Evan Hansen is the titular character and main protagonist of the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen by Steven Levenson , Benj Pasek and Justin Paul . A bullied 17-year-old high schooler with social anxiety and depression, who lives with his single mother Heidi Hansen after she divorced from his father Mark Hansen ten years before, he attempts to find the acceptance and love he has been lacking in his life. On his journey to be found, he discovers the consequences of risking it all for the chance to be heard.
97-478: The character of Evan was originated on stage by Ben Platt , who won the Tony Award for Best Actor for his performance and reprised it in the 2021 film adaptation of the musical. In the show, he appears in a total of 11 musical numbers. The character's signature song is " Waving Through a Window ," which is sung early in the musical's first act as his "I Want" song and has become an anthem for those hoping to make
194-782: A mashup of the Hamilton song " The Story of Tonight " and the Dear Evan Hansen song " You Will Be Found ". Platt donated a portion of the proceeds to support the March for Our Lives anti-gun-violence initiative, and also performed on stage with Miranda at the rally in Washington, D.C., on March 24, 2018. Platt starred opposite Damian Lewis , Nina Dobrev , and Mena Massoud in the Rob Ford historical fiction thriller Run This Town . The casting of Platt caused minor controversy, over allegations that
291-506: A "confident yet somewhat immature young man, showcasing a charming character with wit and vivacity." In Dear Evan Hansen , he received commendation for portraying a "fragile and anxious" character, "demonstrating perfect control over both chest and head voice, and effectively transforming into Evan Hansen with a nervous gaze and a hunched posture." Since his debut in 2015, Park has consistently performed in one to four musical productions annually. He has achieved substantial growth, earning
388-528: A "true revelation in this brand new Chicago production... He really leans into this part, throwing himself out there with the abandonment of youth". Platt later reprised his role as Elder Cunningham on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre from January 7, 2014, to January 6, 2015. In 2012, Platt had a supporting role in the musical comedy Pitch Perfect , loosely based on the non-fiction book Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory . Platt played
485-587: A Bachelor of Arts degree. Kang-hyun Park made his debut in 2015 as the lead in the original Korean musical Liar Time . In the subsequent production of Bare: The Musical , he was cast due to his "captivating voice that impressed the creative team." Despite being a rookie, he was featured in an in-depth interview during the performance period. Since his debut, he has been actively performing in both Daehangno and major theaters in South Korea. Park played Benny in In
582-417: A February 2021 interview with Drew Barrymore on The Drew Barrymore Show , Ben Platt described his experience of recreating his performance as Evan Hansen as "really special" and "bizarre", while also hoping the film will be "a really moving experience for a lot of different ages of people ... I think it's going to be particularly poignant in terms of everybody's inability and ability to reach out, and
679-668: A Grammy and a Tony, Platt is just the Oscar away from achieving the EGOT . Kang-hyun Park Kang-hyun Park ( Korean : 박강현) is a South Korean musical theater actor, crossover artist, singer, and TV drama actor. He debuted in 2015 with the Korean original musical Liar Time, and has since played leading roles in various musicals in South Korea. He gained prominence by appearing on the JTBC audition program Phantom Singer Season 2 in 2017, where he reached
776-468: A Musical for Dear Evan Hansen's Off-Broadway run in 2016. On May 19, 2017, at the 83rd annual Drama League Awards , it was announced that Platt had won the organization's Distinguished Performance Award. This award, which recognizes a performance on the New York stage in the past year, can only be won once in a performer's career. In winning at the age of 23, for his work in Dear Evan Hansen , Platt became
873-400: A burden." Nate Jones of Vulture also called out Platt for being too old for the character, adding that his de-aging makeup backfired. He joked, "When he gets up onstage for the second act's big musical number, I wasn't sure if he was going to memorialize his dead classmate or speak on the importance of 401(k) matching." Peter Debruge of Variety , however, liked Platt's acting, but disliked
970-500: A celebrity would die or something really tragic would happen, there was this outpouring online of people kind of making it about themselves." On stage, the role of Evan was originated by Ben Platt, beginning with the musical's workshop production in 2014 and performing the role publicly for the first time in Washington, D.C. at the Arena Stage . The overwhelming positive reception toward the production and Platt's performance resulted in
1067-465: A connection while in a state of isolation and depression. The musical, as well as the character, are said to have been inspired by an incident that happened during Benj Pasek's high school years. Stacey Mindich, who produced the Broadway, national tour and West End productions, explained "A student in [Pasek's] class died tragically of a drug overdose. It was someone who had been sort of a loner, didn't have
