London is in for a great treat this summer as it has just been announced that Tony Award winner Ben Platt will be making his London theatre debut in Midnight at The Never Get. The musical with book, music, and lyrics by Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner Mark Sonnenblick is set in New York City of 1965, when Trevor Copeland and Arthur Brightman’s queer romance is illegal. The two get to act out their love in a secret nightclub act.

Platt told Queerguru, “I’m thrilled to be undertaking my first full run on the London stage at the Menier as it transforms into the nightclub setting of The Never Get. It’s truly wonderful to work with Mark, who is not only a genius songwriter, but who has also become a true friend. It’s a very special piece, my first wholly original musical since Dear Evan Hansen, and we look forward to working with the generationally talented David Cromer to create this singular experience.”

One of the Producers is Mark Cortale, who, over the years, had been thrilling Provincetown Mass,  summer audiences with a bevy of A-List stars such as Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Sutton Foster, Jessie Mueller, Christine Ebersole, and Megan Mullally, etc.   Hence, ‘Midnight’s interesting journey so far started out with a developmental run in PTown in 2017, and at the New York Musical Festival before making an Off-Broadway bow via York Theater in 2018. Then COVID changed its plans.

Platt is somewhat of a child prodigy, having started as a Von Trapp kid in The Sound of Music which would eventially lead up to his staring in Dear Evan Hansen whichr earned him multiple accolades, including the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (making him the youngest solo recipient of the award at the time), a Daytime Emmy, and a Grammy Award.  He reprised the role of Evan Hansen in the 2021 film adaptation of the musical, produced by his father.  His portrayal of Leo Frank in the 2023 Broadway revival of Parade earned him nominations for a Tony and a Grammy.

The production comes to the Menier Chocolate Factory for a strictly limited season in July in a brand-new production for its U.K. premiere, directed by Drama Desk and Tony Award-winner David Cromer (The Band’s Visit).  Here’s a wee taster of what to expect :