Name: Ben Platt Live at the Palace on Broadway
Start: 2024-05-28
End: 2024-06-15
Location: Palace Theatre

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Ben Platt Live at the Palace on Broadway - NYC [40322]

Ben Platt Live at the Palace on Broadway

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Ben Platt Live at the Palace - NYC [40322]

Ben Platt was born in Los Angeles, California, on September 24, 1993. He was bitten by the theatre bug at an early age, appearing in&nbsp;The Music Man&nbsp;alongside Kristin Chenoweth&nbsp;at the age of 9.&nbsp;While&nbsp;studying at the Adderley School for Performing Arts in Pacific Palisades, he performed&nbsp;in productions such as&nbsp;Into the Woods&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bye Bye Birdie. He attended Harvard-Westlake School and, after graduation in 2011, he went to Columbia University in New York. He was forced to drop out after six weeks to make his first big break in the world of theatre. He had landed the coveted role of Elder Cunningham in the national tour of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/the-book-of-mormon">The Book of Mormon</a>. After his commitments to the tour concluded, he returned to the university, where he played Claude&nbsp;Bukowski in&nbsp;Hair&nbsp;and even became a member of the&nbsp;campus a cappella&nbsp;group&nbsp;Nonsequitur.

These experiences earned Platt his breakthrough film role. Movie fans know him as the lovable but awkward Benji Applebaum in both Pitch Perfect&nbsp;(released in 2012) and Pitch Perfect 2&nbsp;(2015). He has also appeared on screen in Ricki and the Flash, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, Drunk Parents&nbsp;and Will &amp; Grace.

Platt made his Broadway debut on January 7, 2014, reprising his performance as&nbsp;Elder Cunningham in&nbsp;The Book of Mormon&nbsp;and remaining with the production until January 4, 2015. He followed this up with another star turn, this time in&nbsp;the title role of the Tony Award-winning musical&nbsp;Dear Evan Hansen. The world premiere was held at Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage in July 2015, the Off-Broadway run followed at Second Stage's <a href="https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/tony-kiser-theater">Tony Kiser Theater</a> from March to May 2016, and&nbsp;the Broadway transfer officially opened at the <a href="https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatres/music-box-theatre">Music Box Theatre</a> in December 2016. Platt went on to win the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical&nbsp;at the Tony Awards in 2017. He played his final Broadway performance in the role on November 19, 2017. Four years later, however, he&nbsp;reprised the role on screen&nbsp;for the movie adaptation of&nbsp;Dear Evan Hansen.

Ben Platt - NY

Children under 4 are not permitted in the theatre.

Broadway COVID Protocol

Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway [2885]

Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway

Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway [2885] Product Media

When my eyes are wet and it's all I can do to not join the dialogue on the stage and my giggle box has completely turned over, I am having a really really good time. This reviewer is not a huge fan of musicals by any means - too much distraction and not enough story in most cases - but <a href="/show/dear-evan-hansen">Dear Evan Hansen</a> is a show that holds you tight with its honesty of story told in a way that delights you to your very toes.Every aspect of what you see, hear and feel hums in perfect harmony throughout the piece. The songs, by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, are poetic expressions of real human stuff that dove tails perfectly with the storytelling. Nowhere to be found is that smile-and-move-your-hands song break that must be endured before we get back to the meat of the matter.The shame of being human is never more tender than when one is in high school. Our hero, Evan Hansen (Ben Platt), is a sweet senior in high school who is socially challenged, prescription medicated, adored by his single mother, Heidi Hanson (Rachel Bay Jones), has a therapist and has a crush on a girl named Zoe Murphy (Laura Dreyfuss). We want Evan to win because he is just totes adorbs as he struggles to express himself, control his outbursts and fulfill expectations to complete the assignment his therapist gave him this week - to write an encouraging letter to himself every day. Platt is perfection as that kid you remember from your high school, whom you likely owe a huge apology, as he chokes on nearly every word before it bursts out of him loaded with the urgency only a teenager can assign to his own expression.The unrequited Zoe's family is a mother, Cynthia Murphy (Jennifer Laura Thompson), father, Larry Murphy (Michael Park) and a brother, Connor Murphy (Mike Faist). Connor is also socially challenged and prone to outbursts. But Connor is self-medicated and at war with his parents who are at war with one another. Zoe does her best to avoid the cross-fire.These mothers have something in common and the song "Anybody Have A Map?" can only bring the damp eyes of recognition to many of us also wishing our special needs kids came with manuals. I've met the mothers Jones and Thompson are and I've put on the masks they do to face the world and hide the complete lack of clue we have about our matriarchal responsibilities.Connor and Evan have a run in between classes at school which is verbally hurtful and ends in Connor shoving Evan to the floor. Zoe tries to smooth things over in a scene saturated with teenage angst, misunderstanding and vulnerability, which is, of course, very funny. Dreyfuss is beautiful. Her voice and manner are the romantic poetry you remember from when you idealized young love. You will fall hard for her. Later, when it looks like the boys might mend, Connor finds one of Evan's letters on a printer in the lab at school. The letter describes Evan's hope for a future with Zoe. Connor, at first, thinks this is seriously creepy and then with the warp speed of a bored teen looking for a problem, Connor decides this is a ruse by Evan to upset him enough to stimulate another rage episode and make everyone else in school think Connor is crazy. Faist is flawless as he gives us the really hard to love boy teen narcissistic asshole who misdirects his passion against his own best interests. We know this kid, too. He's the one who didn't make it.And this is only the beginning of the misunderstanding of Evan's letter to himself, which quickly becomes public - nay, let's modernize that; it goes viral. Writer, Steven Levenson, has given us a story that could be told around a dinner table right now. Social media is cast in the role of Monster Maker.I cannot bear to give any more away as <a href="/show/dear-evan-hansen">Dear Evan Hansen</a>, in my opinion, is required viewing, but I do want to shout out a few more nuggets about the production before I leave you with orders to immediately purchase your tickets. Evan's friend-because-the-family-says-he's-a friend, Jared Kleinman (Will Roland), is a power house of comic expression charged with extreme mischief. Kleinman wrecked my kidneys with laughter. Connor's "acquaintance," Alana Beck (Kristolyn Lloyd), is the poseur girl you knew in school. Lloyd exposes the loneliness of that girl causing you to, of all things, forgive her. The first dancing sequence, choreographed by Danny Mefford. between Jared, Connor and Evan is a total squeal; I wanted to see it again immediately. Thompson brilliantly portrays an irrationally hopeful mother so well that, even though we know she is deceived, we catch ourselves coming along with it. Platt's performance is beyond sublime - every reviewer will tell you this. But the added bonus is the stunningly beautiful work of Jones. The journey Heidi Hanson takes in this story is the most transformative of all the characters and Jones acts without a filter giving us every ugly and beautiful detail of her character's growth shamelessly.The songs and dance in this show move the story forward - thank you, God - rather than stopping the action and causing you to look at your watch. Two hours and twenty-five minutes fly by and this musical poo-pooer wished there had been more. Yes. Really. Also, the scenic design by David Korins and the lighting design by Japhy Weideman work in the most perfect concert of technical genius I have ever seen in any production ever. Director, Michael Greif, pulled together way more than a schmaltzy musical here. Who knew?Don't just sit there, get tickets. Get tickets for your whole family and your best buddies. Give a pair of tickets to the person who delivers your mail.<a href="/show/dear-evan-hansen">Dear Evan Hansen&nbsp;tickets</a> are available now.&nbsp;(Photo by Matthew Murphy)<hr />"The marvelous young actor Ben Platt is giving a performance that's not likely to be bettered on Broadway this season. What's more, this gorgeous heartbreaker of a musical...has grown in emotional potency during its journey to the big leagues, after first being produced in Washington and Off Broadway. Rarely - scratch that — never have I heard so many stifled sobs and sniffles in the theater." Charles Isherwood for New York Times"'Dear Evan Hansen' takes its title from letters Evan writes himself as therapy. The show's so satisyfing it deserves a thank you note." Joe Dziemianowicz for New York Daily News"Simply put: Platt is giving one of the greatest leading male performances I've ever seen in a musical, and the thrillingly modern and moving Dear Evan Hansen is worthy of it." Adam Feldman for Time Out New York"Then, there's Platt in a class all to himself, with the impeccable instincts of both a comedian and tragedian while singing his heart and guts out. An incomparable performance that ranks among the finest in years. 'Dear Evan Hansen' may be the story of a nerdy teenager, but it's that rare show that connects and enlightens all of us." Roma Torre for NY1"The show was already impressive in its lauded off-Broadway premiere at Second Stage Theatre earlier this year, directed with as much vitality as sensitivity by Michael Greif. But the characterizations now seem even more fully lived-in and the connective tissue among the ensemble — whether playing biological or adoptive family, young lovers or high school acquaintances thrust into an uneasy friendship of convenience — has genuine sparks." David Rooney for Hollywood Reporter"Through the alchemy of Michael Greif, who directed the original productions at Arena Stage and at Second Stage, Broadway's Music Box Theater proves a perfect fit for this sensitive musical starring a sensational Ben Platt as a neurotic misfit trying to survive senior year in high school. As for the music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul: Not since "Next to Normal" has a score tapped so deeply into the troubled psyche of its needy protagonist." Marilyn Stasio for VarietyExternal links to full reviews from popular press...<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/04/theater/dear-evan-hansen-review.html?_r=0" target="Top">New York Times</a> - <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/theater-arts/dear-evan-hansen-ben-platt-dazzles-broadway-article-1.2896547" target="Top">New York Daily News</a> - <a href="https://www.timeout.com/newyork/blog/broadway-review-dear-evan-hansen-is-lit-by-a-dazzling-star-turn-120416" target="Top">Time Out</a> - <a href="http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/theater-reviews/2016/12/5/theater-review---dear-evan-hansen-.html" target="Top">NY1</a> - <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/dear-evan-hansen-review-952531" target="Top">Hollywood Reporter</a> - <a href="http://variety.com/2016/legit/reviews/dear-evan-hansen-review-broadway-1201933338/" target="Top">Variety</a>

