Ben Platt, the Tony-winning star of Dear Evan Hansen, is bringing a new queer musical, Midnight at the Never Get, to London's Menier Chocolate Factory. In a recent interview, he opened up about anxiety, his husband, and the liberating experience of playing a gay character on stage.
Platt on anxiety and support from his husband
Platt spoke candidly about his ongoing struggle with anxiety. 'My relationship with my husband is a huge factor in being able to manage anxiety,' he said. 'There’s still highs and lows, but everything’s more in my sights, because I thankfully have him. And having something creative to focus on is a big help.' His husband, actor Noah Galvin, is also in London starring in Hit Machine at Soho Theatre.
Midnight at the Never Get: a deeper, stranger queer story
The musical, set in a 1960s Greenwich Village gay bar, follows cabaret crooner Trevor. Platt described the show as 'unfolding into something deeper and stranger.' He praised director David Cromer's 'very subtle hand' in shaping performances. The songs by Mark Sonnenblick allow Platt to sing love lyrics to another man, which he called 'liberating.' 'I grew up doing musicals – years and years, so many shows – but never did I get to play a queer character on stage,' Platt said.
Political context and American anxiety
Though not explicitly political, the musical arrives at a time when gay rights progress in the US has stalled. 'Being American feels quite helpless and scary,' Platt admitted. However, he finds optimism in New York City and its new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, who represents 'a different class of politics.'
From child actor to Broadway star
Platt began performing at age six, playing the prince in a school production of Cinderella. He was eager to grow up quickly, saying, 'I was so hungry to be like the adults I was working with.' His breakout role in Dear Evan Hansen required immense emotional commitment. 'I put my own development on the back burner and just lived in the space of this character for many years,' he recalled.
Dear Evan Hansen movie backlash
The 2021 film adaptation faced criticism for Platt's age (27 at the time) and his family connections. 'It was tough, but it’s a lesson you have to learn in this business,' Platt said. 'Sometimes it doesn’t go well and you have to let the rollercoaster dip so that it can go back up.' Despite the backlash, he remains grateful for the role: 'It was completely life-changing in every way. I’m happy that the movie exists, and hope history will be kind to it.'
Future projects: Sondheim and beyond
Platt is currently filming Richard Linklater's real-time adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, which will be completed in 2038 when he is 45. He also dreams of playing George in Sunday in the Park with George, calling Sondheim 'my rabbi, my imam.' Another ambition is to star in Tony Kushner's Angels in America, but he prefers new work: 'The ideal scenario is always for something new to come crashing through.'
Midnight at the Never Get runs at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London, until 12 September.
