December 4 marks the anniversary of the opening of Dear Evan Hansen, the Tony-winning Best Musical from songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and playwright Steven Levenson.
The production, directed by Michael Grief, initially premiered at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., followed by an Off-Broadway production at Second Stage Theatre. The Broadway production, which continues to run at the Music Box Theatre, originally starred Ben Platt (who won a Tony Award for his performance), Rachel Bay Jones (also a Tony winner), Laura Dreyfuss, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Michael Park, Mike Faist, Kristolyn Lloyd, and Will Roland.
READ: Jordan Fisher Will Play Title Role in Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen
The musical, which currently stars Andrew Barth Feldman in the title role, follows high school student Evan Hansen, who has felt invisible his entire life. But when a tragic event shocks the community and thrusts him into the center of a rapidly evolving controversy, Evan is given the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to be somebody else.
The production took home six Tony Awards in total, including Best Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, and Best Orchestrations. Multiple productions of the musical have gone on to open around the world, from Toronto to the West End.
Flip through photos featuring Platt and the original Broadway cast below:
Ben Platt and cast of the original Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen
