REVIEW: Dear Evan Hansen

Dear Evan Hansen has all the components of a smash hit, evidenced by its relentless success, nine Tony nominations, and six wins–including Best Musical. The story is compelling; the music is undeniable. It tells the tale of an anxious high schooler trying to make his way in the world by being invisible. But then he finds himself trapped in a spiraling lie. The lie brings him notoriety and a sense of belonging, which makes escape all the more difficult.  Things get worse before they get better.  Drama ensues.

As you would imagine for an award-hogging musical, it features too many memorable, sing-in-your-car melodies to name, but my favorite has been “For Forever” for, like, forever… so yeah.  But in all seriousness, it addresses through music so many important themes that have drawn increasing relevance and attention.  Like Next to Normal, it addresses issues of mental illness, grief, and belonging in ways that connect deeply with audiences through incredible music.  In addition to the Tonys, it also received a boatload of other awards including a Grammy, a Daytime Emmy, and awards from Drama Desk, Obie, Drama League, the Edgerton Foundation, and more.

Lastly, the touring production of Dear Evan Hansen features an outstanding cast. The role of Evan Hansen is played by two actors (Ben Levi Ross and Stephen Christopher Anthony) due to the demanding nature of the role.  Anthony took stage Wednesday night and I thought he did a wonderful job of portraying the character that has worked his way into so many hearts.  This is a must-see show.