Talia Simone Robinson becomes the first Black actor to play the role of Zoe Murphy in the Broadway company of Dear Evan Hansen beginning May 3 at the Music Box Theatre.
Robinson, formerly the understudy for the roles of Zoe and Alana, succeeds Gabrielle Carrubba, who played her final performance May 1. D’Kaylah Unique Whitley now joins the company as the Alana/Zoe understudy.
Ben Levi Ross currently stars in the title role. As previously reported, Zachary Noah Piser, who has been part of Dear Evan Hansen companies since March 2019 and is currently the Evan alternate, will follow Ross to become the first Asian-American actor to step into the role full-time on Broadway beginning May 17. Stephen Christopher Anthony, who currently plays the lead role in the North American tour, will join the New York company as Evan for a limited four-week engagement August 8. And, Sam Primack, who made his Broadway debut as an Evan cover, will take over the role from Anthony in September.
READ: Checking In With… Dear Evan Hansen Star Zachary Noah Piser
Dear Evan Hansen reopened its Broadway production December 11, 2020, following the pandemic shutdown. The company currently also includes Jessica Phillips, Christiane Noll, David Jeffery, Manoel Felciano, Jared Goldsmith, and Phoebe Koyabe with Reese Sebastian Diaz, Linedy Genao, Nathan Levy, Mateo Lizcano, Dan Macke, Jane Pfitsch, Asa Somers, Josh Strobl, and Nicole Van Giesen.
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 (tick, tick...BOOM! movie), choreography by Danny Mefford (Fun Home), and direction by multiple Tony nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, If/Then).
The musical also features scenic design by David Korins, projection design by Peter Nigrini, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, and hair design by David Brian Brown. Music supervision, orchestrations, and additional arrangements are by Alex Lacamoire. Ben Cohn is the associate music supervisor. Vocal arrangements and additional arrangements are by Justin Paul. Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting's Kevin Metzger-Timson.
Dear Evan Hansen began previews at the Music Box November 14, 2016, prior to an official opening December 4. The musical was nominated for nine 2017 Tony Awards, winning six: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Ben Platt), Best Featured Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Rachel Bay Jones), and Best Orchestrations.
The London production of Dear Evan Hansen reopened at the Noël Coward Theatre October 26, 2021. The national tour resumed December 7 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The Dear Evan Hansen film premiered in September 2021. Platt reprised his Tony-winning performance in the title role opposite Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, Danny Pino, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Colton Ryan, and Nik Dodani.
