David Jeffery returned to the stage as Connor Murphy in the Broadway Musical Dear Evan Hansen, a role he has filled since February 2020.--Photo courtesy Dear Evan Hansen, Broadway production
kking@medicinehatnews.com
Shortly after his Broadway debut in February 2020, the production which Hatter David Jeffery was starring in shut down as a result of the pandemic. Now, nearly two years later, Jeffery has returned to Broadway and is as grateful as ever to be living a life he had once only dreamed of.
Jeffery, who stars as Connor Murphy in the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen, has been involved in theatre since he was seven or eight years old. While living in Medicine Hat, he acted in school plays as well as Medicine Hat Musical Theatre productions.
Jeffery didn’t intend to make a career out of theatre, however plans changed when, during a trip to New York City, he got his first taste of Broadway.
“I went to see the show Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway and I felt like one of the characters in the show was me,” Jeffery told the News. “I was so inspired by the character and the performance I saw, I thought ‘I’m just going to look up Dear Evan Hansen auditions.’ I Googled it and I found the email of the casting director and I just sent an email (which included) a video of myself singing.”
From there, Jeffrey’s journey to Broadway began. He was originally cast in the Toronto production of Dear Evan Hansen, then joined the national touring production. Shortly after, he was invited to join the cast of the New York-based production.
“It was the kind of thing I used to dream about happening … but I didn’t really ever see that kind of thing happening. Being from a small Canadian town, the idea – the dream – of Broadway seemed a little far fetched.”
Unfortunately, shortly after Jeffery debuted, the pandemic hit and Broadway went dark. For a brief time, Jeffery came home to Medicine Hat, not returning to the stage until December 2021, when Dear Even Hansen opened again.
“It was hard but now being back, the audiences are super happy to be back, too … so it’s been really rewarding in that sense,” Jeffery said, reflecting on the past two years.
As current cast members were all involved in the show pre-pandemic, Jeffery found it hasn’t been overly difficult to get back into performing.
He thanks his many supporters, especially those from Medicine Hat and Alberta.
“Besides my friends and family who have come to support me, I’ve had lots of people at the stage door … just randomly shout ‘Medicine Hat’ to get my attention, then I’ll be like ‘Oh, no way,’ and we’ll have a lovely chat,” said Jeffery. “I’m proud to be Canadian and I like seeing Canadian people come support the arts.”
Jeffery is thankful to the individuals from the Hat who inspired and supported him while he was developing as an actor.
“I am very proud to be from Medicine Hat and represent our theatre community on the world stage,” he said. “I did community theatre, not just because I loved it, but because I was surrounded by other talented people and it pushed me to become a better performer overall … Had I not done any of it, I probably would not have the skill set I have now, and if I didn’t have that skill set, I probably wouldn’t have gotten this (role).”
He also thanks the audiences who cheered for him and his cast mates.
“The audiences there have always been nothing but generous and kind to me and, I think that, in many ways, is what drove me to keep doing this before I was cast in any version of Dear Evan Hansen.”
Though unsure when, Jeffery plans to one day return to Medicine Hat.
“I cannot wait to come back someday,” he said. “I don’t know when it will be … but I will 100 per cent look forward to the day I can perform in Medicine Hat again.”
His parting words are those of encouragement to local young actors and actresses.
“If you’re inspired and you want to achieve your dreams, then there’s really no reason why location, geography, self-doubt should get in the way of that,” Jeffery said.
