"the new york times" writes that star ben platt is giving a performance not likely to be bettered onis season. it is nominated for nine tony awards, including best musical. here is a look. ♪ >> ♪ when you are falling in a forest and there's nobody around do you really crash or do even make a sound when you are following in a forest and there's nobody around do you really even crash or do you even make a sound? do i even make a sound? [indistinct lyrics] can anybody hear -- is anybody waving? waving? whoa whoa ♪ [cheering] charlie: joining me now, ben platt and the writer, nominated for best book of a musical. welcome. great to have you here. tell me about your character. who is evan hansen? ben: evan hansen is a lonely kid who has trouble connecting to other people. that is sort of heightened by the hyper connectivity of social media and with young people, everything they do online is being instantaneously judged and looked at. he really feels under deep scrutiny which pulls him deeper and deeper into himself and makes him retreat into more and he cannot find a place to belong and be

the "new york times" writes star ben platt is giving a performance not likely to be bettered on broadway this season. "dear evan hansen" is nominated for nine tony awards including best musical. and here is a look. >> you've fallen in a forest and there is nobody around. ♪ do you ever really crash or even make a sound. ♪ when you've fall nen a forest and there is nosh around. ♪ do you ever really crash or just make a sound. ♪ did i even make a sound. ♪ i did even make a sound. ♪ it's like i never made a sound. ♪ did you ever make a sound. ♪. >> on the outside always looking in. ♪ never be more better. ♪ i'm tap, tap, tapping on the glass. ♪ waiting for the window. ♪ trying to see but nobody can hear. ♪ so i wait around for an answer to appear. ♪ i'm walk, walk, walking. ♪ waiting through a window. ♪ can be anybody see. ♪ is anybody waiting. ♪ waiving back at me. ♪ is anybody waving. ♪ waving. ♪ whoa. (applause). >> rose: joining me is star ben platt who is nominated for best actor in a musical and writer steven levinson nominated for best book of a musical. i'm pleased to have them both

woah ♪ ♪ ben platt is nominated for best actor in a musical and the writer, stephen levinson, is nominated of a musical. i am pleased to have them at this table for the first time. tell me about your character. who is evan hansen? kid and a really lonely isolated and has a lot of trouble connecting to other people and that sort of heightened by the hyper connectivity of social media and the fact that with young people, especially everything online is being instant tale he judged and looked at so he feels under scrutiny and that is him deeper and deeper into himself and more.him retreat even he cannot find a place to belong and be heard and feel connected to anyone or anything. through this rather terrible lie he tells about a fake friendship with a kid in his class who committed suicide, he grows close to the grieving family and helps them heal in a way and find the new voice and confidence in a place to be in portland and to belong and find new confidence and come out of his shell although it is all predicated on this fabrication. charlie: is it also a critique on social media? ben: when

this after the lead ben platt begged and pleaded. ly tweeting "i will conjure her." not only did she watch the show, she came backstage, and that's when ben and the crew completely lost it. they tried to keep their cool but they posted the video by one of the cast members that says it all. it's appropriately caption "the aftermath." and it shows just how much the visit meant to the cast. in fact, once ben got his bearings back, he said this about bey. he said, "the alien -- i'm no longer living." he was so excited. his friends and family, they're all losing it on twitter. that's sweet. >> cool. >>> moving on, if you're like me and counting down the days to the season 2 premiere of "this is us" if you can't wait until september 26th you're in luck. the show posted a video of what they call three minutes of pure joy. here's mandy, milo, sterling, justin, chrissy, and chris with a first look at season 2. >> season 1 ended with a bit of a cliff-hanger. so season 2 sort of picks up the very next morning. >> beth and randall are contemplati

bey paying a royal visit to one of the hottest shows on broadway "dear evan hansen" surprising the ben platt. right? the singer even hanging out with the entire cast backstage making their night, stepping out for date night with husband jay-z, and getting a break from baby duty with the twins proving they're still crazy in love, got me looking so crazy in love. >> go, adrienne. go, adrienne. [ applause ] >> oh. oh, you did. >> but we got to sing for "pop news." singing for my supper. >>> and finally, it was a big night for "big little lies" as lara mentioned. the emmys, wow, the limited series taking home five trophies, now, the question remains will they be coming back for a second season? the cast and crew has been teasing the possibility for some time but their author liane moriarty speaking out saying, i'm thinking about it. it's a beautiful possibility. that's all i'll say. >> it's going to happen. >> it's going to happen. more cheating, more murder, more celebration. more wars. while she kept the door open reese witherspoon had a cheeky reminder for all the hopeful fans out there sayin