Benj Pasek News

It's only a day away! The 71st Annual Tony Awards will air on CBS tomorrow night, June 11 at 8pm and as usual, BroadwayWorld will be your one-stop shop for all things Tonys on Tonys Day, Night and Beyond!

Happy Tonys season BroadwayWorld! Is your CD collection and iPod Tonys ready? The big show-the 71th annual Tony Awards-is just over 24 hours away! Naturally, New York City and theatre fans across the world are excitedly buzzing about this year's ceremonies, which will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 11, 2017 at 8/7c on CBS. As always, this Broadway season has some exciting contenders in the musical categories, and to get you ready for the big night, I'm recapping the albums you should be listening to (or at least pre-ordering).

Momma Rose may soon have to change her tune. 'Cause lately, it seems like everything's coming up Pasek and Paul! No, really. With a hotly-anticipated film project on the rise, a much-lauded Oscar win that put them on the map, and the recent announcement that their inaugural Broadway musical will be the next to be broadcast live across the globe (and they'll be contributing new music and lyrics!!) -- all amidst the buzz surrounding the award-winning mega-musical that set Broadway ablaze and left us broken on the ground, there's no denying the incomparable power duo has had quite the banner year.

Broadway's DEAR EVAN HANSEN, a story of teen invisibility, strikes a poignant chord with its fans. Below, see what the team behind the show had to say about today's social media world and loneliness, the musical and more in their interview with PBS News Hour!

Come see something strange unfold right before your very eyes in Moonlight Youth Theatre's summer production of Roald Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach Jr." The magical musical opens Friday, June 23 at 7 p.m. on the AVO Playhouse stage in Vista, CA.

Your Voice Matters! Voting Opens Today for the 2017 Theater Fans' Choice Awards. Awards season in NYC is now in FULL swing, and with the critics, press, and industry all having their chances to nominate and vote -- now it's the fans' turn. Don't worry about snubs either, we've got our biggest and best nominee list ever!

CUNY TV will salute the upcoming 2017 Tony Awards with a new TONY Preview Special on ARTS IN THE CITY, plus a new 2017 TONY Predictions episode and a new TONY Time Critics panel, both on THEATER TALK. In addition, CUNY TV will present a marathon showing of THEATER TALK 2016-17 episodes and other programs related to this year's Tony nominees - all leading up to 8pm on June 11 when the annual TONY AWARDS Ceremony begins on CBS.

Just yesterday, the 2017 Tony nominees and friends gathered for a special evening to celebrate the Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre and 2017 Special Award Recipients. BroadwayWorld was on the red carpet for the big night and you can check out photos below!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's big news: The 2017 Theatre World Awards ceremony takes place at the Imperial Theatre tonight!

With the names of Benj Pasek & Justin Paul  (Oscar winners for La La Land and Tony Award frontrunners for this year's DEAR EVAN HANSEN) attached to DOGFIGHT, one might have high expectations while awaiting the opening notes to sound at The Hudson Mainstage. DOGFIGHT consistently scores with topnotch singing, dancing and musical accompaniment throughout. Nicci Claspell steals the entire show as Rose.

Unstoppable and adorable, Ben Platt has been strutting his stuff across the stage since he was just a kid. Check out the Tony nominee's 2004 run as Patrick in the Hollywood Bowl's production of MAME!

AFTER HOURS THETRE COMPANY (who most recently produced I Love You Because) present, from the Academy Award-winning musical team responsible for "La La Land" and the smash Broadway hit Dear Evan Hansen, DOGFIGHT, music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, book by Peter Duchan, musical direction by Elmo Zapp, choreography and co-direction by Jennifer Oundjian and co-directed by Jennifer Strattan. DOGFIGHT will open on Friday, June 2 and perform through Sunday, June 25 at the Hudson Backstage, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

Just a little bit over a week away from Broadway's biggest night, star of Dear Evan Hansen, Mike Faist, is finally getting into the swing of awards season. The first-time Tony nominee has earned love from fans and critics alike for his complex portrayal of a teen in trouble. Below, watch as Faist chats with Richard Ridge about the complex Connor Murphy. 

Now in our 15th year, the Theater Fans' Choice Awards are, by FAR, the largest fan based awards of their kind. Open to anyone to vote, we're excited to present a full slate of eligible nominees in categories that both mirror the popular critical awards, as well as fan favorite categories for Best Tour, Ensemble and Off Broadway shows. Plus, cast your vote in our newest category, honoring stage to screen adaptations!

Today, Ben Platt joined the table on ABC's 'The View' to talk about Broadway's DEAR EVAN HANSEN, in which his character gets caught up in a lie. Platt described it as a 'super morally ambiguous show in a really beautiful way about the good things that can come from lies' and shared how he is able to cry and sing at the same time for every performance. Watch the interview below!

Nominated for nine Tony Awards®, including Best Original Score and Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen has struck a remarkable chord with audiences and critics everywhere. With advanced ticket sales in excess of $20 million and its soundtrack debut at #8 on the Top 200 Album Billboard chart, it is on track to be one of the most successful Broadway musicals of all time. The show officially opened on Broadway on December 4, 2016, after a successful Off-Broadway run.

Second Stage Theater's (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) production of SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER has been extended by one week and will now play through Sunday, June 25.

Just yesterday, star of Dear Evan Hansen, Ben Platt, joined the fabled walls of Sardi's... or at least his new portrait did. BroadwayWorld was on hand as Platt and some of his Broadway family celebrated the big day!

Now in our 15th year, the Theater Fans' Choice Awards are, by FAR, the largest fan based awards of their kind. Open to anyone to vote, we're excited to present a full slate of eligible nominees in categories that both mirror the popular critical awards, as well as fan favorite categories for Best Tour, Ensemble and Off Broadway shows. Plus, cast your vote in our newest category, honoring stage to screen adaptations!

BWW has learned that Tony Award-nominee and star of Broadway's DEAR EVAN HANSEN, Ben Platt will perform on ABC's THE VIEW on Thursday, June 1st. On Friday, June 2nd, the cast of the Tony-nominated Broadway musical COME FROM AWAY will perform.