Mallory Bechtel Explained

Mallory Bechtel
Birth Date:26 November 1999
Birth Place:The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.
Nationality:American
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2008–present
Known For:Dear Evan Hansen

Mallory Bechtel (born November 26, 1999) is an American musical theatre actress based in New York City.[1] She has performed as lead and understudy in several musicals including the Tony Award-winning musical, Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway.[2] She has also appeared in multiple television shows and films. In 2022, she starred as twins Karen and Kelly Beasley on the Max series .

Bechtel was nominated at Broadway.com Audience Awards in 2019 for her role as Zoe Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen.[3]

Biography

Bechtel was born in 1999, in The Woodlands, Texas, a suburb of Houston.[4] She spent her early years in The Woodlands where she attended and graduated from The John Cooper School.[5] Bechtel had plans to study at New York University Tisch School of the Arts after high school graduation but her plans were deferred when she was cast as Zoe Murphy in the musical Dear Evan Hansen in 2018.[2]

Bechtel started acting at the age of eight. She appeared for the first time on the professional stage in 2008 when she was cast as Susan Waverly for Theatre Under the Stars production of White Christmas.[6] In 2015, at the age of 15, Bechtel auditioned for the role of Zoe Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen, but was originally denied the part.[7] Two years later, in August 2017, Bechtel was offered a vacation standby role for original Dear Evan Hansen cast member, Laura Dreyfuss.[8] [7] Bechtel never performed as Zoe during this time. However, in July 2018, she took over the role of Zoe Murphy full-time and was on stage at The Music Box Theatre for a year until July 2019.[9] [7] Gabrielle Carrubba took over the role of Zoe after Bechtel's departure from the show.[10]

Apart from performing on stage, Bechtel has appeared in various shows and films. In 2018, Bechtel appeared on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The same year she was cast in Ari Aster's supernatural horror film, Hereditary.[11] In 2020, Bechtel appeared in on CBS. Her cover of "Requiem" from Dear Evan Hansen garnered over 6.5 million views on YouTube and gained her a social audience of over sixty thousand followers on YouTube and Instagram collectively.[12] Bechtel was scheduled to play Kim MacAfee in Bye Bye Birdie at the Kennedy Center in 2020,[13] [14] but the production was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[15] [16]

Filmography

Theatre

YearProductionRoleNotes
2017EvaTheatre Under The Stars (Houston)
2018RentJoanneTheatre Under The Stars (Houston)
2018–2019Dear Evan HansenZoe MurphyBroadway

Film

YearTitleRoleNote(s)
2018HereditaryBridget
2021Know FearJami
TBAMerrily We Roll AlongFilming

Television

YearTitleRoleNote(s)
2018Haley SadlerEpisode: "Send in the Clowns"
2020Leanne ManningEpisode: "Prophet"
2022-Kelly Beasley (season 1-present) and Karen Beasley (season 1)Main cast; dual character[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 10 things we learned about 'Dear Evan Hansen' star Mallory Bechtel . Giannotta. Meghan. 7 June 2019. amny.com. AM New York Metro. June 29, 2020 .
  2. Web site: Mallory Bechtel on Joining Dear Evan Hansen's Newish Cast and How Her YouTube Page Led to Broadway. King. Eric. 5 October 2018. broadway.com. Broadway.com. June 29, 2020 .
  3. Web site: 'Be More Chill', 'Pretty Woman' Top Broadway's Audience Choice Awards. Evans. Greg. 16 May 2019. deadline.com. Deadline Hollywood. June 29, 2020 .
  4. Web site: Mallory Bechtel on Broadway. Hughes. Howard. 17 September 2018. thewoodlands.com. The Woodlands. June 29, 2020 .
  5. Web site: Woodlands student nominated for Tommy Tune Awards. Schafler. Kelly. 10 April 2017. chron.com. Houston Chronicle. June 29, 2020 .
  6. Web site: Snow Tune: Irving Berlin's White Christmas Begins Houston Run Dec. 4. Hetrick. Adam. 4 December 2008. playbill.com. Playbill. June 29, 2020 .
  7. Web site: Mallory Bechtel and Lisa Brescia Meet Evan Hansen. Gordon. David. 24 August 2018. theatermania.com. Theater Mania. June 29, 2020 .
  8. Web site: Broadway Replacement Stars That Left Us Stunned: Dear Evan Hansen Heartbreaker Mallory Bechtel. Anderson. Jenny. 29 November 2018. broadwayworld.com. BroadwayWorld. June 29, 2020 .
  9. Web site: Review: 'Dear Evan Hansen,' With a Real Teenage Evan. Green. Jesse. 23 May 2019. The New York Times. June 29, 2020 .
  10. Web site: Gabrielle Carrubba Takes Over as Zoe Murphy in Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen Starting July 30. Gans. Andrew. 30 July 2019. playbill.com. Playbill. June 29, 2020 .
  11. Web site: Ari Aster wrote and directed this glossy horror film. Gronvall. Andrea. 1 July 2018. chicagoreader.com. Chicago Reader. June 29, 2020 .
  12. Web site: The recent high school graduate plays Zoe Murphy in the Broadway production of the Tony-winning musical. Gans. Andrew. 24 August 2018. playbill.com. Playbill. June 29, 2020 .
  13. Web site: Put on a Happy Face! James Van Der Beek, Carly Hughes & More to Lead Bye Bye Birdie at the Kennedy Center. Lefkowitz. Andy. 5 March 2020. broadway.com. Broadway.com. June 29, 2020 .
  14. Web site: Mallory Bechtel (Dear Evan Hansen) will take on the role of Kim MacAfee. Quinn. Dave. 5 March 2020. people.com. People. June 29, 2020 .
  15. Web site: Lefkowitz . Andy . Kennedy Center Cancels All Performances Through May 10, Including Starry Bye Bye Birdie . Broadway.com . 15 May 2022 . 17 March 2020.
  16. Web site: Broadway Center Stage: Bye Bye Birdie . kennedy-center.org . 15 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220515032927/https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/theater/2019-2020/bcs-bye-bye-birdie/ . 15 May 2022 . live.
  17. Web site: 'Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin' Adds Alex Aiono, Mallory Bechtel & Eric Johnson As Series Regulars For HBO Max Reboot. Deadline Hollywood. Alexandra. Del Rosario. August 31, 2021. August 31, 2021.
  18. Web site: Fan-Picked 2019 Broadway.com Audience Choice Award Nominations Announced; Be More Chill Leads With 12. Wontorek . Paul. 7 May 2019. broadwayworld.com. BroadwayWorld. June 29, 2020 .