Latest news with #DearEvanHansen
Edinburgh Reporter
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Liam Rudden's Must See Theatre this month
The calm before the storm that is the Edinburgh Festivals may leave Edinburgh stages bare but a London theatre break promises something special this month. As Edinburgh theatres fall into their usual pre-Fringe slumber this month, there's only one big touring production heading to town in July and that is Dear Evan Hansen at The Playhouse (1-5 July). The Olivier, Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical is packed with some of the biggest musical theatre songs of the last decade. All his life, Evan Hansen has felt invisible. But when a tragic event shocks the community and thrusts him into the centre of a rapidly evolving controversy, he is given the opportunity of a lifetime – the chance to be somebody else. With a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar-winning composers for The Greatest Showman, book by Steven Levenson and direction by Adam Penford, the Artistic Director at Nottingham Playhouse, this brand-new production marks the first time the Broadway and West End phenomenon has toured the UK. It stars Scottish musical theatre star Ryan Kopel in the title role, with Sonny Monaghan appearing as Alternative Evan at matinee performances. I caught up with both Ryan and Sonny as they prepared to take Dear Evan Hansen on the road, you can meet them here. Running time 2 hours 40 minutes including interval, tickets here. With a dearth of shows in the Capital, you could do worse than planning a theatre break this month, and if that means a trip to London, get in early as there's still time to catch the final week of London Theatre Direct's Big Summer Theatre. Now in its second year, the event, which runs until Monday 7 July (keep your eyes peeled though as it was extended by a further week last year), allows you to choose from more than 40 musicals and plays, including The Devil Wears Prada, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Back to the Future the Musical, Clueless the Musical, Matilda the Musical, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and save up to 50% off, with tickets from just £15. This year, however, don't just see the on stage magic, experience it with a series of exclusive photo experiences. Now you can step onto the stage after seeing Hadestown, Titanique, Starlight Express, Fiddler on the Roof and The Great Gatsby, to pose for a professional photo moment – have your photo taken on stage after seeing Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre, snap a pic with a Titanique cast member on the Criterion Theatre stage, toast your West End debut with a complimentary drink and photo op at Fiddler on the Roof, feel like a winner when you race onto the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre stage for a Starlight Express photo op – no skates required, but a complimentary drink is a must – or join the roaring 20's party with an old sport from the The Great Gatsby cast, as you pose on stage with them at the London Coliseum. Ready to make your summer unforgettable? Explore all participating shows and secure your seat at the hottest event of the season here. Back in Edinburgh, there's a chance for little ones to get their introduction to theatre at The Playhouse when, for one day only, The Dinosaur That Pooped – A Rock Show (24 July) comes to the Greenside Place venue for two performances at 1.30pm and 4.30pm. When Danny and Dino's favourite rock band are playing their last ever concert, they go on a quest to get the last two tickets. But with a villainous band manager lurking, nothing goes to plan. Will the band perform? Will Danny rock out? Or will Dino's rumbling tummy save the day? Adapted from the No1 best-selling books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, the whole family will have a poopy good time enjoying a brand, new story for the stage. Featuring new songs by the McFly favourites Fletcher and Pointer, a lot of laughs and a whole lot of poo. Running time 1 hour with no interval. Tickets here. Now if ever a venue was made to host a production of the work of Transporting author Irvine Welsh, it surely has to be the old Leith Town Hall Theatre, now better known as Leith Theatre, and that's exactly what the venue is set to do when it brings Porno (18 & 19 July), to 28 Ferry Road. Adapted by Davie Carswell from Welsh's novel of the same name, the stage production of Porno started life as 50 minute one-act play at The Pleasance as part of the 2022 Fringe, however, it's the full-length version that comes to Leith Theatre, one that has already sold out runs at the Liverpool Olympia, Crewe Lyceum, Manchester Waterside as well as a seven week season at the Art's Theatre in London's West End. Porno, the follow up novel to Trainspotting, reveals what has become of Renton, Sickboy, Spud and Begbie some 15 years on from their original exploits. It goes without saying, sure that swearing, drug use and language of a sexual nature are the order of the day, which makes the 13+ advisory seem quite liberal. Running time 2 Hours including interval. Tickets here Next month, of course, we'll be spoiled for choice as the Festival and Fringe comes around once again. The Edinburgh Reporter will once again exclusive carry my Fringe Hot Ticket hit lists, in the meantime you can keep up to date with the shows coming to Edinburgh in August that are catching my eye by visiting And please do keep an eye out for the three shows I'm directing. If you like a supernatural tale or two, Fallen Angel, my new one-man play, and The Omega Factor: By The Pricking Of My Thumbs, by Natasha Gerson and myself, might be right up your street. If it's comedy you're looking for, check out Hingin' Oan Fir Googsie, by John McColl, starring River City's Jimmy Chisholm, will definitely be worth a look. Tickets here. Until August, happy theatre going, Liam Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Reporter
