via this website on 4 April 2019 and to the general public on 8 April 2019.
DEAR EVAN HANSEN is booking from 29 October 2019 until 4 April 2020 at the Noel Coward Theatre, London.
DEAR EVAN HANSEN tickets are now available
