Principal Casting Announced for Muny Premiere of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’
ST. LOUIS — Michael Fabisch, Jackie Burns, Maggie Lakis, Rob McClure, Afra Sophia Tully, Joshua Bess, Bryan Munar and Savy Jackson will star in Dear Evan Hansen when the acclaimed musical makes its Muny and Midwest regional premiere this summer in Forest Park.
Dear Evan Hansen — the profoundly moving coming-of-age story about the fragility of life and the need for human connection — runs July 28-Aug. 3 and is presented by Nestlé Purina PetCare Co.
The production is led by Rob Ruggiero (director), Beth Crandall (choreographer) and Roberto Sinha (music director/conductor). The design team includes Michael Schweikardt (scenic designer); Joseph Shrope (costume designer); Rob Denton (lighting designer); John Shivers and David Patridge (sound designers); Kevan Loney (video designer); J. Jared Janas (wig designer); The Telsey Office, Rashad Naylor, CSA (casting); and Gabi Stapula (associate choreographer).
“The power of Evan’s story is sure to be revealed by this extraordinary cast,” said Muny Artistic Director & Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “I’m so happy that this company features the return of many Muny family members, plus some truly exciting Muny debuts.”
MICHAEL FABISCH (Evan Hansen) makes his Muny debut. A proud graduate of the University of Michigan’s musical theatre program, he made his post-collegiate debut as Evan in the national tour of Dear Evan Hansen.
JACKIE BURNS (Heidi Hansen) is Broadway’s longest-running Elphaba in Wicked. Most recently, she originated the role of Tess in the world premiere new musical Burlesque in the UK, as well as the lead role of Jenny in the new musical Hard Road to Heaven at Bucks County Playhouse. She was in the original Broadway company of If/Then and led the US national tour. Select NY credits include starring as “Celine Dion” in the smash off-Broadway hit Titanique, the Tony Award-winning revival of Hair (original Broadway company) and Rock of Ages (original off-Broadway company). A veteran of the American stage and new works, Burns originated starring roles in Cowboy Bob (Alley Theatre) and A Walk on the Moon (George Street Playhouse). Film/TV: Set It Up, The Magnificent Meyersons, Ghost, FBI: Most Wanted, Great Wall of Warren. Jackie has sung all over the world with Grammy and Tony Award-nominated composer Frank Wildhorn.
MAGGIE LAKIS (Cynthia Murphy) Previous Muny shows include Jerome Robbins’ Broadway and Into the Woods. Recently, she finished the first national tour of the Broadway musical Mrs. Doubtfire as Miranda Hillard. Off-Broadway credits include Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas and John Doyle’s reimagined Allegro at Classic Stage Company. She was Bea in the first national tour of Something Rotten and has appeared in over 1,200 performances of the Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q in the first national tour as well as the off-Broadway production at New World Stages. She’s performed regionally all over the country but makes her home in Philadelphia with her on- and offstage husband, Rob McClure.
ROB McCLURE (Larry Murphy) returns for his ninth Muny show. Broadway: Mrs. Doubtfire (Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle nominations), Chaplin (Tony, Drama League, Astaire and Outer Critics Circle nominations and won Theatre World and Clive Barnes awards), Beetlejuice, Something Rotten, Noises Off, Honeymoon in Vegas, I’m Not Rappaport and Avenue Q, as well as Where’s Charley? and Irma La Douce at Encores! Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors. Regional: The Kennedy Center, Paper Mill Playhouse, The Old Globe, The Arden, Cleveland Playhouse, American Repertory Theatre, Walnut Street, Delaware Theatre Co., Flat Rock Playhouse, The McCarter and La Jolla Playhouse. His acclaimed solo concert, Smile, has been performed on stages all over the world. Film: Recursion (best actor at The Queen’s World and Williamsburg film festivals.) TV: PBS Great Performances 50th Anniversary Concert, Elsbeth, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Julia, Blue Bloods, Servant, Evil, The Bite, Person of Interest, Elementary, The Good Fight.