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Dear Evan Hansen – speaking to Ryan Kopel and Sonny Monaghan ahead of Edinburgh run
'Today is going to be a good day…' With not one, but two Evan Hansens in the room, that would appear to be a given. Ryan Kopel and Sonny Monaghan may sport very different looks and have an age gap of six years but they have one important thing in common, both are preparing to play the iconic title role in the new Nottingham Playhouse production of the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen. Kopel stars in the fresh new take on the musical, which will embark on its first UK Tour after opening in Nottingham, while Monaghan is the alternate Evan. Both are excited at the prospect and it's clear they can't wait to have an audience. With musical theatre credits that include Newsies and The Book of Mormon, Kopel landed the coveted role after a three month audition process. He recalls, 'My agent asked me if I'd be interested in Dear Evan Hansen at the start of the year. I said, 'Yes', and then did five auditions, the last one being in March. A couple of days later, while on the Underground going home, my agent called to say I'd got the part. I was so excited I had to get off the Tube to scream a little bit. Then I realised I was miles away from my stop and would have to walk the rest of the way. That was even more tortuous as I couldn't wait to see my family and partner's faces when I told them.' If Kopel's casting followed a fairly traditional route, for Monaghan, from Eastbourne, the audition process proved very 'now', he landed the part after submitting a video on TikTok, as part of the casting team's collaboration with the social media platform, which invited users who were interested in being cast in the production to upload a video of themselves singing any number from the show. From more than 2,000 submissions, the 21-year-old was one of 36 TikTok users invited to in- person auditions, eventually being cast as a member of the show's ensemble and as alternate Evan, a role he will perform twice a week, at every matinee. The 21-year-old explains, 'I saw a post asking people to submit a video of themselves singing a number from Dear Evan Hansen through TikTok. I sang Words Fail. Maybe three weeks later I got an email inviting me to an in person audition.' Three rounds of auditions later, Monaghan was recording a song for his friend's new musical when he got his good news and, as it was Dear Evan Hansen that first got him into musical theatre while at secondary school, he says receiving the news was 'a dream come true.' 'When my agent called and said I'd been offered the alternate Evan, my friend and I had a bit of a celebration,' he admits. Dear Evan Hansen is the story of an anxious high school kid who wants nothing more than to fit in. The thing is, on his way to fitting in, he didn't tell the whole truth. And now must give up on a life he never dreamt he'd have. As events spiral and the truth comes out, Evan faces a reckoning with himself and everyone around him. Washington premiere The musical premiered in Washington, DC, in 2015 before transferring to Off-Broadway and then Broadway a year later. The London West End production followed in 2019 but it was on Broadway that Monaghan, a self confessed fan of the show, first saw the musical during a family holiday to New York. He loved it so much he then went to see the original West End production when it opened. For 27-year-old Kopel, it was a very different story. The actor from Kirriemuir, in Scotland, reveals, 'I never saw the original production, but Dear Evan Hansen was such a huge cultural phenomenon when it first came out that I knew all about it without ever really knowing the story.' His introduction to that came during the audition process and with themes including bullying and mental health, he quickly discovered that Dear Evan Hansen deals with some important issues. He recalls, 'Reading the script during the audition process was very helpful because as much as Ben Platt, the original Evan, was iconic in the role, it was nice to be able to form my own take on Evan. The writing is so good that I really can just trust my instinct to bring what I feel to the character. Usually when you do a musical that has been done before, there's a set way of doing everything; 'This is how you say this line,' and, 'This is where you stand on the stage for this moment'. We've had none of that. We have complete freedom to take the script and create something new.' 'Staging-wise, everything is different…' chips in Monaghan, before Kopel continues, 'It's eight years since the Broadway production debuted, which doesn't sound that long but when you think about it, a lot has changed in that time. The technology we use everyday is so different that much of the script has taken on a whole new meaning. Just looking at the piece from the lens of 2024 has been an interesting experience.' If the rehearsal period has been invigorating for Kopel, for Monaghan it has been nothing less than hectic. Explaining how having two Evans 'in the room' works, he reveals, 'Mainly, it's Ryan and the principal cast who are in the rehearsal room with director Adam Penford. They create the show. As the alternate Evan, I get brought in once it looks the way they want it to look. Then I work with our associate director to replicate that.' Kopel elaborates, 'To be fair, that is the case, but it's also done that way because Sonny has about '90 million' different things to learn. While I'm lucky to be focussing on one character, he has to be in a different room learning the parts of Evan, Connor, Jared and all the ensemble's moves too. 100 per cent do I have the easy shift… apart from having to do it every night,' he grins. The Mix And it's not just lines, songs and moves the pair have to familiarise themselves with, due to the sensitive themes of the piece, producers have partnered with The Mix, the UK's leading digital charity for under 25-year-olds, to ensure anyone affected by the issues explored in the show knows where to find support. The Mix has provided training to the cast and creative team on how to appropriately respond to queries from the public, both online and offline, and equip them with the knowledge to direct individuals to the right support channels. 