Dear Evan Hansen after Ben Platt

It won't be the same, but I don't think it will be a death knell for the show.

The success of La La Land gave Pasek and Paul some mainstream star power in their own right. I think that they could be a selling point of DEH, like Trey Parker and Matt Stone are for Book of Mormon but to a lesser extent.

Lot666 said: "I saw finally DEH this past Wednesday and felt that it was very much Ben Platt's show. I think the buzz and borderline mania over it (that stage door!) will keep it going for some time after he departs, but I also believe it will become a very different show then. However, I think it will be a case of "what they don't know won't hurt them"; those who didn't get to see Mr. Platt won't fully realize what they're not getting and will probably still be glad to have seen the show.

I second this assessment. It's spot-on.

By the way, Lot666, I was right across the street at BANDSTAND for the matinee this past Wednesday. We need a better way to keep in touch. Sending you a PM.

Lot666 said: "CT2NYC said: "...By the way, Lot666, I was right across the street at BANDSTAND for the matinee this past Wednesday. We need a better way to keep in touch. Sending you a PM."

I'll be back at Sunset in a few hours for my "farewell" matinee.

DON'T TAKE PICTURES!!!

I think you can transition Mike Faist into the role

I don't know if it will impact ticket sales, but I suspect the performance will not suffer a bit, as long as the replacement is talented. I saw three different young actors in the lead role in The Curious Incident, two in NYC and one in Tampa. I honestly did not think the Tony winning performance was any better than the other two...all were outstanding and heart-wrenching. There are a lot of talented performers out there; and, while Ben Platt may be giving an extraordinary performance, others have the potential to do the same thing. This is just not the same thing as replacing a seasoned pro who has a huge fan base from giving many previous performances. When an audience wants to see Nathan Lane, they want to see Nathan Lane, not his replacement. Ben Platt is not there yet. IMO.

Alex Sharp in Curious Incident was fantastic in Curious Incident. Still I see Evan Hansen as a more challenging role/ character to play than Christopher Boone. While it can be argued that a good actor can easily step into and play Boone, it remains to be seen who can play Evan Hansen after Ben Platt leaves with the same intensity and still have a long life on Broadway.

It'll just... EXPLODE. THINGS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. FIRE AND WATER WILL SURROUND THE THEATRE AND THE SHOW WILL BE DROWNED IN DEVASTATION AND HORROR. IT'LL NEVER RECOVER. NOT EVER. THE WORLD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME

Jarethan said: "I don't know if it will impact ticket sales, but I suspect the performance will not suffer a bit, as long as the replacement is talented. I saw three different young actors in the lead role in The Curious Incident, two in NYC and one in Tampa. I honestly did not think the Tony winning performance was any better than the other two...all were outstanding and heart-wrenching. There are a lot of talented performers out there; and, while Ben Platt may be giving an extraordinary performance, others have the potential to do the same thing. This is just not the same thing as replacing a seasoned pro who has a huge fan base from giving many previous performances. When an audience wants to see Nathan Lane, they want to see Nathan Lane, not his replacement. Ben Platt is not there yet. IMO.



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The thing that made Ben special arguably the essence of the show is the fact that he's been with it for years. He co-created the role with the rest of the cast and creative team, and, therefore, you can always see some trace of Ben on Evan whoever is playing him.

As others have said, Ben Platt's performance is special. I will say that I saw the show twice in December and then again on Saturday. Ben didn't get as teary eyed as he did in December but I thought his performance was just as good.

I do believe it is possible to get someone that replaces Ben that is just as good if not better. The biggest question is how hard the show looks for that actor.

Jarethan said: "There are a lot of talented performers out there; and, while Ben Platt may be giving an extraordinary performance, others have the potential to do the same thing. This is just not the same thing as replacing a seasoned pro who has a huge fan base from giving many previous performances. When an audience wants to see Nathan Lane, they want to see Nathan Lane, not his replacement. Ben Platt is not there yet. IMO."

I agree.

And I don't think any other actor could have created the character quite like Ben - the way he attacks a scene and is willing to go wherever the emotion leads - while at the same time being so damn vulnerable and likable you just want to run on stage and protect him. There was also some of that in his Elder Cunningham in Mormon. And vocally the part sails through his incredible range.

But now that the character is there in flesh and blood, I think he has created a template that other actors actors can follow. It will be hard matching the vocal and acting range required, but they are out there.

It reminds of the challenge of casting Glinda in Wicked, a part tailored to the phenomenal/peculiar vocal and character abilities of Kristen Chenowith. It took Chenowith to create the part, but they found other actresses to step in to her pink shoes. Some even managed to bend the part to their own personality in way that still works for the show.

There will be other Evans. And some may even show us things we never imagined while watching Ben, Remember, this is what Ben himself did in Mormon - bringing a new take on a character that we thought Josh Gad had frozen (ha-ha) as a slovenly dim outcast.

Updated On: 5/28/17 at 12:44 PM

CallMeAl2 said: "Jarethan said: "There are a lot of talented performers out there; and, while Ben Platt may be giving an extraordinary performance, others have the potential to do the same thing. This is just not the same thing as replacing a seasoned pro who has a huge fan base from giving many previous performances. When an audience wants to see Nathan Lane, they want to see Nathan Lane, not his replacement. Ben Platt is not there yet. IMO."

I agree.

And I don't think any other actor could have created the character quite like Ben - the way he attacks a scene and is willing to go wherever the emotion leads - while at the same time being so damn vulnerable and likable you just want to run on stage and protect him. There was also some of that in his Elder Cunningham in Mormon. And vocally the part sails through his incredible range.

But now that the character is there in flesh and blood, I think he has created a template that other actors actors can follow. It will be hard matching the vocal and acting range required, but they are out there.

It reminds of the challenge of casting Glinda in Wicked, a part tailored to the phenomenal/peculiar vocal and character abilities of Kristen Chenowith. It took Chenowith to create the part, but they found other actresses to step in to her pink shoes. Some even managed to bend the part to their own personality in way that still works for the show.

There will be other Evans. And some may even show us things we never imagined while watching Ben, Remember, this is what Ben himself did in Mormon - bringing a new take on a character that we thought Josh Gad had frozen (ha-ha) as a slovenly dim outcast.



"Are you saying he played the Josh Gad role? I never would have expected that, which -- if true -- makes the point re this topic