NEW YORK — Stranger things have happened on The Great White Way.
Gaten Matarazzo, who made his Broadway debut in 2011 in “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” and went on to become a star of Netflix’s blockbuster series “Stranger Things,” is coming back to his roots.
Just as Season 4 of The Duffer Brothers’ supernatural thriller drops this week, the 19-year-old actor is set to star in the hit Tony Award-winning musical “Dear Evan Hansen.”
Beginning July 19, Matarazzo will step into the role of Jared Kleinman, a supporting character and the closest thing to a friend the show’s titular star.
“Words could never express how truly honored I am to be a part of this company,” Matarazzo said in Wednesday’s announcement. “This show has taught me so much about myself and to be able to participate in any capacity, let alone on Broadway, makes me want to melt. I am ecstatic to be back on stage and eternally grateful for the opportunity.”
The Egg Harbor, New Jersey-bred Connecticut native was last seen on Broadway in 2014 in the acclaimed revival of “Les Miserables.”
The same day he joins “Dear Evan Hansen,” the production will see the return of three other actors: Ann Sanders, Noah Kieserman and Ciara Alyse Harris.
“Dear Evan Hansen” follows the story of a socially awkward high school student who deceives everyone after the family of a classmate mistakes one of Hansen’s letters to himself for their son’s suicide note.
The Michael Greif-helmed production, which opened on The Great White Way in 2016, won six Tony Awards, including best musical, best original score and another for original star Ben Platt as lead actor.
“Dear Evan Hansen” reopened its Broadway production Dec. 11, 2020, following the pandemic shutdown.
Zachary Noah Piser is currently leading the cast in the title role through early August.
Last year, a Netflix film adaptation starred Platt, opposite Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, Danny Pino, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Colton Ryan and Nik Dodani.
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