'The Mix is there for anyone who needs to reach out for support,' explains Kopel. 'We had a long Zoom with them the very first week of rehearsals where they explained what they did and the way they work. It was an incredible insight into a world I had no idea about.' 'Given the nature of the show, if people struggling with these issues come to see the show, The Mix has given us the information we need to point them in the right direction if they come to the stage door,' adds Monaghan, before Kopel continues, 'There's just something about this show that allows people to connect deeply with the characters. Often, they then associate characters with the actor playing them and open up, sharing what they are going through. We take that responsibility incredibly seriously and having that guidance from The Mix is vitally important.' Despite its themes, Dear Evan Hansen is a beautifully crafted and uplifting piece of musical theatre, one that Monaghan believes will 'be a blessing for many, by helping them realise they need to talk to someone.' Kopel agrees, 'Ultimately, Dear Evan Hansen is about hope. No matter what happens, what you are going through, its message is that there is always someone to talk to and reasons why you should go on. That's what I'd like people to take away from the show.' Biggest songs Packed with some of the biggest musical theatre songs of the last decade, Dear Evan Hansen has Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar-winning composers for The Greatest Showman, to thank for its haunting score and both Evans have a favourite song when asked which they enjoy singing most. The anthemic For Forever is Monaghan's while for Kopel it is Words Fail, he adds with a cheeky smile, 'I like it because it's a bit of an emotional catharsis, it doesn't matter if your voice cracks because you are crying and already an emotional mess.' Before they head back to rehearsal, there's one last question: Dear Evan Hansen starts with Evan writing a letter to himself. It begins, naturally enough, with the title of the show followed by 'Today is going to be a good day because…' So, what would they write in such a letter to themselves? 'Keeping in line with the show, My letter would say, 'Dear Ryan Kopel, today is going to be a good day because you can take each day at a time, every hour as it comes',' says the Scot. 'Mine would read, 'Dear Sonny Monaghan, today is going to be a good day because this is what and where you want to be and you should know that you have worked hard and deserve to be here'.' With opening night fast approaching, both admit that despite their reassuring words to themselves, the nerves are sure to kick in on the big night, but even that is a good thing. 'I kind of live in a state of constant nerves anyway,' laughs Kopel, 'but nerves before a performance are definitely a good thing. It means you care, so I'll harness them and let them kick me up a gear…' 'It's like athletes,' nods Monaghan, 'You have to use your nerves and adrenaline to reach your peak performance…' Kopel laughs, 'Yes, and then keep it there for another two and half hours.' Dear Evan Hansen Edinburgh Playhouse 1-5 July 2025 Tickets here Like this: Like Related
-and-Ryan-Kopel-(Evan-Hansen)--Photo-Marc-Brenne.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D1200%26auto%3Dwebp%26quality%3D75%26crop%3D3%3A2%2Csmart%26trim%3D&w=3840&q=100)
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Dear Evan Hansen: Scottish stars of new Edinburgh Playhouse musical tell how parents thank them at stage door
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Scottish stars of musical Dear Evan Hansen have told how parents have spoken to them at the stage door to thank them for highlighting teens' mental health struggles. Ryan Kopel, who plays Evan Hansen, and Lauren Conroy, who portrays Zoe Murphy, in the musical, due to open at the Edinburgh Playhouse next week as the final stop on a UK tour, said different generations of families had spoken to them about how the show had resonated with them. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The show, which Mr Kopel described as a 'stand-alone play with songs', rather than a traditional musical format, tackles issues of anxiety and teen suicide. 'It's one of those shows that when we were growing up, expanded beyond the world of theatre and penetrated culture more,' said Mr Kopel, from Kirriemuir in Angus. 'We've had such an amazing experience on this show that doesn't happen with every show. But people will come to the stage door and tell us what the show means to them and what story they connected with, which has been incredible. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lauren Conroy as Zoe Murphy and Ryan Kopel as Evan Hansen in musical Dear Evan Hansen. | Dear Evan Hansen 'One of the best messages I ever got was a mum who had come with her daughter and her own mum - three generations of women. She told me that after the show her daughter had said 'that's exactly how I feel'. She herself said she completely related to the struggles of the parents in the show and her mum, the grandma, said it framed mental health in a way they had never spoken about before and she never understood it. 'I really do think it taps into something different for every generation.' The cast of Dear Evan Hansen, which will open at the Edinburgh Playhouse next week. | Dear Evan Hansen Ms Conroy, who is from Glenrothes, said: 'There's so much in it that can resonate with teenagers, but also with everyone - parents too. There's such a scope of real emotions.'
