Sam Primack Discusses Dear Evan Hansen, Fun Facts, and Advice For Aspiring Performers

(Photo: Calla Kessler)

by Jenna Clark

Follow on Instagram @jennaelizclark

I am thrilled to introduce you to the wonderful Sam Primack. Sam was part of Dear Evan Hansen for a couple of years while the show toured around the country. He most recently portrayed the role of Evan Hansen at the Music Box Theatre ahead of the show’s close on September 18

Sam joined the Dear Evan Hansen family while still in high school and has grown up with the show, which has provided him with a plethora of core memories and experiences. 

Sam is a wonderful performer and great person, and I am honored he took the time to chat with us for OnStage Blog. 

How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a performer? 

My grandmother took me to see a show at a local theatre when I was four years old, and I remember vividly that feeling of watching it. There were kids my age that were performing in the show, and when it ended I told my parents that I wanted to audition for the next one. Neither of my parents have anything to do with the entertainment industry so after some convincing, they let me audition for a show at our local JCC, and I got in! After that, I immediately fell in love, and I’ve really been doing it ever since. 

Who are people that inspire you? 

Growing up I was really inspired by two groups of people. On a local and community level, the artistic directors in Arizona, where I am from, really pushed me to become who I wanted to be. People like Bobb Cooper, Kenny Grossman, Micheal Barnard, and others continued to raise the bar for me and give me opportunities to grow. From a professional level, people like Brian D’arcy James, Raul Esparza, Norbert Leo Butz, and Steven Pasquale inspire me too. These musical theatre powerhouses, who continue to give incredible and honest performances while also singing their faces off, gave me an outlet to see what was possible with a life in the theatre. 

Do you remember the moment you found out you booked ‘Dear Evan Hansen’? Where were you? How were you feeling?

I remember for some reason, my mom was picking me up from high school that day, and I remember when she pulled up I noticed that she was recording. It looked like she had been crying and when I got in the car she told me right away and we both just cried together. For both of us it was such a sigh of relief because we had been going back-and-forth for auditions and callbacks for almost 2 years at that point, so it was just more of a celebration than anything. 

Do you have a favorite number from the show?

My favorite number has to be For Forever, which is Evan‘s second big song in the show. To me, it represents everything that Evan’s journey is. He makes continued mistakes by lying and making up the story, but at the same time you really start to understand how badly he wants to connect with someone, and how something as simple as a day with his friend is truly a perfect day for him. 

What was it like getting to close out such an iconic show?

It was truly amazing and overwhelming. My run back in New York was really the culmination of the three-and-a-half years I was with the show. The whole experience was so full circle, and filled with hard work, patience, and so much love from everyone involved. So many friends and family got to see the show and got to understand why I have had this dream since I was four years old. The fans of the show came back in those last few weeks with prior experiences seeing the show, and for many of them they have personal experiences in their own life that the show really connects to. Their love of the show kept us strong through those last weeks and I am so grateful for that. 

What have you learned about yourself from working on the show and/or portraying the role of Evan Hansen?

One of my favorite parts about the show is the fact that every single character in the show is flawed in some way or another. Evan is a deeply flawed person who makes mistakes, and in the end has to deal with the damage he has done. Even the characters of Jared and Alana have troubles and insecurities that you begin to learn as the show goes on, and prior judgments of them start to go away. For me, the biggest thing I learned is that it is ok to make mistakes. We are all human, and with that there needs to be an understanding that everyone is trying to do their best in the world and without forgiveness and love no one can truly move forward. 

Are there any fun facts you could share with us about the show, your character, or the set?

I find that most people are surprised with the fact that Evans' cast is put on and sawed off for real every single show. At 30 minutes to the top, our amazing hair and wardrobe supervisors come in and put on a real cast. At intermission, she comes in with a saw and in about five more minutes it’s taken off. There are probably hundreds of sweaty casts filled with tears somewhere in a box. 

What was your experience like being a part of the Broadway family? 

I started my journey with the show at 17 years old, as an understudy for Evan, Jared, and Connor in the Broadway Company. The cast took me in and treated me like family from the first day that I was there. I was so nervous moving to New York from Arizona by myself and they could not have been more welcoming. I had my senior prom in the dressing room, we would play games for hours and laugh, while also helping me with my homework and anything else that I needed. It gave me immediate friends and family in the city, so coming back to so many of them as an older and stronger person was such a dream. I grew so much in the three years I was away from the Music Box and I was so happy to be able to bring so much more of myself to the role and the theatre. 

Do you have any memorable fan moments / what has the fan reaction been like to your character and/or the show?

The fans of the show are always so giving and loving. I have had some amazing interactions with people at stage doors in New York and all around the country. We were able to go to some places on tour that really needed to hear the show’s message, and because of that the response was always amazing. I feel lucky to have been a part of the show from when I was in high school, and I think people really resonated with the fact that I was so young, and I know what it’s like to grow up in this age of social media where everyone feels disconnected. I remember being in high school and listening to the show over and over again, because I was such a big fan of it. To be on the receiving end is wonderful and surprising, but I know that their love of it is so special because I have that love for it. 

What advice do you have for aspiring performers?

It’s funny that this is the advice I usually give because I didn’t end up going to college, but whether it is a formal education or classes on the side, I always feel like it is so important to keep learning and training. Throughout my whole time with Evan Hansen, I was taking classes on the side and voice lessons and anything I could grab my hands on to make sure that my mind was always learning and growing. That is what keeps me motivated when times are tough, there is never going to be a time where anything is perfect so continuing to learn makes you so much stronger as a person. 

What is your dream role? 

Hmmm there are so many. There’s a couple that I have wanted to play for as long as I can remember, Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin and Pippin, I'd love to do Burrs in The Wild Party one day. One day I’d also love to be George in Sunday in the Park. But my true dream role is one that I don’t know of yet, hopefully in something new and original. 

What is next for you? 

I’m not sure yet! For the first time since I started doing DEH, it’s my first real opportunity to get out there and start auditioning. A real part of this industry that people don’t talk about much is how much time there is in between jobs. It could be two weeks until I am on a stage like that again, it could be two years, it could never happen again. I’d love to start doing some Film and TV work too. But after my run in New York, the fire is lit within me to try to be a part of something as magical as this has been, and I won’t stop until I find it.