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#17328691909441164-481: A contestant in Phantom Singer 2 , Kang-hyun Park returned as a producer for Phantom Singer 4 . In Phantom Singer , producers assist contestants with team formation, song selection, and determining outcomes. Depending on the season, producers include experts in vocal music, popular music, instrumental music, composition, lyrics, and performing arts. Kang-hyun Park was the first producer who previously participated as
1261-754: A contestant. He provided practical and valuable feedback on contestants' psychological states, microphone techniques, and team harmony. Main article: Miraclass The crossover group Miraclass consists of Julian Jootaek Kim , Phillip Jeong , Kang-hyun Park, and Tain Han [ ko ] . Since forming the team on September 26, 2017, Miraclass has been active in releasing music and performing. They released their album Romantica in 2018, and have actively participated in concerts related to Phantom Singer . Additionally, Miraclass has held numerous performances of their own. In 2021, they launched their own YouTube channel, Just-Ten-Minute , to interact with fans. Miraclass
1358-402: A film when he was an undergraduate student at Sungkyunkwan University . He was also in another film, a director's cut of the live musical performance of The Man Who Laughs in 2019. at Sungkyunkwan University [1] Phantom Singer is a South Korean audition program aired on JTBC , aimed at forming a male crossover vocal quartet. Seasons 1 through 4 aired from 2016 to 2023. During
1455-430: A gawky and fresh-faced 17-year-old. "Don't waste any time trying to be like anybody but yourself, because the things that make you strange are the things that make you powerful." – Ben Platt upon winning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical at the 71st Tony Awards , 2017 The stage version's portrayal of the character of Evan Hansen received a mostly positive reception, with audiences being able to relate to
1552-403: A lot of friends or status at school, but suddenly in the wake the death, Benj watched as everyone wanted to claim that they had been friends with him and claim that they had been a part of this person's life..." Author Steven Levenson, during a panel event at the 2019 New York Comic Con , added "We all [noticed] a really fascinating, bizarre phenomenon of public grieving [on social media]. Whenever
1649-630: A member of Miraclass, and with other artists. In 2019, he held his own solo concert titled "MElody in Blue." The following is a curated selection of his concerts. Park has compilation albums of live performances from musicals, and the TV program Phantom Singer 2 . His singles include the original soundtrack of his TV drama Heartbeat , and a project album by M SOUND CLOUD Project with producers including Pdogg . Due to his prolific musical work, Park has numerous music videos featuring key musical numbers from
1746-570: A new single "Rain" on August 23, 2019, followed by a music video on September 10, 2019. On April 21, 2020, Platt revealed on Instagram that the taping of his Radio City concert, in the form of a TV special entitled Ben Platt Live from Radio City Music Hall , would be released on Netflix on May 20, 2020. On August 29, 2019, it was announced that Platt would be starring in Richard Linklater 's film adaptation of Merrily We Roll Along alongside Beanie Feldstein and Blake Jenner . The project
1843-738: A nomination for Worst Actor at the 42nd Golden Raspberry Awards in 2022, as well as spawn internet memes based on two scenes from the film: a close-up of Evan crying during the climax of "Words Fail", his expression wrenched and tortured, and the moment Evan runs off from Zoe Murphy in the hallways during their first meeting at school. In 2024, the film's portrayal of Evan was included on CinemaBlend ' s list of "32 Main Characters That Are The Worst Part Of Their Own Movies." The character of Evan Hansen has appeared and been parodied in other projects and media related to musical theater, as well as some related to
1940-528: A nomination for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor of the year. Platt received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his role in the Netflix series The Politician in 2020. Platt received his second Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical nomination at the 76th Tony Awards for his performance as Leo Frank in the 2023 musical revival of Parade . Having received an Emmy,
2037-418: A positive review from Felicitas de la Fare of BroadwayWorld , who wrote that Meyer "dazzles the audience not only with his acting skills but also with his gifted amazing voice. He manages to convey the anxiety and inner angst of the character in an authentic and moving way." Despite the praise, the character's motives and choices have also been criticized. Jason Zinoman in a piece for Slate argues that
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#17328691909442134-664: A producer on Phantom Singer 4 . Kang-hyun Park starred in a leading role as Sin Do-Sik in the KBS2 TV drama Heartbeat ( Korean : 가슴이 뛴다 ) in 2023. He occasionally performs musical numbers on TV by himself, and crossover music as a member of Miraclass. For his activities as a member of Miraclass, see Miraclass Park performs in concerts with fellow musical actors, singing musical numbers. He also performs crossover music, which encompasses musical numbers, Italian canzones, Korean lyrical songs, opera arias, pop, and rock music, both as
2231-472: A total of 20 stops. On June 25, 2021, Platt released a cover version of the song " Yoü and I " by Lady Gaga , as part of the tenth anniversary of the Born This Way album. On November 29, 2018, it was announced that Universal Pictures and Platt's father, Marc Platt , secured the film rights to Dear Evan Hansen . On June 18, 2020, Platt confirmed that he was set to reprise his role as Evan Hansen in
