Posted: 5/17/18 at 8:41am
And Ben Ross is leading it! Very happy for him
http://ew.com/theater/2018/05/17/dear-evan-hansen-ben-levi-ross-national-tour/
Posted: 5/17/18 at 8:43am
I'm very happy with this casting announcement! BLR is such great and I'm so excited for him
Updated On: 5/17/18 at 08:43 AM
Posted: 5/17/18 at 8:43am
Posted: 5/17/18 at 8:45am
I think Ben is a great choice but I would've rather seen MLB get the nod here, solely because Ben is more versatile with all of the male roles in my opinion than Michael is. This is a similar sentiment to the argument that Andrew Chappelle needed to remain a swing in Hamilton instead of moving to a single, principal role, since he is incredible at all of the parts.
Nonetheless, I'm sure Ben will do a fantastic job.
Posted: 5/17/18 at 8:54am
Posted: 5/17/18 at 9:03am
I was hoping they were going to cast a person of color and for that reason alone I’m underwhelmed.
Posted: 5/17/18 at 9:06am
I'm thrilled with the news and the historical aspects of this. Is this the first time a romantic couple play the same Broadway role? Ben and Taylor Trensch are a couple. 
Posted: 5/17/18 at 9:18am
Posted: 5/17/18 at 10:06am
broadwaynerdnewbie said: "I was hoping they were going to cast a person of color and for that reason alone I’m underwhelmed."
I do not think they will ever cast a POC as Evan. The role itself has plenty of moral issues yet the audiences (and the majority of Bway audiences are white) forgive Evan for these. I imagine an audience with pitchforks at the end wanted to know why Evan hasn't paid for all the chaos he has caused.
If this past election taught us anything, it's that racism is certainly not dead and IMHO casting a POC as Evan would change the whole show since (and maybe I'm not giving the majority of audiences enough credit) they would be less inclined to forgive a POC for these offences as a they do a white Evan. Hell, I even think a jewish Evan would have trouble playing in the South. America is racist. A gay couple can't even be part of an ensemble in PA without drama.
Posted: 5/17/18 at 10:17am
I think you can cast a POC as Evan and still have people be sympathetic to Evan and have the audience remain on his side as the audience does on broadway. I think you can do that because yes those that see the tour probably aren’t nearly as invested and up to date on all the show details most people know the general gist of the story. Even without a POC lead I hope they’ll cast more POC in the tour than just Alana because if not I’ll be disappointed, and frankly disgusted.
i love this show but it needs to be better about casting POC across all the roles, I’m tired of the same looking white boy being cast as a lead and understudy. It’s 2018 and they need to do better, as does the rest of broadway etc. it’s not just a DEH problem.
Posted: 5/17/18 at 12:30pm
broadwaynerdnewbie said: "I was hoping they were going to cast a person of color and for that reason alone I’m underwhelmed."
It must be difficult to navigate through life with that kind of thinking.
Posted: 5/17/18 at 12:37pm
broadwaynerdnewbie said: "I was hoping they were going to cast a person of color and for that reason alone I’m underwhelmed."
Err... so you make something up and then get disappointed when no one else does it?!
Posted: 5/17/18 at 12:43pm
I also was hoping they;d give it to MLB, who is excellent in the role (in fairness, I've only seen it once, and with him in the lead) and has been with the production for a while. Of course its possible it was offered to him and he declined (didn't want to go on tour, has stuff going on in NYC, etc) OR he's in line to be the next "primary" Evan on Broadway. I think he deserves the opportunity, at least.
Posted: 5/17/18 at 1:22pm
broadwaynerdnewbie said: "I was hoping they were going to cast a person of color and for that reason alone I’m underwhelmed."
Of course it wouldn't be a BWW thread without the PC Police chiming in!
Posted: 5/17/18 at 1:32pm
Posted: 5/17/18 at 1:32pm
Posted: 5/17/18 at 5:50pm
Bwayfan292 said: "For Christ sake. Not every single thread in here has to turn into a race debate."
^^^ This.
Posted: 5/18/18 at 12:18am
I interviewed English Bernhardt two years ago, and she told me that she was actually in the workshops for Dear Evan Hansen.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/raleigh/article/BWW-TV-English-Bernhardt-of-IFTHEN-National-Tour-20160513
I wonder if she’ll be in the tour. She'd probably make a great Zoe Murphy.
Posted: 6/5/18 at 6:16pm
Jessica Phillips is the Haid for the tour! https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Good-for-Her-Jessica-Phillips-Will-Play-Heidi-Hansen-in-DEAR-EVAN-HANSEN-National-Tour-20180605
My ideal Larry is Paul Alexander Nolan and the timing for the tour and the closure of E2M fit!
Posted: 6/5/18 at 6:46pm
Posted: 6/5/18 at 6:52pm
"I was hoping they were going to cast a person of color and for that reason alone I’m underwhelmed."
God, shut up.
I love that Jessica looks so similar to Laura! I love both of them, great casting!!
Posted: 6/5/18 at 7:07pm
EllieRose2 said: ""I was hoping they were going to cast a person of color and for that reason alone I’m underwhelmed."
God, shut up.
I love that Jessica looks so similar to Laura! I love both of them, great casting!!"
I literally made the above comment about being underwhlemed about the casting of Ben Ross not Jessica. Have a fantastic day.
Posted: 6/5/18 at 7:08pm
Posted: 6/5/18 at 7:13pm
Posted: 6/5/18 at 7:22pm
This is a fantastic choice I am SO happy for her, I saw her as Diana in N2N and was fantastic.
