The South African Staging of Dear Evan Hansen Comes to Cape Town

Showtime Management and How Now Brown Cow Productions is bringing the South African premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen to the Cape Town stage from 12 February to 9 March 2025. This much-anticipated production features an outstanding all-South African cast and runs at Artscape before travelling to Montecasino’s Teatro, Johannesburg from Saturday 15 March to Sunday 13 April 2025. Here’s what you need to know.

An acclaimed musical with a powerful message

Dear Evan Hansen is a Tony Award-winning musical that explores themes of mental health, loneliness, and the power of social media. The story follows Evan Hansen, a socially anxious high school student who struggles to connect with others. When a misunderstanding leads people to believe he was close friends with a classmate, Connor Murphy, who died by suicide, Evan gets caught in a web of lies that spirals out of control.

At first, Evan enjoys the sense of belonging and attention he receives, but as the lie grows, he faces moral dilemmas and emotional consequences. The musical delves into the impact of grief, the need for human connection, and the consequences of living in a world dominated by social media.

Winner of six Tony Awards (including Best Musical), a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album, and an Olivier Award for Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen features a book by Tony Award-winner Steven Levenson (Fosse/Verdon) and music by Grammy, Tony, and Academy Award-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman).

Award-winning Stuart Brown cast as Evan Hansen

Fleur du Cap Theatre Award winner Stuart Brown (We Will Rock You, MAMMA MIA!) will take on the coveted role of Evan Hansen, joining the ranks of global stars such as Ben Platt and Sam Tutty. A 2021 graduate of the Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy (LAMTA), Brown expresses his excitement: “This show is an incredibly special story that speaks to so many of us about the impact of social media, mental health, and what it means to truly belong.”

An ensemble of celebrated theatre talents

Joining Brown is a phenomenal cast, including Lucy Tops (The Rocky Horror Show, Kinky Boots) as Heidi Hansen, Justin Swartz (West Side Story, Janice Honeyman’s Jack And The Beanstalk) as Jared Kleinman, and Ntshikeng Matooane (MAMMA MIA!) as Alana Beck. Keely Crocker makes her professional debut as Zoe Murphy, while Michael Stray (Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story) stars as Connor Murphy. Theatre veterans Sharon Spiegel Wagner (Hairspray, Grease) and Charlie Bouguenon (Jersey Boys, Sweeney Todd) take on the roles of Cynthia and Larry Murphy.

The talented supporting cast includes Shelley Lothian as Female Swing 1, Léa Blerk as Female Swing 2, Arno Meyer as Male Swing 1, and Kent Jaycocke as Male Swing 2.

Dear Evans Greg Karvellas — Greg Karvellas | Director

Creative team brings Broadway magic to South Africa

The South African production is led by director Greg Karvellas, with musical supervision by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder and set, lighting, and costume design by Niall Griffin. The musical director is Kurt Haupt, while David Classen is the sound designer and Louisa Talbot serves as choreographer. Technical direction is handled by Alistair Kilbee.

“I am beyond excited to bring this incredible musical to the South African stage and to be working with such a phenomenal South African cast,” says director Greg Karvellas. “Dear Evan Hansen is a deeply moving story that will undoubtedly strike a chord with audiences, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone”.

How to book tickets for Dear Evan Hansen

Cost: From R100pp | Prices vary per seating category | Terrific Tuesday discounts available | Block booking discounts (20% off for groups of 20+) apply to selected shows | Book via Ticketmaster