2328-714: A tragedy for his own personal gain, which might complicate the audience's reaction to him. Evan Hansen isn't as interested in these themes as it is in keeping the focus on the insecurity of the outsider, the nerd, the teenager yearning for acceptance. (To be fair, it is also interested in Evan's mother, who has one of the most moving songs in the show.)" Hilton Als of The New Yorker was also critical, writing "It would have been amazing if Levenson had continued to dig into Evan's awfulness. Instead, he takes side trips into tired knee-jerk liberalism and therapeutic healing ... Evan confesses his deceit and makes it clear that all he wanted, really,
2425-592: A workshop of Alice by Heart , by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater , a new take on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland . In 2012, Platt was cast as Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Chicago production of The Book of Mormon . The show premiered at the Bank of America Theatre on December 19, 2012, after a week of previews. The production was well received and closed on October 6, 2013. Critics lauded Platt's performance, calling him
2522-475: Is an American actor and singer. The son of film and theater producer Marc Platt and philanthropist Julie Platt , he began his acting career in musical theater as a child and appeared in productions of The Sound of Music (2006) and The Book of Mormon (2012–2015), rising to prominence for originating the title role in the Broadway coming-of-age musical Dear Evan Hansen (2015–2017). His performance in
2619-486: Is destined to become a big star, and I am a fan watching him grow. His voice is characterized by comfort, clarity, and energy, which are his greatest strengths." Kang-hyun Park has also been recognized for his "excellent character interpretation," "displaying inner purity" and "an ability to convey the innocence of his characters in a beautiful way, becoming the character itself." In his role as Huey in Memphis , he depicted
2716-444: Is known for the distinct musical inclinations of each member, which blend to create the unique color of the team. The producer, Mexicomini52, has creatively developed content that showcases the team’s cohesion and the members' camaraderie. As of July 2024, their YouTube channel is in its fifth season. For his activities as a member of Miraclass, see Miraclass He appeared as a contestant on Phantom Singer 2, and later returned as
2813-566: Is let the work speak for itself." On March 2, 2021, it was announced that Platt was in talks to star in the film adaptation of Grant Ginder 's novel The People We Hate at the Wedding . His casting was announced on July 8, 2021, along with Amazon Studios being confirmed to produce the film. The film began production in September 2021 and was released worldwide on streaming platform Amazon Prime Video on November 18, 2022 . On May 17, 2022, it
2910-604: Is played by Ryan Kopel with Sonny Monaghan both serving as his alternate at every matinee performance twice a week, and being in the production's ensemble. Beau Woodbridge will play Evan in the upcoming 2024 Australian production, set to run from October 12 to November 17, 2024 at the Roslyn Packer Theatre . The musical was adapted into a young adult novel by actor and singer-songwriter Val Emmich , in collaboration with Pasek, Paul, and Levenson. The novel, which features additional material based on scenes and songs cut from
3007-747: Is playing Orpheus in Hadestown at the Charlotte Theater from July to October, 2024. His nomination for Best Actor for Memphis at the 8th Korea Musical Awards in 2024 highlights his continued dedication to his craft. Park will play the protagonist, Aladdin, in the Korean replica premiere of the musical Aladdin . Kang-hyun Park has received acclaim for his "overwhelming vocal ability and clear enunciation" and "solid and unwavering vocal strength." His high notes are particularly noted for their comfort and steadiness. His nickname "the Simmons," inspired by
Evan Hansen - Misplaced Pages Continue
3104-445: Is set to be shot over the course of twenty years, with principal photography of the first sequence of the film having already been completed prior to the announcement. On January 10, 2023, it was announced that Jenner would be replaced by Paul Mescal . Platt starred as Payton Hobart on the Netflix comedy-drama series The Politician , which tells the story of a very driven teen convinced that he's destined to become President of
3201-594: The Pitch Perfect film series (2012–2017), Ricki and the Flash (2015), Run This Town (2019), and Theater Camp (2023), the latter of which he also co-wrote. Since 2019, he has starred in the Netflix comedy-drama series The Politician , for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award . Platt signed with Atlantic Records in 2017 and released his debut studio album Sing to Me Instead in March 2019. In May 2020,
3298-439: The 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2023, and was acquired shortly after by Searchlight Pictures for a theatrical release beginning July 14, 2023. The movie soundtrack featuring original songs written by Platt, Galvin, Gordon, and Lieberman was released on the same day by Interscope Records . The film was released on streaming service Hulu and VOD on September 14, 2023. On August 31, 2022, before kicking off
3395-523: The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre . The limited run concluded on August 6, 2023. High demand for tickets on the first day of sale resulted in temporarily crashing the Telecharge ticket site, resulting in error messages and queues of an hour long. On the night of the show's first preview, members of the neo-Nazi group National Socialist Movement protested against the production outside the theater. The cast album for
