Breaking News: Second Stage Will Present NYC Premiere of DEAR EVAN HANSEN; Opens in Spring 2016

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director, Casey Reitz, Executive Director), in association with Stacey Mindich Productions, will present the New York premiere of the critically acclaimed new musical, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, featuring music and lyrics by the Tony and Emmy nominated composing team Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (Dogfight, A Christmas Story), book by Steven Levenson (Showtime's Masters of Sex), and direction by three-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, Grey Gardens, If/Then).

The musical, which concludes its run at Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage on August 23, will open at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street) in spring 2016. Exact dates, casting and complete creative team will be announced at a later date.

Benj Pasek & Justin Paul return to Second Stage Theatre where their musical, Dogfight, received its world premiere in 2012. Director Michael Greif staged Second Stage Theatre's production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal, as well as their production of Howard Korder's Boys' Life.

"The story of Evan Hansen couldn't be more current or immediate and I am proud to present the New York Premiere of this powerful and moving new American musical," said Second Stage Artistic Director Carole Rothman. "I'm also very much looking forward to welcoming Benj and Justin, with whom we so happily collaborated on Dogfight, and Michael Greif, who memorably staged Next to Normal for us, back to the Second Stage family. And I've been a fan of Steven's work for many years, so I am very excited to work with him on this project."

In its world premiere production at Washington DC's Arena Stage, Peter Marks of The Washington Post called DEAR EVAN HANSEN, "Entertainingly smart and radiating charm, wit and humor! This heart-piercingly lovely new musical is a trip to the exciting place that musical theater sometimes takes you, a destination of wholly unexpected impact, where characters burst into song and you, in spite of yourself, into tears." And Charles Isherwood of The New York Times called the musical, "Fresh, vibrant, and quite moving."