With this being Ben Levi Ross’s last performance on tour this weekend and Stephen Christopher Anthony taking over, I am wondering for those who have seen different ones what is your opinion on who are the top Evans (vocally/acting)?
I’ve only ever seen Ben Platt and Noah K live and I enjoyed both performances immensely. I think, just due to recency, I’m more fond of Noah’s performance.
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I personally really enjoyed Andrew Barth Feldman's Evan. While he didn't have the smoothest voice, his acting was impeccable, and at such a young age, he was extraordinarily talented. I've also heard that Michael Lee Brown is an excellent Evan.
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I’ve only seen Ben Levi Ross and Taylor Trench Live and both were absotputy fanatic. However I think Ben is better overall. He has a huge voice and is a phenomenal actor. If he originated the role of Evan on broadway I have no doubt that he would have won a Tony for it.
Ben Platt. By far the most emotionally intense Evan I've seen. To this day I don't know how he managed to do that night after night off Broadway, out of town, and then a year on B'way.
I’ve only seen Ben Platt and Ben Levi Ross. Ben Platt’s vocals and acting were simply amazing. I tried to get my husband to see it again when the tour came to Atlanta, but he said he didn’t want to go because he couldn’t imagine any performance being better than that one. So I took a friend instead and was wondering if I would like it as much. Ben Levi Ross exceeded my expectations and made me so happy I had gone to see it again. One lady was bawling so much at the end, she couldn’t physically get out of her seat to leave the theatre.
I’ve seen the show 10 times now. MLB, Taylor Trensch, Ben Platt, and Ben Levi Ross were my favorites. Andrew Barth Feldman was really good also. Noah Galvin was a giant meh in my opinion.
I saw Ben Levi Ross on tour and Ben Platt on Broadway. To me, Ben Platt's performance was peerless and I've never seen anything like it. There were moments in his performance that were mind boggling to me. That said, there are like 6-7 Evans I haven't seen, so I don't know for sure.
Ben Platt may be the obvious choice, but there’s a reason why. He was absolutely exceptional. The greatest live performance I’ve ever seen. Sheer perfection.
I’ve seen DEH on Broadway and in Toronto a few times, so three different Evans.
Robert Markus, Toronto cast had literally flawless vocals. Such a shame the production wasn’t able to sustain. Unfortunately, Toronto has some trouble keeping shows open long term.
Also love MLB, my first Evan. He’s a great actor and has a beautiful voice.
I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but I felt Ben Platt overacted to the point that it took away from the experience. There wasn't a genuine moment in his entire performance. His mannerisms were so affected, and you could see him working himself up to cry. At one point he was straining so hard to shed a tear that the veins in his face and neck were bulging and he was so red I actually felt concerned that he would collapse. It really made me dislike the show, and while everyone around me was sobbing, I was incredulous, and wondering what was wrong with me that I wasn't moved. At. All.
Then I saw Andrew Barth Feldman. It was a completely different experience. His performance was intense, yes, but effortless and so genuine. The tears rolled down his face, and the rolled down my face, too. After seeing him, I finally understood why everyone was so in love with Dear Evan Hansen. I can't imagine a better Evan than Andrew.
Just wanted to say I completely agree with jkstheatrescene! Andrew absolutely blew me away with how natural and more subtle he felt in the role. I think, for me, it also helps a lot that he's an actual teenager unlike Platt, who you could definitely tell was much older...