Dear Evan Hansen

The Music Box Theatre was built in 1921 by theatrical producer Sam H. Harris to house Irving Berlin's musical revue *The Music Box*, written specifically for the venue. The first play to go up at the venue was 1925's *Cradle Snatchers*, and, ironically, the theatre has historically hosted more straight plays than musicals.

The Shubert Organization began acquiring shares in the Music Box Theatre from Harris in the 1920s. When Harris died in 1941, his wife sold half the shares in the theatre to the Shuberts, and half to Berlin.

In 2007, the Shubert Organization became the sole owners of the theatre. The Music Box Theatre's facade and interior are New York City landmarks.

## How to get to the Music Box Theatre on Broadway

The Music Box Theatre is closest to the 42nd Street - Port Authority subway stop on the A, C, and E lines. The nearest bus stops are 8th Ave/W 46th St. on the M20 and M104 lines; 7th Ave/W. 44th St. on the M104 line; and 8th Ave/W 43rd St. on the M20, M104, and M34A-SBS line.

Music Box Theatre - NY

Music Box Theatre

Parade on Broadway Starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond - NYC

Parade on Broadway Starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond

Parade on Broadway Starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond - NYC Product Media

It’s a rare and thrilling gift when a musical presents a song that stirs up a legitimate lump in your throat. [*Parade*](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/26500-parade), back in a banner revival, sees its stars [Ben Platt](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/stars-on-stage/ben-platt) and Micaela Diamond work that special magic twice with a pair of duets, one hopeful and one crushing. Memo: Bring tissues.

First (and last) seen on Broadway in 1998, this unflinchingly dark show by composer-lyricist Jason Robert Brown and writer Alfred Uhry – who each won a Tony for their toils – was sparked by infamous true events. The late Harold Prince, who directed the premiere, is credited here as a co-conceiver.

In 1913 Marietta, Georgia, Leo Frank (Platt), a 29-year-old Jewish factory supervisor from Brooklyn, was wrongfully arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to death for allegedly killing Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old employee of his. After years of appeals, Frank’s sentence was commuted to life in prison, but he was lynched by a vigilante mob.

That might not strike you as a story that sings. But *Parade* reminds us that musicals have unlimited capacity for stories; it’s all in the telling. Despite the cumbersome first act, Brown and Uhry tell a gripping story wrapped in a beautiful and richly varied score. 

Moreover, nearly 25 years after the show’s debut, the themes it covers – anti-Semitism, media sensationalism, judicial corruption, and mob violence among them – throb with up-to-the-second resonance. It’s a musical in which powerful people advance a narrative and manipulate others — and facts — to fit it. Like yesterday’s headlines, no?

Director Michael Arden’s excellent revival arrives on Broadway fresh from a New York City Center run in November. The cast is mostly intact, and the physical production remains essentially the same. Susan Hilferty’s costumes are buttoned up in period detail, while lighting designer Heather Gilbert bathes the stage in a moody glow.