3492-589: The COVID-19 period when all offline performances were canceled, provided another opportunity for Miraclass. This special season featured all nine finalist teams from seasons 1, 2, and 3. Miraclass won MVP in the first mission among the nine teams, and performed a variety of songs in different rounds, including team challenges, solo performances, season battles, genre battles, and the ultimate auditory pleasure contest ( Korean : 귀호강 끝판왕전), achieving multiple victories and showcasing their talent. Six years after competing as
3589-521: The COVID-19 pandemic . Notable examples include a sketch during Season 47 of Saturday Night Live , which featured Kyle Mooney costumed in the character's design from the 2021 film version, and a segment of the Off-Broadway show Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation , which parodied the "Waving Through a Window" sequence. Ben Platt Benjamin Schiff Platt (born September 24, 1993)
3686-646: The Hollywood Bowl alongside Kristin Chenoweth . At 11, he appeared in a brief national tour of Caroline, or Change , by Jeanine Tesori and Tony Kushner . At 17, he played Jean Valjean in Kidz Theater's production of Les Misérables . His other early roles include the role of Claude Bukowski in Columbia University's production of Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical . He has also collaborated on
3783-454: The Reverie Tour , Platt confirmed that he was working on new solo music and was a third of the way through completing his next album. On May 11, 2023, Platt signed with Interscope Records for his future music releases and to operate an imprint for which he will sign and develop talent. On March 12, 2024, Platt announced that his third album Honeymind would be released on May 31, 2024, with
3880-600: The Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical , making him the youngest solo winner in the category at the age of 23; this record was broken in 2022, when Myles Frost won the award at the age of 22 for his performance in MJ the Musical . During Andrew Barth Feldman's run on Broadway, his performance was also well-received, with Sarah Bahr in The New York Times writing, "Andrew Barth Feldman made me forget where I was, who I was, that I
3977-482: The film , which would be directed by Stephen Chbosky from a screenplay by Levenson. It premiered as the Opening Night Gala Presentation of the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2021, followed by a release in theaters on September 24, 2021, in time for Platt's 28th birthday. Upon the release of the film's first trailer on May 18, 2021, the casting of Platt as Evan Hansen and
Evan Hansen - Misplaced Pages Continue
4074-573: The title role . The show premiered on July 9, 2015, and it closed on August 23, 2015. The overwhelming positive reception toward the production and Platt's performance resulted in the show being transferred to Off-Broadway . In 2016, Platt once again originated the role of Evan Hansen at Second Stage Theatre . Platt and the cast played a month of previews, beginning on March 26, 2016, before premiering on May 1, 2016. The limited engagement sold out its entire run with Platt playing his last performance on May 26, 2016. In December 2016, Platt originated
4171-968: The 13th DIMF Awards for Newcomer of the Year. Additionally, his roles in Xcalibur and Marie Antoinette earned him the SACA Best Musical Actor award for Best Male Supporting Actor. His roles as Lancelot in Xcalibur and Axel von Fersen in Marie Antoinette in 2019 further solidified his standing in the industry. He was awarded the 4th Korea Musical Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Xcalibur . Kang-hyun Park has continued to thrive in recent years, taking on challenging and diverse roles. In 2020, he returned as Gwynplaine in The Man Who Laughs . The 10th anniversary performance of Mozart! in South Korea, where he played
4268-581: The 6th Korea Musical Awards for Best Actor, and the 16th DIMF Awards for Star of the Year. In 2022, he returned to the role of Gwynplaine in The Man Who Laughs at the Sejong Center . His role as Tony in West Side Story in the 2022/2023 season, was followed by his portrayal of Huey in Memphis in 2023. Park starred as Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen from March to July 2024, and
4365-547: The Best New Actor award in 2017 and the Best Actor award in 2022. By 2024, he is recognized as a prominent and influential figure in the musical theater industry in South Korea, with strong ticket-selling power. Below is a list of his musical performances in South Korea. In the early stages of his career, Kang-hyun Park appeared in the play Our Bad Magnet , which is based on the book by Douglas Maxwell . Park appeared in
4462-428: The Broadway production of the musical for The New York Times , Charles Isherwood praised Ben Platt's performance, writing "...when Mr. Platt sings Evan's songs — including the touching introductory cri de coeur, " Waving Through a Window " — we can simultaneously hear the heartsore, conflicted young man and the intelligent, kindly kid buried inside him." For his performance, Platt received numerous accolades, including
4559-542: The COVID-19 quarantine period, a special edition titled Phantom Singer All Stars was broadcast online. Rookie musical actor Kang-hyun Park sang "She Was There" from the musical The Scarlet Pimpernel as his first audition song in Phantom Singer 2, achieving the highest viewership rating per minute during this performance. His duet with Lee Choong Joo , "As Flowers Bloom and Fall ( Korean : 꽃이 피고 지듯이)," ranked first in
