Ryan Kopel (born 17 July 1997) is a Scottish actor and singer. He is known for his roles in various West End and off-West End plays and musicals, as well as the titular role in Dear Evan Hansen.[2]
Early life
Kopel was born in 1997 to Scott and Jacqueline Kopel in Kirriemuir, Scotland. He is the grandson of footballer Frank Kopel. Kopel grew up enjoying theatre, performing with his local youth theatre group at the Kirriemuir Town Hall. At the age of 13, he decided to train to pursue a career in stage and screen acting, attending the vocational Dance School of Scotland, in Glasgow. Kopel then moved to London to study at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, where he graduated in 2018 with a BA in Musical Theatre.[3]
In 2018, Kopel won the 'Young Scottish Musical Theatre Performer of the Year' award.[3][4]
Kopel is represented by the Curtis Brown Group.[5]
Career
Kopel (left) at the curtain call of Newsies in July 2023.
Kopel made his West End debut in 2018 in the Young Vic, where he performed in The Inheritance, a seven-hour long play about the AIDS crisis directed by Stephen Daldry.[10] Kopel continued on the West End, joining the ensemble cast of The Book of Mormon in 2020.[11] In the same year, Kopel performed in the radio-play BLUFF, written and produced by Matt Cavendish and Ed Zanders.[12]
Kopel made his television debut in 2021 on the British medical drama Casualty, where he guest starred at Frank Polt. He then appeared in the 2022 British mini-series Wedding Season. Kopel returned to theatre in 2022 in Disney's musical Newsies, where he took on the role of Davey.[13][14]
Kopel was announced to play the lead role of Evan Hansen in the UK touring production of Dear Evan Hansen, which opened for previews on 9 September 2024 at the Nottingham Playhouse.[18] The production officially premiered on 17 September to reviews praising Kopel's performance, including from The Times and The Guardian.[19][20][21]
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