Many of my favourite musicals are or have been on Broadway, and not being able to travel overseas anymore because of my disability is something I’m forever wrestling real sadness, frustration and jealousy about. That’s why I’m glad that there are Cast Recordings, they help take the sting out of those feelings, even if only a little.

They’ve also given me an idea for a new feature here, just for fun, where I give my “dream casting” for certain shows should they make it to the West End. Since I’ve been listening to it today (and even as I write this!) I’d figure I’d start with Dear Evan Hansen!

With music and lyrics by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul, Dear Evan Hansen received its world premiere in Washington DC in 2015, and moved to Broadway in December 2016. It won an amazing six Tony Awards last year, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Actor in A Musical for its original star, Ben Platt.

Evan Hansen is a senior in high school who suffers with crippling social anxiety. After the suicide of a classmate Connor Murphy, Evan’s need to connect finds him fabricating a story that brings him closer to the Murphys. For me, the musical is incredibly powerful and important given the themes it explores, and the music strikes more than a few chords; I remember I listened to it for the first time in the early hours of the morning after struggling to sleep, and by the end had tears rolling down my face because it moved me so much.

So, who would I cast? Let’s see…

Evan – Louis Maskell

Louis first came into my life thanks to his performance as Grinpayne in The Grinning Man, and I’m itching to see him in more roles. There I learned I missed him as Tony in West End Story, and now knowing his voice as I do, not experiencing his rendition of “Maria” is one of my biggest regrets!

Louis has a warmth and richness to his voice that I adore, and think his ability to interpret lyrics and emotion in songs and bring these out in his performance is outstanding. Evan goes through an interesting arc in the musical in that the first act is more about his wanting to reach out, and the second he wrestles with all these negative feelings, with devastating ramifications to those around him. I think Louis would play the emotional dynamics of Evan’s character and where he finds himself wonderfully, and I kid you not, his Words Fail would break me utterly. All I’d ask is that the show be staged somewhere where I’m allowed to sit in the stalls: being able to look Louis in the eye whilst he’s singing gives me the most intense goosebumps and I love that.

Heidi Hansen – Clare Foster

Clare was my original Sarah Brown the first time I ever saw Guys & Dolls onstage, and I was struck deeply by the subtle, sassy strength she gave to her, and I think she would bring a tenacity to Evan’s mum that would be amazing!

A single parent, Heidi works and studies, often not having the time to spend with Evan and doesn’t really understand what he goes through. She loves him deeply though, and the journey their relationship goes through in the show is filled with every conceivable emotion that makes it feel very relatable. Clare would totally understand the depth Heidi has and would play her insecurities beautifully.

Not to mention, her Good For You would blow my mind and So Big/So Small would break my heart!

Zoe Murphy – Georgina Castle

This gorgeous and super talented lady entered my life thanks to her portrayal of Sophie in Mamma Mia.

I’d love to see her play Zoe, Connor’s younger sister and Evan’s longtime crush, as I think she’d bring a lovely sweetness and vulnerability to the role Though Zoe hated her brother, she wishes she knew him better and turns to Evan for support. She has a beautiful and tragic part to sing in Requiem, and a lovely duet with Evan called Only Us, and I can clearly imagine her chemistry with Louis being so endearing!

Cynthia Murphy – Caroline Sheen

Photo from www.carolinesheen.com

I’m no stranger to seeing Caroline in moving, powerful shows so it’s with ease I put her in my dream cast here. I would love to see her play Cynthia, mother to Connor & Zoe. Like Heidi, Cynthia struggles to connect with her son, and is broken by his death; she clings to his memory so fiercely that her relationship with Zoe and husband Larry suffers as a result. A mother just trying to keep her grip on the fragile family dynamic she has made, I think Cynthia is wonderfully nuanced and complicated, and I’ve no doubt Caroline would bring all the emotion and honesty to Cynthia that I know and love her performances for.

Larry Murphy – George Asprey

If you know me well, you’ll know I have a lot of love for George Asprey, the West End’s current Scar in Lion King. Larry works hard for his family but is emotionally distant from all three, but develops a close bond with Evan who doesn’t have a father figure. I’d love to see George who I know and adore as a villain play a totally different kind of role. Larry has some really moving moments in the show, especially To Break in a Glove, and to see George play that softer, vulnerable side would be amazing! I’ve no doubt he’d bring the same charisma, depth and intensity to Larry that makes me love his take on Scar so much.

Connor Murphy – Craig Mather

So far, sadly I’ve only managed to see Craig in two musicals, but they were so musically different from each other that I know he’s vocally versatile enough to pull off this score. Both of his characters in the musicals in question were really sweet and likeable, so I think it’d be really fun to see him explore a darker, troubled role like Connor, whose death is the catalyst for the whole story. Happily, Evan conjures his own imagined version of Connor that is closer to the Craig I know and have seen before, so it wouldn’t be a total change! I must add that Craig also sprang to mind for Evan, so if he and Louis wanted to alternate, that would be amazing… 😉

Alana Beck – T’Shan Williams

I last saw T’Shan as Queen in The Life at Southwark Playhouse, and am sure she’s being equally wonderful at the moment starring in another musical Heathers. I think she’d bring a wonderful sassy spirit to Evan’s ambitious, academic achiever classmate Alana.

Jared Kleinman – David Albury

Both of the roles I’ve seen David play (incidentally one has been in a show with Caroline, the other with T’Shan!) have called for a certain kind of confident, charming swagger. I think Jared needs an element of this, and David would play it so well. As Evan’s lie catches up with him, he neglects Jared who was the closest thing he had to a real friend and Jared becomes bitter and resentful. I’d love to see David play both of these extremes!

If (please, theatre gods!) the show makes it here, I’d love to see it somewhere like the Apollo, which feels really intimate.

Those are my choices – what would yours be?