‘Dear Evan Hansen’ brings UA Little Rock students and alumni together on the Haislip Theatre stage

Well before opening night, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s production of “Dear Evan Hansen” has already made an impression.

The musical, which won six awards at the 71st Tony Awards, follows a lonely high school student whose lie about a classmate spirals out of control, exploring themes of mental health, belonging and the desire to be understood.

The production sold out more than a month before its Wed, Oct. 21 opening, and the waitlist quickly filled, making it one of the fastest-selling productions in UA Little Rock Theatre Arts history.

“A show selling out this fast has never happened before,” said Caelon Colbert, the production’s director and coordinating assistant for the School of Literary and Performing Arts. “Seven weeks before the show even opens is insane!”

But the excitement surrounding the production is only part of the story. The cast brings together current students and alumni returning to the university stage, giving students a chance to learn from performers who have built careers in theatre and glimpse what lies beyond graduation.

For theatre major Angelino Juario, who plays Jared Kleinman, a friend of the title character, that opportunity is already making an impact.

“In this production, we have the privilege of working with alumni from the program,” Juario said. “I have been soaking up all of their experience to expand my own skills and ideas for my character creation and acting technique.”

That exchange goes both ways.

Duane Jackson graduated from UA Little Rock in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in theatre. His role as Larry Murphy – father of characters Connor and Zoe Murphy – marks his second performance at UA Little Rock since graduating.

“It has been great working with the students; there’s always something special about working with young actors,” Jackson said. “They bring joy and life in a way some of us veteran actors forget about sometimes. I learn as much from them as they might learn from me.”

For Marionna Parker, who is studying theatre and vocal music, working alongside seasoned performers has been especially meaningful as she takes on the role of Zoe.

“We get to work side by side with amazing alumni like Brooke Carter Wallace, Satia Spencer and Duane Jackson, who bring years of firsthand professional performance experience to the production,” Parker said. “This is a pretty emotionally complex show for me, and I’m learning a lot about who I am and who I want to be as an actor.”

For some cast members, the production has been a chance to try something new.

“I have no musical theatre experience, yet I feel so comfortable and excited to continue the process,” said Victoria Gardner, a junior music education major who is Parker’s understudy. “It is great to see all of the collaboration within the performing arts program.”

For Georgia Geren, a senior music performance major who is understudying for a pair of characters, that sense of community has been a consistent part of her time on campus.

“It has been so special for me to be a part of multiple UA Little Rock productions because it creates a great environment and a sense of community, allowing me to learn so much and get to know so many people,” Geren said.

As she prepares to graduate, Emma Bertram – a journalism major with a minor in theatre who plays one of Evan’s classmates, Alana Beck –shares Geren’s appreciation for the people who have made her time in the program meaningful.

“The UA Little Rock theatre staff has changed my life for the better through each show they’ve allowed me to take part in, and I couldn’t be more grateful for their positive impact,” Bertram said. “The real magic happens in rehearsals, where I’m surrounded by people I will miss once I graduate.”

As Geren and Bertram prepare to leave the program with memories they’ll carry beyond graduation, Wallace, an alumna, has returned to reconnect with the place her theatre journey started, as she plays Evan’s mother, Heidi.

“Returning to where my journey began feels surreal,” she said. “From the very first rehearsal, a wave of memories came rushing back. Above all, I am thrilled to collaborate with and learn from the students, while sharing the insights I have gathered from performing over the past 23 years since I graduated.”

A theatre arts graduate, Wallace has performed in more than 50 plays, including productions with Wildwood Park, Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Argenta Contemporary Theatre, and the Arkansas Arts Center.

For her, the university has been part of her family’s story for generations. Wallace followed in her mother’s footsteps by attending UA Little Rock, and while performing on the Haislip Theatre stage, she met her future husband, a student in the audience who later returned to campus as a professor. Now, their son continues the family’s Trojan tradition as a Donaghey Scholar.

For the students and alumni sharing the stage, “Dear Evan Hansen” – which features music and lyrics by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul, with a book by Steven Levenson – is more than a chance to perform. It is an opportunity to learn from one another, take on challenging roles, discover new things about themselves as performers and people, and build relationships across generations of the theatre program. As the cast works together to tell a story about growing up, finding connection, and figuring out who you are, they are building a community of their own.