4656-739: The Height s, Ash in Evil Dead , and King Gwanghae in Chilseo ( Korean : 칠서 ) in 2017, which led to his Best New Male Artist award at the 2017 Stagetalk Audience Choice Awards (SACA) in South Korea. After his initial recognition, Kang-hyun Park continued to expand his repertoire in both original Korean and replica musical productions, receiving several prestigious awards. In 2017, he performed as Young Age Myung Woo in Gwanghwamun Love Song ( Korean : 광화문 연가 ), an original Korean musical. This
4753-576: The Pilot ". On June 8, 2020, Platt released " Everything I Did to Get to You ", a new single written by David Davis, which he picked as the winner of his episode of NBC 's songwriting competition show Songland . In April 2021, Platt teased the chorus of his new single, " Imagine ", on TikTok . The complete song was released on April 23, 2021, followed by a remix by Dutch electronic producer Tiësto on May 28, 2021. In July, he announced on Twitter that his second studio album, Reverie , for which "Imagine"
4850-553: The Simmons Bedding Company's slogan "unwavering comfort" used in the Korean market, highlights his ability to perform challenging musical numbers with ease, especially in higher registers. Park is regarded as a promising talent in the Korean musical theater scene, recognized for his wide vocal range and versatility, including operatic tones. Shin Youngsook praised his vocal skills, stating, "I love Kang-hyun Park's voice. He
4947-629: The United States. Platt's casting was announced in March 2018, and the series premiered on September 27, 2019. He received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for his performance in the series' first season. Platt released a new single, "So Will I", on May 8, 2020. On May 20, 2020, Platt released Sing to Me Instead (Deluxe) , which includes "So Will I", "Rain", and six songs recorded live at Radio City Music Hall, including cover versions of Brandi Carlile 's " The Joke " and Elton John 's " Take Me to
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#17328691909445044-560: The Woods . Platt attended Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, graduating in 2011. He then enrolled at Columbia University in New York but dropped out after seven weeks to fulfill his contract with The Book of Mormon . During his time at Columbia, he was a member of the campus a cappella musical group Nonsequitur . At 9 years old, Platt played Winthrop Paroo in The Music Man at
5141-411: The appearance of the film's version of the character received substantial criticism, with viewers commenting that he, at age 27, was too old to play a high schooler. Platt, however, dismissed the response, comparing his age to those of actors who played high school students in the 1978 film Grease . The criticism against the casting went even further, with emerging claims that nepotism was involved in
5238-407: The audience laugh is crucial. Platt is charming as he eternally twists his shirt tails and hangs his head... Although the themes of grief and loneliness are serious, the musical is anything but somber. It addresses challenging facts of life. But from start to finish, when Evan leaves his room and finds an authentic life outside it, Dear Evan Hansen contains far more joy than sadness." In his review of
5335-527: The category until Myles Frost won the award in 2022 . Platt played his final performance on November 19, 2017. In 2017, Platt signed a record deal with Atlantic Records . On January 28, 2018, he performed Leonard Bernstein 's " Somewhere " live at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards accompanied by Justin Goldner and Adele Stein and arranged by Alex Lacamoire . On March 19, 2018, Platt and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda released " Found/Tonight ",
5432-409: The character ranked number 11 on a fan-voted poll of "The top 20 musical characters of all time" conducted by WhatsOnStage.com and number 62 on BroadwayWorld ' s list of "The 101 Greatest Musical Theatre Characters (1940-2020)." The portrayal of Evan in the 2021 film, however, was widely panned by critics and audiences alike even before it was released, all of whom deemed Ben Platt, at age 27 at
5529-508: The character's struggles, mainly thanks to Platt's performance, which also received widespread critical acclaim, being called "historic" and "one of the greatest leading male performances [I've] ever seen in a musical". Barbara Mackay in reviewing the Arena Stage production for TheatreMania wrote: "Since the success of the musical depends entirely on whether Evan's solitary nature appears funny or weird, Evan's ability to laugh at himself and make
5626-408: The choice to cast "actors born the previous century" as high school students. In response to the reviews, Steven Levenson said that he believed in the "value of criticism", but characterized critiques of Platt's casting as "cruel". On August 8, 2021, in an interview with Zach Sang on his YouTube talk show, Ben Platt said "I think the reaction is largely from people who don't understand the context of
5723-410: The concert film Ben Platt Live from Radio City Music Hall debuted on Netflix. Platt's second studio album Reverie was released on August 13, 2021. After signing with Interscope in 2023, Platt's third studio album Honeymind was released on May 31, 2024. In 2017, Platt was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world. Platt was born in Los Angeles,