Dane Laffrey’s set features a raised platform with chairs on two sides. Scenes move seamlessly from the Frank residence to factory to courtroom to jail cell to Confederate Memorial Day parade and beyond. Exposed theatre walls become the blank canvas for projection designer Sven Ortel’s images that define interior and exterior locations.

Photographs also appear to identify the real-life characters connected to the Frank case. Besides lending a docudrama vibe, the pictures lend clarity to the sprawling who’s who. There’s a parade of scheming politicians, bigoted journalists, corrupt prosecutors, witnesses who lie through their teeth, and others. It takes a village to railroad a scapegoat.

The photo IDs are smart moves by Arden, although not every choice is quite as well-judged. A courtroom section that shifts into slow motion is a head-scratcher. The specter of Mary Phagan perched on a swing in midair is an odd and heavy-handed idea that reaps no payoff. 

Fortunately, the uniformly terrific cast makes up for small-scale quibbles. Standout supporting work comes from Sean Allan Krill as the honorable Governor Slaton; Alex Joseph Grayson as Jim Conley, whose testimony nails Leo; Paul Alexander Nolan as the rabid prosecutor; and Jake Pedersen as Mary’s boyfriend.

Leo and Lucille’s evolving relationship forms the heart of the show, and both stars deliver in performances that are authentically life-size — no larger — and that is key to this story. Watching Diamond (*The Cher Show*) go from timid Jewish wife to take-charge partner is exhilarating. As a displaced New Yorker who’s not so likable, *Dear Evan Hansen* Tony winner Platt notches another Broadway triumph.

Both leads shine brightest in those aforementioned two songs. The optimistic “This Is Not Over Yet” marks the reopening of Leo’s case. “All the Wasted Time,” in which they express their love, is an 11 o’clock heartbreaker — all the more so since we know from the start where this *Parade* inexorably ends.

[*Parade* is at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre through August 6. Get *Parade* tickets on New York Theatre Guide. ](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/26500-parade)

*Photo credit: Micaela Diamond and Ben Platt in Parade. (Photo by Joan Marcus)*

'Parade' review — Ben Platt leads a first-rate cast in this dark, gripping revival

Read our five-star review of *Parade* on Broadway, starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, now playing at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre through August 6.

The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre opened on January 11, 1927. The venue was originally named the Royale by real-estate magnates, the Chanin Brothers, as part of a three-theatre complex.

In 1930, the Chanins transferred ownership of all three houses to the Shubert Organization. During the Great Depression, control of the Jacobs passed to John Golden, who renamed the theatre after himself and ran it from 1934 to 1936. (This venue is not to be confused with the current John Golden Theatre, which is right next door.)

The Shuberts regained control in 1936 and restored the theatre's name to the Royale. It was renamed the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on May 9, 2005 after the longtime Shubert Organization president.

## How to get to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway

The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre is accessible by subway; it is nearest to the 42nd Street - Port Authority Bus Terminal on the A, C, or E line. The theatre is also located near various bus stops: 8th Ave/W 46th St. on the M20 and M104 lines; 7th Ave/W. 44th St. on the M104 line; and 8th Ave/W 43rd St. on the M20, M104, and M34A-SBS lines.

## Restaurants near the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre

The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre is located one block southeast of Restaurant Row, the stretch of 46th St. between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. Popular restaurants on this block include Hold Fast (American), Joe Allen (American), and Becco (Italian), in addition to various other types of cuisines.

[Learn more about popular pre- and post-show restaurants in the Theatre District.](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/where-to-eat-before-and-after-a-broadway-show)

Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre - NY

Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre

Ben-Platt-124x124px

The Palace Theatre was designed by Kirchoff and Rose, and funded by vaudeville entrepreneur Martin Beck. The Palace Theatre officially opened on March 24, 1913 and became a prime destination for vaudeville acts.

During the Great Depression, the venue became the RKO Palace and primarily hosted radio recordings and functioned as a cinema.

In 1965, the Nederlander Organization purchased the property from RKO and restored its use as a traditional theatre, reopening the venue on January 29, 1966 with the premiere of the musical *Sweet Charity*.

Since 2018, the Palace Theatre has been shut down; the building was lifted 30 feet off the ground to make way for new developments below. The renovation is scheduled for completion in 2023.

## How to get to the Palace Theatre on Broadway

The closest subway stop to the Palace Theatre is 49th Street on the N, R, and W lines. The closest bus stop is 7th Ave/W. 44th St. on the M104 line.

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