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Dear Evan Hansen: Scottish stars of new Edinburgh Playhouse musical tell how parents thank them at stage door
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Scottish stars of musical Dear Evan Hansen have told how parents have spoken to them at the stage door to thank them for highlighting teens' mental health struggles. Ryan Kopel, who plays Evan Hansen, and Lauren Conroy, who portrays Zoe Murphy, in the musical, due to open at the Edinburgh Playhouse next week as the final stop on a UK tour, said different generations of families had spoken to them about how the show had resonated with them. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The show, which Mr Kopel described as a 'stand-alone play with songs', rather than a traditional musical format, tackles issues of anxiety and teen suicide. 'It's one of those shows that when we were growing up, expanded beyond the world of theatre and penetrated culture more,' said Mr Kopel, from Kirriemuir in Angus. 'We've had such an amazing experience on this show that doesn't happen with every show. But people will come to the stage door and tell us what the show means to them and what story they connected with, which has been incredible. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lauren Conroy as Zoe Murphy and Ryan Kopel as Evan Hansen in musical Dear Evan Hansen. | Dear Evan Hansen 'One of the best messages I ever got was a mum who had come with her daughter and her own mum - three generations of women. She told me that after the show her daughter had said 'that's exactly how I feel'. She herself said she completely related to the struggles of the parents in the show and her mum, the grandma, said it framed mental health in a way they had never spoken about before and she never understood it. 'I really do think it taps into something different for every generation.' The cast of Dear Evan Hansen, which will open at the Edinburgh Playhouse next week. | Dear Evan Hansen Ms Conroy, who is from Glenrothes, said: 'There's so much in it that can resonate with teenagers, but also with everyone - parents too. There's such a scope of real emotions.'
Time Out
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Exclusive: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is returning to New York City
Buzz has been building for weeks that the much-loved musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which depicts an orthographic competition among anguished adolescent nerds, would be returning to New York City for a 20th-anniversary revival. Now it's official: Time Out has learned that the funny and touching 2005 tuner will be back for a spell at Off Broadway 's New World Stages, starting this November, in what is billed as a 14-week limited engagement. The original production of Spelling Bee won two Tony Awards, for Rachel Sheinkin's book and featured actor Dan Fogler, and helped launch the careers of actors including Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Jose Llana, Derrick Baskin and Lisa Howard. News of the upcoming revival comes at a bittersweet moment for fans of the show: Its brilliantly idiosyncratic composer, William Finn (Falsettos), died in April at the age of 73, and six Broadway theaters—the Gershwin, the Broadhurst, the Walter Kerr, the Hayes, Circle in the Square and the Vivian Beaumont—will be honoring him by dimming their lights at 6:45pm tomorrow (June 17). Hopes for a Spelling Bee revival have been growing since last fall's production of the show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., which was directed and choreographed by Danny Mefford. The New World Stages version will also be overseen by Mefford, who is best known as the choreographer of musicals including Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen, Fun Home and Kimberly Akimbo; this will mark his Off Broadway debut as a director. Although the NYC production is not being called a transfer, it features most of the same creative team as the Kennedy Center: Emily Rebholz (costumes), David Weiner (lighting), Haley Parcher (sound) and Geoff Josselson (casting), now joined by scenic designer Teresa L. Williams and music supervisor Carmel Dean. The Kennedy Center production had a notably star-studded cast: Beanie Feldstein, Kevin McHale, Taran Killam, Bonnie Milligan, Noah Galvin, Alex Joseph Grayson, Philippe Arroyo, Nina White and Leana Rae Concepcion. It is unclear whether any of those actors will reprise their roles in the New World Stages staging, whose casting has not yet been announced. The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee will begin previews at New World Stages on November 7, 2025, and open officially on November 17. It is scheduled to run through February 15, 2026. Tickets will go on sale in July; for more early access to tickets, sign up at the production's website, (You can also follow it at @spellingbeenyc on all social channels.)
