The New ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Star on His Jewish Asian Identity
Zachary Noah Piser’s childhood rabbi flew in for his Broadway debut
June 24, 2022
Zachary Noah Piser in 'Dear Evan Hansen'Courtesy Dear Evan Hansen
This week on Unorthodox, we talk to Zachary Noah Piser, the new star of Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen. (He’ll be the final actor to play the role of Evan Hansen on Broadway, since the show is ending its run this fall.)
Piser is Jewish and Asian—or, as he puts it, “Jasian.” He describes growing up in “a very intersectional, multicultural household” in the San Francisco Bay Area, going to Hebrew school during the week and Chinese school on weekends.
Rabbi Mark Bloom of Temple Beth Abraham in Oakland, California, who performed Piser’s bar mitzvah, traveled to New York for his 2016 Broadway debut in Wicked—and will be in New York again soon to see Dear Evan Hansen.
Listen to the interview with Zachary Noah Piser:
‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Star Zachary Noah Piser on his Jewish Asian Identity
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‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Star Zachary Noah Piser on his Jewish Asian Identity
Listen to the full episode:
Unorthodox
Stage Hand
Ep. 322: The new Jewish star of Broadway’s ‘Dear Evan Hansen,’ plus how the Krakow JCC is helping Ukrainian refugees, talking to LGBTQ Jews, and more
June 23, 2022
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