Robert Markus Will Play Evan Hansen In Toronto

Producers Stacey Mindich and David Mirvish are delighted to announce that Canada's own Robert Markus will play the title role in the Canadian premiere production of the multi Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, when it begins performances on March 5, 2019 at Toronto's historic Royal Alexandra Theatre.

"Since choosing Toronto to be the site of our first international production, it was very important to me that the musical feel grounded in the community," says Stacey Mindich, who originated the show on Broadway and is the lead producer. "That meant first and foremost finding the perfect Canadian actor to play the title role. After more than eight months of a cross-country search and more than 800 individual auditions, I'm so pleased that we've finally found our Evan Hansen. Robert has all of the qualities and more that we look for in an Evan Hansen, and I can't wait to see him in the blue polo."

Originally from Vancouver and a graduate of the University of Alberta's BFA program, Robert Markus is a young actor who has performed three seasons at the Stratford Festival in such musicals as Tommy, The Rocky Horror Show, The Music Man and Fiddler on the Roof. He has also performed at the Shaw Festival, in Toronto at Young People's Theatre, in Calgary at the Citadel, in Hamilton at Theatre Aquarius and in London, ON, at the Grand.

Adds David Mirvish: "Evan Hansen is a very difficult role to perform. It requires a strong and versatile voice to do justice to the brilliant score. It is an acting challenge. In fact, it is one of those roles that is almost impossible to fill. The actor playing it must not only be able to scale the acting and singing challenges, but also be able to lead the entire acting company, Robert Markus meets all these criteria and more. We look forward to welcoming him on the storied stage of the Royal Alexandra Theatre, where many of the greats have played for more than 110 years."

The winner of six 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen features a book by Tony Award-winner Steven Levenson, a score by Academy Award, and Tony & Grammy Award-winning composers Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, and direction by 4-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif. The Grammy Award-winning Original Broadway Cast Recording of Dear Evan Hansen produced by Atlantic Records, was released in February 2017, making an extraordinary debut on the Billboard 200 and entering the chart at #8 - the highest charting debut position for an original cast album since 1961 - and went on to win the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album. A new deluxe version of the cast recording, including six bonus tracks and a pop cover from Katy Perry of "Waving through a Window: is now available digitally.

Declared "One of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history" by the Washington Post's Peter Marks, Dear Evan Hansen opened at the Music Box Theatre to rave reviews on December 4, 2016, where it's broken all box office records and has struck a chord with critics and audiences alike. The first national tour is currently underway with performances scheduled across America, and international productions have been announced for Toronto (March 2019) and London (Fall 2019). The Broadway production recently celebrated its two-year anniversary with a special donation to the Smithsonian, where the show's iconic blue polo and arm cast will now be part of the permanent collection of the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

Rolling Stone calls Dear Evan Hansen, "a game-changer that hits you like a shot in the heart" and The New York Times raves "a gut-punching, breathtaking knockout of a musical."

In addition to winning six 2017 Tony awards and a 2018 Grammy Award, Dear Evan Hansen has won numerous other awards, including the 2017 Drama League Award for Outstanding Musical Production and for the off-Broadway production, two Obie Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards and two Helen Hayes Awards.

Dear Evan Hansen 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. Danny Mefford is the choreographer. U.S. Casting by Tara Rubin Casting/Lindsay Levine. Sash Bischoff and Adam Quinn are the Associate Directors. Judith Schoenfeld is the Production Supervisor.

Photo Credit: Michael Cooper