The cast to bring Dear Evan Hansen to life in Glasgow has been revealed.
The production of the Olivier, Tony, and Grammy award-winning musical will be at The King’s Theatre in the city from Tuesday, February 21 until Saturday, March 1 next year.
Leading the cast as the titular Evan Hansen will be Ryan Kopel, known for his role in Newsies.
He will be supported by Lauren Conroy of Into The Woods, who will portray Zoe Murphy and Alice Fearn, who previously starred in Wicked and Come From Away, as Evan’s mother, Heidi.
Joining them will be Helen Anker (Mamma Mia!) as Cynthia Murphy, Richard Hurst from The Lion King as Larry Murphy, Killian Thomas Lefevre from Bat Out Of Hell as Connor Murphy, Tom Dickerson from Heathers as Jared Kleinman, Vivian Panka from 9 to 5 the Musical as Alana Beck and Sonny Monaghan, discovered through TikTok, will be the alternate Evan.
Unlike previous shows, this UK rendition of Dear Evan Hansen will be the first to operate with an ensemble.
Comprising the ensemble will be Lara Beth-Sas, Will Forgrave, Daniel Forrester, Jessica Lim, Sonny Monaghan and Shakira Simpson.
In a unique approach, the casting team worked alongside TikTok to identify potential cast members.
Interested users were invited to submit a video of themselves singing a piece from the show, with 36 out of more than 2,000 submissions invited for in-person auditions, eventually leading to Sonny Monaghan being chosen as an alternate for Evan.
Sonny will be performing as Evan twice a week, at every matinee performance.
Director Adam Penford shared his excitement over the assembled cast, stating that they are a blend of musical theatre stalwarts and up-and-comers.
As the musical approaches nine years since its premiere, he acknowledges the honour in redefining the influential story for a modern audience.
The Dear Evan Hansen production team has also proudly announced their collaboration with The Mix, a leading UK charity for young individuals under 25.
The partnership seeks to offer necessary support for persons affected by the sensitive themes presented in the musical.
The Mix will provide guidance for the cast and creative unit on responding appropriately to public inquiries, both on and off the internet, alongside equipping them to guide individuals to the correct support avenues.
Furthermore, they aim to develop pertinent and engaging content to assist and empower young people in their transition into adulthood.
Behind the scenes, Morgan Large is the set and costume designer paired with choreographer Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, lighting designer Matt Daw, sound designer Tom Marshall, video designer Ravi Deepres and musical supervisor Matt Smith.
Natalie Gallacher CDG serves as casting director with Michelle Payne as associate director, and Laura Llewellyn-Jones as orchestral manager.
Praised for its potent musical score, Dear Evan Hansen boasts work by Oscar-winning composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, celebrated for their work on The Greatest Showman and La La Land, and a book by Steven Levenson.
The hit musical won an array of awards, including the Tony® Award for Best Musical, Olivier Award for Best New Musical and the Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theatre Album among others.
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