Theater News

Rachel Bay Jones Is Leaving Dear Evan Hansen

The Tony winner has played Evan Hansen’s mother since the hit Broadway musical’s off-Broadway beginning.

Rachel Bay Jones will soon be leaving Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway.
Rachel Bay Jones will soon be leaving Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway.
(© David Gordon)

According to Variety, Rachel Bay Jones will be leaving Dear Evan Hansen, giving her last performance as Evan Hansen's mother, Heidi, on August 5. Jones originated the role in its off-Broadway run at Second Stage Theater in 2016, and won a Tony Award for the role in 2017. Her replacement has yet to be announced.

With a Tony-winning score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a Tony-winning book by Steven Levenson, Dear Evan Hansen is described as follows: "A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he's always wanted: a chance to finally fit in."

In addition to Jones, the cast currently stars Taylor Trensch (Evan Hansen), Phoenix Best (Alana Beck), Alex Boniello (Connor Murphy), Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), and Sky Lakota-Lynch (Jared Kleinman).

Dear Evan Hansen opened on December 4, 2016, at the Music Box Theatre, earning six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score.

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