Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen Breaks Music Box Theatre Record

The Tony-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, which continues at the Music Box Theatre through September 18, is now the longest-running production to ever play the Broadway venue on West 45th St.

The international hit musical recently surpassed the 1978 play Deathtrap, which played 1,611 performances at the Music Box before moving to the Biltmore Theatre in 1982. Dear Evan Hansen, which opened December 4, 2016, has played 1,621 performances to date and will have played 1,678 when it ends its run next month.

The Broadway company is currently headed by Zachary Noah Piser in the title role with Talia Simone Robinson, Jessica Phillips, Ann Sanders, Noah Kieserman, Manoel Felciano, Gaten Matarazzo, and Ciara Alyse Harris, along with Mateo Lizcano, Julian Diaz-Granados, Alex Humphreys, Matthew Edward Kemp, Jane Pfitsch, D’Kaylah Unique Whitley, Asa Somers, Josh Strobl, and Nicole Van Giesen.

Following Piser’s run, Stephen Christopher Anthony, who currently plays the lead in the North American tour, will join the Broadway company as Evan beginning August 9. Sam Primack, who made his Broadway debut as an Evan cover, will take over the role beginning September 6.

Watch: Stranger Things Star Gaten Matarazzo Shares What It Feels Like to Return to Broadway in Dear Evan Hansen

Dear Evan Hansen reopened its Broadway production December 11, 2020, following the pandemic shutdown. The hit production features a score by the Tony- and Oscar-winning songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dogfight, A Christmas Story), a book by Tony winner Steven Levenson (tick, tick...BOOM! movie), choreography by Danny Mefford (Fun Home), and direction by multiple Tony nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, If/Then).

The musical also features scenic design by David Korins, projection design by Peter Nigrini, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, and hair design by David Brian Brown. Music supervision, orchestrations, and additional arrangements are by Alex Lacamoire. Ben Cohn is the associate music supervisor. Vocal arrangements and additional arrangements are by Justin Paul. Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting's Kevin Metzger-Timson.

Dear Evan Hansen began previews at the Music Box November 14, 2016, prior to an official opening December 4. The musical was nominated for nine 2017 Tony Awards, winning six: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Ben Platt), Best Featured Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Rachel Bay Jones), and Best Orchestrations.

The London production of Dear Evan Hansen reopened at the Noël Coward Theatre October 26, 2021. The national tour resumed December 7 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The Dear Evan Hansen film premiered in September 2021. Platt reprised his Tony-winning performance in the title role opposite Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, Danny Pino, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Colton Ryan, and Nik Dodani.