Benj Pasek News

ArtsConnection, NYC's leading arts-in-education organization, has announced that it will partner with the musical Dear Evan Hansen, for an innovative new program called 'ART2ART - DEAR EVAN HANSEN,' that will bring public high school student artists to the show. Beginning this spring and continuing throughout the next year, groups of 50 NYC public high school students will see the musical, and then create original works of art to express their responses visually. All of the work will be curated in an online gallery, and select pieces will be displayed at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway, where the production - just nominated for nine Tony Awards including Best Musical -- runs eight times a week.

It's no secret that Ben Platt wrecks himself, both physically and emotionally, onstage everyday in Dear Evan Hansen. His performance has made him a frontrunner for the Tony Award. In a recent article by nytimes.com, Platt, along with his friends and family, unpack his performance, his routine, and what exactly makes him so special.

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.

The 2017 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway were handed out last night to recipients in 19 categories, with three honorary awards also bestowed. The Lortel Awards were distributed in a ceremony at NYU Skirball Center hosted by actor and comedian Taran Killam. This year's event was once again a benefit for The Actors Fund.

According to Rachel Bay Jones, being nominated for a Tony isn't as nerve wracking as she thought, but just, 'a big party, where I get to see the people that I love.' Rachel is one of the many people nominated from DEAR EVAN HANSEN, where her performance earned her a Tony nomination for Featured Actress in a Musical. Below, watch as she chats about what it's like to work with Ben Platt and how much she loves her fellow cast mates! 

Dear Evan Hansen's composer/lyricists Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, along with librettist Steven Levenson, join Susan Haskins and guest co-host Jesse Green around Theater Talk's grand piano to discuss and perform key songs from their blockbuster new show, now on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre.

The Lortel Awards will be presented tonight, May 7, 2017 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00 PM EST. This year's event will be hosted by actor and comedian, Taran Killam, and will once again serve as a benefit for The Actors Fund.

HAMILTON tour stars Ryan Vasquez and Solea Pfeiffer have put together a beautiful mash up of two of the most buzzed about shows on Broadway: Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen. Check out their collection of tunes in the video below!

Earlier this week Dear Evan Hansen earned a whopping nine Tony nominations, including a nod for Best Musical. Now the show is thanking its many fans with a special compilation of the musical's anthem, 'Waving Through a Window.'

San Francisco Playhouse (Artistic Director Bill English; Producing Director Susi Damilano) announced the final selection for its 2017-18 Mainstage season-A Christmas Story: The Musical. With a book by Joseph Robinette and music and lyrics by Oscar-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, A Christmas Story is based on the classic 1983 film of the same name. The play will be presented in the previously-unannounced holiday slot, running November 22, 2017 to January 13, 2018 (Press Opening is November 29, 2017).

BWW has learned that DEAR EVAN HANSEN star Ben Platt and SUNSET BOULEVARD's Glenn Close are among the guests set for next week's LIVE WITH KELLY AND RYAN.

We've caught Tony fever here at BroadwayWorld, and it's spreading! Follow us on BWW throughout the day, as we'll bring you Tony nominee reactions, exclusive reports, surprises, behind the scenes coverage and oh, so much more!

This week THEATER TALK welcomes the creators of the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, composer/lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul along with librettist Steven Levenson in Part One of an interview with co-host Susan Haskins and guest co-host Jesse Green of The New York Times.

We've got reactions from the cast and creative of DEAR EVAN HANSEN on their 9 Tony Award nominations! Check out what they had to say below!

Below, check out how each show fared individually in BWW's list of nominations by show.

This year's Tony Awards nominations have just been announced by Jane Krakowski and Christopher Jackson and here they are, celebrating the best of the 2016-17 theatre season (and what a season it's been!) The 2017 Tony Awards will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City, on Sunday, June 11th on CBS. Our official Tony coverage kicks off - NOW!

Pop star Katy Perry paid a visit to DEAR EVAN HANSEN last night and it's safe to say she enjoyed herself. In a post on Instagram, she called the show 'the most connective play on Broadway I have ever seen.' She took a trip backstage and posed for some photos with leading man Ben Platt, check out her post!

Turning children's books into Broadway musicals has become very popular over the last few years. There is just something about seeing your favorite book from childhood coming to life on stage that just brings a little bit of magic back into the lives of audiences.

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, composers of Dear Evan Hansen, recently performed the show's hit song Waving Through a Window at SubCulture in New York City. The duo also talked about the song's significance and their experience writing it.

The Utah Symphony and United Concerts today announced that the world tour of “La La Land” in Concert will come to Utah at West Valley City's USANA Amphitheatre on Saturday, June 24, 2017. Erik Ochsner will conduct composer Justin Hurwitz' Oscar®-winning score and Oscar®-winning song “City of Stars” (with lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul) performed live-to-film by the Utah Symphony, accompanying the film's original vocal recordings.