AFRA SOPHIA TULLY (Zoe Murphy) makes her Muny debut. Off-Broadway/regional: Trevor: The Musical (Lindsay, u/s Mary), Witnesses (Eva Heyman), Fiddler on the Roof (Chava), The Sound of Music (Leisl), Rigoletto (The Page), Amahl and the Night Visitors (Amahl), Cabaret (Sally Bowles). TV/film: Legit (FX), Raven’s Home (Disney), Schooled (ABC), Veep (HBO), Ouija (Blumhouse/Universal).
JOSHUA BESS (Connor Murphy) is honored to make his Muny debut in Season 107! Tours: Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus/Pilate standby), Rent 20th Anniversary Tour (Roger), SpongeBob SquarePants (Electric Skate). Film/TV: Oh, Canada; Law & Order: SVU.
BRYAN MUNAR (Jared Kleinman) makes his Muny debut in this iconic show. He most recently starred as Orpheus in Hadestown, captivating audiences and millions of TikTok viewers alike across North America. He has also been in development with the new Broadway-bound rock musical Pump Up the Volume (based on the film). As of late, he’s been in the studio working with writers and producers to add to his current pop discography. NYC: Pump Up the Volume (with Andrew Barth Feldman and Hailey Kilgore). Regional: Peter in the world premiere of His Story, Goodspeed Musicals, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Rep. Education: BA in computer science, UC Berkeley.
SAVY JACKSON (Alana Beck) returns to The Muny after starring as Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. She recently starred as La Rhette in the world premiere of Take the Lead at Paper Mill Playhouse and made her Broadway debut performing the titular role every Sunday in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bad Cinderella. Other notable credits include Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at Geva Theatre and Marian in Hood at Asolo Rep. On screen, Savy appears in the HBO Max film Sweethearts, alongside Kiernan Shipka. Her debut single is now streaming on all platforms.
Additional casting will be announced. The Telsey Office is the official casting partner of The Muny.
The Muny artistic staff includes Artistic Director & Executive Producer Mike Isaacson, Associate Artistic Director Michael Baxter, Director of Production Tracy Utzmyers and Music Supervisor Michael Horsley.
Evan Hansen, a teenager with a severe anxiety disorder, has always felt invisible. But when a sudden death shocks the community and thrusts him into the center of a rapidly evolving controversy, he is given the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to be somebody else. Dear Evan Hansen — winner of the Tony and Olivier awards for best musical — has a book by Steven Levenson and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
Performances of Dear Evan Hansen begin at 8:15 p.m. nightly, July 28-Aug. 3. Season 107 at The Muny also includes Bring It On: The Musical (June 16-22), Come From Away (June 26-July 2), Disney’s Frozen (July 6-14), Evita (July 18-24), La Cage aux Folles (Aug. 8-14) and Jersey Boys (Aug. 18-24).
New season tickets start at just $126 and are on sale now at muny.org/season-tickets and at the Muny Box Office, located at 1 Theatre Drive in Forest Park. Single-performance tickets go on sale May 19.
A 20% group discount is available for parties of 15 or more. To start the free reservation process, visit muny.org/groups or call (314) 595-5708.
Visit muny.org/dearevanhansen to read content notes and more for Dear Evan Hansen; watch In Focus, a Muny original series; and hear Muny Unscripted, a new podcast available exclusively on Spotify.
Find headshots, show logos and other promotional assets in the Muny Press Room.
About The Muny
Now entering its 107th season in St. Louis, The Muny — the recipient of the 2025 Regional Theatre Tony Award — is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to producing exceptional musical theatre that is accessible to all, continuing its remarkable tradition in Forest Park. As the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre, The Muny welcomes more than 300,000 patrons each summer for seven world-class productions under the stars. Learn more at muny.org.
Categories: 2025 Season, Announcements, Muny News, Press