5820-558: The decision. On August 8, 2021, in an interview with Zach Sang on his YouTube talk show, Platt said "I think the reaction is largely from people who don't understand the context of the piece — the fact that I created the role and workshopped it for three years ... Were I not to do the movie, it probably wouldn't get made. And so, I think, my defensive response is to want to go onto Twitter and be like, 'F you, guys. You don't even know that this wouldn't exist without me.' Of course, that's not true entirely and not my place to say. All I have to do
5917-410: The entire duet competition. Although he struggled in the trio and quartet team missions, he made it to the finals as one of the top 12 contestants. In the finals, based on his wishes and the team arrangement by the producers, he formed a quartet with Julian Jootaek Kim , Phillip Jeong , and Tain Han [ ko ] . Unlike teams like Forestella or Edel Reinklang, Park's final quartet included
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#17328691909446014-565: The filmmakers were appropriating the story of female reporter Robyn Doolittle . On March 1, 2018, Platt was confirmed to star in the indie drama Broken Diamonds opposite Lola Kirke , Yvette Nicole Brown , Alphonso McAuley , and Lynda Boyd . The film premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on April 1, 2021, and was released in the United States on July 23, 2021. In January 2019, Platt announced that his debut studio album Sing to Me Instead
6111-403: The finals, and was part of the runner-up team Miraclass . Park made his TV drama debut in 2023 with Heartbeat on KBS2, and released the single album "Magic" produced by Pdogg , the main producer of BTS . Kang-hyun Park, born on December 27, 1989, with a recognized birth date of February 27, 1990, attended Deokwon High School. He later graduated from Sungkyunkwan University with
6208-609: The first single "Andrew" released on March 14, 2024. On March 18, 2024, it was announced that Platt would hold a three-week residency at the Palace Theatre , the first announced event at the theater since its renovations began in 2018. The residency ran for 18 performances between May 28, 2024, and June 15, 2024, and included special guests Kacey Musgraves , Kristin Chenoweth , Alex Newell , Kristen Bell , Meghan Trainor , Cynthia Erivo , Laura Dreyfuss , Micaela Diamond , Gaten Matarazzo and Brian d'Arcy James . On April 11, 2024,
6305-619: The fourth of five children of Julie and Marc Platt . His father is a film, television, and theater producer whose credits include Legally Blonde , Into the Woods , La La Land , Mary Poppins Returns , the musical Wicked , and it’s film adaptation. He has two sisters and two brothers, including actor Jonah Platt. He and his family are Jewish. He attended the Adderley School for Performing Arts in Pacific Palisades , performing in productions like Bye Bye Birdie and Into
6402-565: The latter earned him multiple accolades, including the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (making him the youngest solo recipient of the award at the time), a Daytime Emmy , and a Grammy Award . Platt reprised the role of Evan Hansen in the 2021 film adaptation of the musical, produced by his father. He then played Leo Frank in the 2022 New York City Center Gala production of Parade , which transferred to Broadway in 2023 and earned him another Tony nomination and another Grammy nomination. Platt's film credits include
6499-445: The latter of whom would go on to play Connor Murphy in the 2021 film version. In 2019, history was made when then-16-year-old Andrew Barth Feldman , following his win at the 2018 Jimmy Awards , became the first age-accurate actor to play the role on Broadway. He exited the role on January 26, 2020, prior to Jordan Fisher's run. Serving as Evan alternates for the Broadway production included Michael Lee Brown and Zachary Noah Piser. During
6596-573: The latter succeeded Platt in the title role in Dear Evan Hansen in 2017). They announced their engagement on November 25, 2022, and were married over the Labor Day weekend on September 1, 2024. Headlining tours Residency Platt was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award , a Drama League Distinguished Performance Award, and won the Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actor and Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in
6693-456: The lies and keep his memory alive (resulting from the cutting of "Disappear") and the story's ending was slightly altered to show him coming clean publicly through a video he posts on social media, followed by getting in touch with those who knew Connor to get to know him better and receiving a video of Connor performing music while in rehab, which he passes along to the Murphys, Alana, and Jared. In
6790-514: The magic-loving Benji Applebaum, alongside an ensemble cast including Anna Kendrick , Skylar Astin , Rebel Wilson , Adam DeVine , Anna Camp , and Brittany Snow . The film emerged as a major commercial success and received mostly positive reviews from critics. He was subsequently nominated at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards in the Choice Movie Scene Stealer category for his work. In 2015, Platt reprised his role as Benji Applebaum in
6887-456: The members who sang together for the first time. The team name Miraclass was suggested by member Phillip Jeong , combining 'Miracle' and 'Class,' symbolizing 'miraculous harmony' and 'miraculous reinterpretation of classical music.' Miraclass finished as the runner-up among the three final teams. Formed just before the final stage of Phantom Singer 2 , Miraclass had only performed four final songs. Phantom Singer All Stars , which aired during
