Dear Evan Hansen Tony Winners Benj Pasek & Justin Paul: 'This Is the Best Feeling in the World'

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have nabbed their first Tony Award! The La La Land Oscar winners garnered the award for Best Score for Dear Evan Hansen. The win was announced at the Tonys ceremony on June 11 at Radio City Music Hall. The other nominees in the Best Score category were David Hein and Irene Sankoff for Come From Away, Dave Malloy for Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 and Tim Minchin for Groundhog Day. Dear Evan Hansen is playing at the Music Box Theatre.

In their acceptance speech, the pair paid tribute to their full company and leading man. "To our entire cast, your raw, visceral performances are the most incredible thing, Ben Platt, Ben Platt, Ben Platt, you have given us the most incredible journey of a lifetime." Their giddyness continued into the Tonys press room. “This is the best feeling in the world!”

Pasek and Paul also garnered Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards for their songwriting work on Dear Evan Hansen, including the Favorite New Song award for "Waving Through a Window." The songwriting duo shared their first Oscar win with La La Land composer Justin Hurwitz back in February; they also earned the Golden Globe in January when "City of Stars" won Best Original Song.



Their musical Dogfight premiered at the Second Stage Theatre in 2012 and garnered the Lortel Award for Best New Musical. Their other stage works include James and the Giant Peach, Edges and A Christmas Story; the pair will lend their musical talents to Fox's forthcoming live musical television event of A Christmas Story. On screen, their music has additionally been featured in Smash, Sesame Street and Johnny and the Sprites. Pasek and Paul are also working on Hugh Jackman's movie musical The Greatest Showman.

Congrats to Pasek and Paul on their first Tony win! Get to know them as they sit down at the piano with Broadway.com below.