Dear Evan Hansen: Broadway community and Ben Platt say goodbye before his final show

Maureen Lee Lenker
Updated

Broadway fans might wish Ben Platt could go on for forever in Dear Evan Hansen, but Sunday marks his final performance in the role that earned him a 2017 Tony Award.

With Platt preparing to take the stage as the titular Evan Hansen for the last time, many fellow Broadway performers sent him well wishes via social media.

The show’s production team posted a tweet thanking Platt, using his own words from his Tony acceptance speech. “Dear Ben Platt, thank you for showing us that the things that make us strange are the things that make us powerful. Sincerely, Us,” they wrote.

Platt himself also tweeted a farewell message. He wrote, “Today is my last @DearEvanHansen performance, ending a 3.5 year journey with a remarkable family of artists. I am proud of all I gave & grateful for all I have received. I love you, Evan. You changed every part of my life. I’ll carry you with me for the rest of my days. Now, onward!”

Platt will be replaced by Noah Galvin and Taylor Trensch over the next few months, while his post-DEH plans include releasing an album of original music. Previously best known for his role in Pitch Perfect, Platt has earned rave reviews for his sensitive, emotional performance as an anxiety-plagued high school senior who finds himself embroiled in a painful lie.

He has been with the role since early development of the musical, and many consider his performance a large part of what has shot the production to incredible success. Given that, luminaries of Broadway, ranging from Lin-Manuel Miranda to Laura Benanti to Cynthia Erivo, sent him messages of support for his final performance. Other stars who have made splashes on Broadway, including Hugh Jackman and Josh Groban, also sent Platt kind words, as did famous fans like Sam Smith to Zach Braff and James Corden.

Read a sampling of tweets below.