Dear Evan Hansen

Ryan Burton as Evan Hansen

Ryan Burton is a recent B.F.A. graduate from University of Southern California’s School of Dramatic Arts (“Fight on!”). Recent roles include Roger in Rent, Ladislav Sipos in She Loves Me, Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night, and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. He is deeply grateful to his teachers, collaborators, and family for their constant support, and to Broadway Rose for trusting him with a role that means so much to him. For Michaela. @rc.burton

Erin Tamblyn as Heidi Hansen

Erin Tamblyn is excited to be back at Broadway Rose! Previous Broadway Rose credits include Celebrate Home: A Broadway Rose Christmas, Honky Tonk Angels, Band Geeks, The World Goes Round, Into the Woods, and Five Golden Rings along with various gala and cabaret performances. Other Portland credits include Beauty and the Beast, Wizard of Oz, Legally Blonde, and Billy Elliot (Pixie Dust), The Wild Party, Reefer Madness, Floyd Collins, and [title of show]. Erin has also appeared as a guest vocalist with Portland’s Singing Christmas Tree and Michael Allen Harrison’s Ten Grands, and on tour with Shazam! The Magic Show. This one is for Preston. IG: mrserintamblyn

Sophie MacKay as Zoe Murphy

Sophie MacKay could not be more excited to be back on the Broadway Rose stage playing an absolute dream role! Audiences might remember her as Sarah (Triangle), Sandy (Grease), Trish (Five Golden Rings), and Susie (Snapshots: A Musical Scrapbook). Past favorite roles include Glinda in The Wizard of Oz (Northwest Children’s Theater), Blanche in Bonnie & Clyde, and Rose in Dogfight (Bridgetown Conservatory of Musical Theatre). Sophie most recently debuted a duo cabaret, Fly Away With Us which she co-produced and starred alongside friend Marin Donohue. When she’s not on stage, Sophie works at NWCT as the Executive Assistant and director of Kid’s Co. She also teaches voice lessons through her private studio. As always, she would like to thank her family for their constant, never-ending support.

Cuin Moore as Connor Murphy

Cuin Moore is thrilled to be making their Broadway Rose debut! Past credits include Mark in RENT, Mica in Trojan Barbie, Sloane in The Hatchery iteration of Everybody’s Eyes are on The First, and most recently Noah Claypole in Oliver!. Cuin also portrayed Warren in a concert-style performance of selections from Ordinary Days. Cuin holds a B.F.A. in Acting from Long Island University Post, led at the time by the incomparable Maria Porter. As always, a huge shout-out and thank you to Mom, who has always offered endless support, and much love to all their friends and family. Community is the strongest foundation!

Courtney Fero as Cynthia Murphy

Courtney Fero returns to the Broadway Rose stage after tapping along as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes. Other favorite credits include Cabaret and Legally Blonde (Stumptown Stages), Meet Me in St. Louis (Musical Theatre West), Cats (Moonlight Stage Productions and San Diego Musical Theatre), Hairspray (Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, NY), and A Little Night Music (Cygnet Theatre). She holds a B.F.A. in Music Theatre from UC Irvine and is currently Dance Faculty at The University of Portland. Her favorite role to date would be Mom to her strong and creative daughters, Eden and Gwen. Courtney is continually grateful for the power of live theatre which brings us together, opens hearts and minds, and offers a spark of hope.

Ryan Reilly as Larry Murphy

Ryan Reilly is excited to be back at Broadway Rose after last appearing as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls. Other select stage credits include the National Tour of White Christmas, The Music Man (Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University), A Christmas Carol (Crescent City Stage Co.), The Boys in the Band and Southern Gothic (Windy City Playhouse,) Beauty and the Beast (Plan-B Entertainment), The Glass Menagerie (Theatreworks, Colorado Springs), Cabaret (Music Theatre of Connecticut), along with several shows at both Drury Lane Theatre and Marriott Theatre in Chicago. Select TV/Film credits include Chicago Med, Empire, The Winchesters, Sorry for Your Loss, and Carry-On. Ryan holds a B.F.A. from UW-Stevens Point and is a proud member of AEA and SAG/AFTRA. “Thanks for supporting live theatre!” *AEA

Brady Allen as Jared Kleinman

Brady Allen is making his Broadway Rose debut with Dear Evan Hansen. Brady is in his fourth and final year at Western Oregon University, where he is pursuing a degree in Theatre Arts. His previous credits include She Kills Monsters, Much Ado About Nothing, Spring Awakening, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Evil Dead: The Musical. Brady is deeply grateful to his friends and family and thrilled to be working with Broadway Rose on this production.

Azhia Ellis as Alana Beck

Azhia Ellis is elated to join the Broadway Rose family. Coming all the way from the panhandle of Florida, she can’t wait to see what the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Her favorite shows that she has starred in are The Tragic History of Dr. Faustus (Mephistopheles), Godspell (Peggy), Footloose (Urleen), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Gargoyle), and Into the Woods (Little Red Ridinghood). When she’s not performing on stage, she’s an esthetician, avid binge watcher, and foodie! She would like to thank her family and partner for always encouraging her to dream big. “Do it with love!”

Direction and Musical Staging
Abe Reybold

Music Director
Billy Thompson

Scenic and Video Designer
Tyler Buswell

Assistant Set Designer
Logan Mix

Lighting Designed by
Kristeen Willis

Costumes Designer
Alana Wight

Props Designer
Kate Badon

Sound Designer
Brian Karl Moen

Stage Manager
Jessica Junor

Projectionist
Liam Hall

Intimacy and Fight Choreographer
Kristen Mun-Van Noy

Keys
Billy Thompson

Guitar
Attila Csikos

Drums
Yuya Matsuda

Violin
Regina Sadowski

Viola
Amy Roesler

Cello
Ashley Peck

Bass
Will Amend

Dear Evan Hansen initially drew me in because I knew it would challenge me on all fronts. It carries a heavy emotional weight, requires staying truthful and grounded while keeping the story moving seamlessly, and even treats “technology” as an expansive character in its own right. At its core, it is a beautifully human, expertly structured piece of musical theatre. What many people may not realize is that the work of a director begins long before the first rehearsal. Directors start design meetings with the creative team and production staff months in advance, and much of the research and text analysis begins even earlier. When I’m staging a show, I need a solid, specific plan—but I also remain aware and open to the impulses and ideas of everyone I collaborate with, including myself. One of my favorite aspects of the show has been bringing to life the songs that involve the full ensemble. “Waving Through A Window” is an exceptional musical theatre number, and watching it come together with staging, movement, and design elements has been truly exciting. It’s in those moments that the emotional and theatrical scope of the piece fully reveals itself. This story feels important to tell because it gives voice to those who, among other behavioral health struggles, experience anxiety, depression, grief, and the isolation of not feeling seen. It asks us to examine how deep our understanding and compassion can go—and challenges us to expand it. I’m grateful to share this story with you.

– Abe Reybold