6984-428: The musical "employs many different tactics to prevent us from seeing Evan Hansen as a jerk, but its most audacious is to not allow anyone onstage to see him that way...The choice to give Evan Hansen no comeuppance doesn't make dramatic sense. But you don't need to be too cynical to see its commercial and emotional logic. Not giving voice to anger at Evan Hansen avoids the more unpleasant ramifications of his exploitation of
7081-450: The piece — the fact that I created the role and workshopped it for three years ... Were I not to do the movie, it probably wouldn't get made. And so, I think, my defensive response is to want to go onto Twitter and be like, 'F you, guys. You don't even know that this wouldn't exist without me.' Of course, that's not true entirely and not my place to say. All I have to do is let the work speak for itself." His on-screen performance would earn him
7178-467: The production was released by Interscope Records on March 23, 2023. For his performance as Leo Frank, Platt received his second Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical . On June 9, 2022, it was announced that Platt would produce and star in the musical comedy film Theater Camp , inspired by the 2020 short film of the same name he co-wrote with Noah Galvin , Molly Gordon , and Nick Lieberman . The film had its world premiere at
7275-402: The protagonist Wolfgang Mozart , was held at the main auditorium of the Sejong Center , and also aired online due to the special circumstances of the COVID-19 period. In 2021, he performed as Anatole Kuragin in Korean replica production of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 . Park played Orpheus in Hadestown from September 2021 to February 2022. This role earned him
7372-693: The role full-time, the alternate Evan position was later assumed by Sam Primack and Jeffrey Cornelius. During the show's second US tour, which launched in September 2024 at Theater Under the Stars in Houston, Texas , Evan is played by Michael Fabisch with Michael Perez as his alternate. Internationally, Robert Markus originated the role of Evan in the Toronto production at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in 2019, with Piser serving as his alternate. Sam Tutty originated
7469-508: The role of Evan in Universal Pictures ' 2021 film adaptation of the musical, produced by his father, Marc Platt , and directed by Stephen Chbosky . On his casting, Chbosky explained that the film's main goal was to capture and immortalize Platt's performance, saying that "His understanding of the character is so complete and so profound. I couldn't imagine anybody else playing it. It's his part. I felt very strongly about it. And to me it
7566-753: The role of Evan in the West End production at the Noël Coward Theatre in London, which began its run that same year before closing in 2022, with a brief halt in performances from March 2020 to October 26, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom . Marcus Harman served as his alternate. In the 2024 South Korean production, which opened on March 28, 2024, at the Chungmu Arts Center in Seoul by S&Co,
7663-666: The role of Evan was triple-cast, featuring Park Kang-hyun , Kim Sung-kyu and Lim Kyu-hyung. Máximo Meyer played the role in the Argentinian production which opened in May 2023 at the Metropolitan Theatre in Buenos Aires . In the Finnish production, which opened on September 28, 2023, Evan was played by Petja Pulkkinen, with Julius Suominen serving as his alternate. In the 2024 UK Tour, Evan
7760-410: The same kind of fireworks as a live performance." Ultimately, Platt overcame his personal reservations because they felt like "small beer...Having an opportunity to share this story with, like, millions more people is ultimately much more important than my being worried that my performance won't be as good as it was on stage." Platt also confirmed he lost weight and grew his hair out to look "authentic" as
7857-513: The second single "Cherry on Top" was released alongside the announcement of The Honeymind Tour , a 21-city North American tour that began on June 18, 2024, in Boston and concluded July 27, 2024, in Seattle. Platt is openly gay. He told his family when he was twelve years old, and publicly came out in 2019. On January 12, 2020, Platt began a relationship with Noah Galvin (who he first met in 2015 and
7954-432: The sequel, Pitch Perfect 2 , followed by appearances in the films Ricki and the Flash and Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk . Platt became attached to Steven Levenson and Pasek and Paul 's then Untitled P&P Project in 2014, participating in early read-throughs and workshops. By 2015, the musical, titled Dear Evan Hansen , had begun production in Washington, D.C. at the Arena Stage with Platt originating
8051-474: The show being transferred to Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theater in 2016 and finally to Broadway at the Music Box Theatre later that year. Platt played his final on-stage performance in the role on November 19, 2017. Notable replacements and understudies who have played the role on Broadway include Platt's future partner Noah Galvin , Taylor Trensch , Jordan Fisher , Ben Levi Ross and Colton Ryan ,
8148-714: The show's US tour, which launched in October 2018 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts' Buell Theatre and concluded on July 2, 2023 at the Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia, South Carolina , Ben Levi Ross originated the role of Evan, followed by Stephen Christopher Anthony (who served as the tour's first Evan alternate) and Anthony Norman. When Stephen Christopher Anthony assumed
8245-469: The show's development that flesh out and expand upon the story, was released by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on October 9, 2018. Despite not being entirely canon to the stage version, the novel adds in new scenes and story elements to explore more of Evan's character background, such as his appointments with Dr. Sherman, his family history involving his divorced father, attending Connor's wake and interactions with other characters. Ben Platt reprised
8342-677: The stage musicals in which he has performed. Kang-hyun Park received the Best New Actor award at the SACA Best Musical Actor Awards in 2017 for his performances in In the Height s, Evil Dead , and Chilseo . In 2018, he won the Best New Actor award at the Yegreen Musical Awards for his role as Gwynplaine in The Man Who Laughs . In 2019, he portrayed Lancelot in Xcalibur , earning the Best Supporting Actor award at
8439-441: The time, too old to play the part, attributing the casting decision to nepotism and the involvement of his father, Marc Platt, as one of the film's lead producers. Adrian Horton of The Guardian , referring to Platt's presentation as a teenager, and the film's treatment of mental health, stated, "The movie asks the audience to not look at two elephants in the room, and unfortunately, no amount of soaring music can relieve that heavy
8536-455: The title role in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre . Critics hailed his work, calling it "historic" and "one of the greatest leading male performances [I've] ever seen in a musical". For his performance, Platt won numerous awards including the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical . At age 23, Platt was the youngest solo recipient of the Tony Award in
8633-408: The ways in which we struggle to do that, and the magic that can happen when you do connect with someone and finally feel seen." On May 13, 2021, Ben Platt admitted he was apprehensive about translating his performance for the screen. "I think I was nervous about having to meet that same level in a medium that I'm not necessarily as instinctually comfortable in, and that doesn't necessarily lend itself to
8730-402: The youngest winner in the award's history. Platt earned a Daytime Emmy Award , a Grammy Award , and a Tony Award for his performance in Dear Evan Hansen . On June 11, at the 71st Tony Awards , 23-year-old Platt won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical becoming the youngest actor to win this award solo. Platt reprised the role in the 2021 film adaptation earning
8827-606: Was announced that Platt would play Leo Frank in the New York City Center production of Parade as the gala production of its 2022/2023 season after playing the role in a workshop conducted by Roundabout Theatre Company in 2018. Performances ran from November 1 to 6, 2022, and critics responded positively to Platt's return to the theatre stage. A limited Broadway run was announced on January 10, 2023, with Platt continuing his role as Leo Frank. The revival began previews on February 22, 2023, and opened on March 16, 2023, at
8924-610: Was anything other than part of the world onstage...I'm pretty sure I didn't draw breath the entire first act." Sam Tutty's performance as Evan in the West End production also received acclaim, earning him the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical . At only 22 years old of age, he became one of the youngest winners in the category. For the Buenos Aires production, Máximo Meyer's portrayal of Evan received
9021-536: Was followed by his role as Charlie in Kinky Boots in 2018. Park's role as Gwynplaine in The Man Who Laughs ( Korean : 웃는 남자 ), a Korean musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel , was noteworthy, with performances throughout 2018. This performance earned him the 7th Yegreen Musical Awards for Best New Actor. In 2019, he continued to impress with his portrayal of Luigi Lucheni in Elisabeth , which earned him
9118-467: Was never even a consideration." He later explained that this was the reason why the film omitted the musical's opening number, "Anybody Have a Map", saying that "We're really on Evan's journey. It freed us up to meet all the characters through Evan. And it binds the audience to a way in Evan that is so valuable." In the film, Evan's journey remains mostly the same, except for two notable changes: He does not see visions of Connor telling him to push forward with
9215-772: Was released as its first single, would be released on August 13, 2021. The second single, " Happy to Be Sad ", was released on July 16, 2021. The Reverie tour was announced on August 13, 2021, spanning 27 stops in North America beginning February 23, 2022, and concluding at the Hollywood Bowl on April 8, 2022. The tour was later postponed due to the COVID pandemic and rescheduled to begin on September 3, 2022, in Seattle , Washington before concluding in Hollywood, Florida on October 7, 2022, for
9312-471: Was scheduled for release on March 29, 2019. It was made available for pre-order, along with the songs "Bad Habit" and "Ease My Mind" a few days later. Following the release of his debut album, Platt embarked on his first North American tour in May 2019. The tour ended on September 29, 2019, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, in which the concert there was taped for release on Netflix. Platt released
9409-496: Was to be loved, because of, well, that absent daddy, that inattentive mommy, and the nastiness of the world. With that false move, the show’s creators risk destroying what’s so spikily fascinating about Evan. Still, until the second act, and despite it, Platt gives a performance that binds us to him in the way that Holden Caulfield , that other teen with a voice, did—especially when he said, 'It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.'" In 2020,
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