Dear Evan Hansen

Musical dates
Title:	Dear Evan Hansen
Original language:	English
Music:	Benj Pasek Justin Paul
Book:	Steven Levenson
Lyrics:	Benj Pasek Justin Paul
Premiere:	July 9, 2015
Place of premiere:	Washington, DC
Playing time:	2 h 20 min

Dear Evan Hansen is a musical by the duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul with the libretto by Steven Levenson. It describes the experiences of Evan Hansen after the death of a classmate. Dear Evan Hansen was awarded 6 Tonys in 2017. Among other things for “Best Musical” and for “Best Actor in a Musical” Ben Platt . The album recording of the musical received a Grammy Award in 2018 .

The premiere at the Arena Stage Theater in Washington, DC in July 2015 was followed by an off-Broadway production from March to May 2016 . Dear Evan Hansen premiered at the Music Box Theater on Broadway in December 2016 .

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1st act

Evan Hansen is a teenager who suffers from social anxieties that make it difficult for him to make friends. His therapist recommends that he write himself letters containing what is good each day. Before the first day of his senior year, his mother, Heidi, suggests that Evan make new friends by asking people to sign on the plaster cast he wears on his arm that he broke when he fell from a tree. At the other end of town, the wealthy Murphy family, Cynthia, Larry and their children Zoe and Connor are sitting at breakfast at the same time. Zoe and Larry accuse Connor of being high before he goes to school, while Cynthia grapples with the fact that their family is about to break up. Both mothers ask themselves at the same time how they can establish a connection with their sons (“Anybody have a map?”).

At school, Evan meets Alana, an intelligent classmate, and Jared, the son of a family friend. For Evan, Jared is the closest thing to a real friend. Both Alana and Jared notice Evan's broken arm, but neither of them signs on his cast. Instead, Jared annoys Evan about it. Jared and Evan meet Connor Murphy, whom Jared makes fun of. For his part, Connor interprets Evans' embarrassed behavior as if he was making fun of him too, which leads him to bump into Evan. Connor's sister Zoe, with whom Evan is deeply in love, feels obliged to apologize for her brother's behavior. Evan wonders if it's his fate - to be ignored and an outsider, and never to have the girl of his dreams for the rest of his life; “On the outside always looking in” (“Waving Through A Window”).

Evan writes another letter to himself. He writes that he gave up having a good year and he wonders if anyone would notice if he wasn't around. He realizes that all his hope is in Zoe. While he is printing the letter in the school's computer lab, he meets Connor again, who asks him what happened to his arm and offers to sign on his cast. Evan wonders if they can both say they are friends now. After Connor has signed on Evans cast, he reads Evan's letter (which he took out of the printer before Evan). Connor gets angry because he thinks that Evan mentioned Zoe in the letter and he wanted Connor to read the letter first to make fun of him. Connor storms out and takes the letter with him.

A few days pass without a sign of life from Connor. Evan is very afraid of what Connor could have done with the letter and tells Jared online about his job of writing letters to himself and that he is concerned about what Connor could have done with the letter. Jared notices that he always thought Connor was crazy. Later that day, Evan is called to the director's office. Connor's parents are already waiting for him there. They tell Evan that Connor committed suicide a few days ago and that Evans' letter was in his pocket. Convinced that it is Connor's farewell letter to Evan, they ask if the two were close. Connor himself never mentioned having friends. Since Evan is not ready to increase their grief and he is not sure what to do, he agrees to come to their home and talk to them about Connor. After seeing Cynthia's desperation over the loss of her son, Evan panics and, instead of telling the truth, starts making up a complicated story about his and Connor's friendship. He claims he and Connor had a secret email correspondence. One of these made-up emails contains that he was with Connor on the day he broke his arm ("For Forever").

Heidi later reminds Evan that he has to apply for a scholarship. She mentions Connor's death, but Evan tells her not to worry and that he didn't even know Connor. But when Heidi sees that Connor has signed on Evans cast, she confronts him with it. But Evan lies and says that this is another Connor.

After realizing that he needs evidence of his alleged "secret email account," Evan asks Jared for help. He is supposed to support him in creating fake, backdated e-mail conversations between him and Connor ("Sincerely, Me"). After Evan shows Connor's "emails" to the Murphy family, Cynthia is thrilled that her son had a boyfriend. Larry, Connor's father, however, is hurt that Connor had apparently taken his family and his privileged life for granted. Zoe, who has alienated herself from him through Connor's aggressive behavior, claims that she does not miss him and refuses to mourn him at all ("Requiem").

However, after Zoe reads the suicide note, she supposedly learns that she is mentioned in it. She asks Evan why Connor wrote that about her. Evan, unable to tell her the truth, lists all the reasons why Connor loved his sister. In truth, however, he is listing why he loves Zoe. Connor appears while Evan tells it ("If I Could Tell Her"). Evan, overwhelmed by the emotions, impulsively kisses Zoe. However, she shrinks back and asks him to go. At school, Evan notices that people are starting to forget Connor. Spurred on by a vision of Connor, Evan supports Alana and Jared in founding "The Connor Project" - an organization that works to preserve Connor's memory. The three present the idea to the Murphys, who agree to support the project (“Disappear”). Moved by his devotion, Cynthia gives Evan a tie that she kept for Connor, but which he never wore himself. She asks Evan to wear these when he speaks at Connor's memorial service. Reluctantly, he accepts it. At the official start of "The Connor Project" Evan gives an inspiring speech about his loneliness and the friendship with Connor, which goes online afterwards. Zoe, overwhelmed by what her brother and Evan had in common, kisses him ("You will be found").

2nd act

Evan and Alana present a fundraising idea on the Connor project website. In memory of Connor, they want to collect $ 50,000 in three weeks to reopen the abandoned apple orchard where Evan and Connor allegedly spent time together. However, Evan, preoccupied with his new relationship with Zoe and his new family, the Murphys, begins to neglect his mother, Jared, and the Connor project. Heidi tells Evan that she saw the video of his speech on Facebook and asks him why he didn't tell her about the Connor project or his and Connor's friendship. Evan, visibly annoyed, replies that he has no time and that she's never there anyway. Overwhelmed by emotion, he rushes to the Murphys and lies to his mother that he will go to Jared. Arriving at the Murphys, Evan talks to Larry Murphy and confides in him that his father left him when he was little, is remarried and has no contact with him or his mother ("To break in a glove") . Some time later, at Evans' house, Evan makes a casual comment to Zoe that he and his mother don't have a lot of money and that he needs a scholarship to go to college. When he starts to mention Connor, Zoe tells him that their relationship is not about Connor, but about both of them. ("Only Us"). Evan gets into an argument with Jared, who claims Connor's death is the best thing that ever happened to Evan. He is finally no longer invisible and has also got the girl of his dreams. Later Evan goes to the Murphys and learns that they have invited Heidi to dinner. Heidi, who has no idea Evan spent time with the Murphys, is embarrassed when Larry and Cynthia offer to use the money they have set aside for Connor's college fund to send Evan to school instead.

After they get back home, Heidi and Evan argue that Evan kept all this a secret. Heidi is furious about this and tells Evan that the Murphys are not his family. Evan admits that, given Heidi's absence and expectations of Evans sanity, the Murphys not only accept him, but also feel welcome. With tears and disappointment, Heidi insults him for repeatedly going to his supposedly new family.

Meanwhile, Alana begins to discover inconsistencies in the fake emails that Evan "received" from Connor. She suspects the whole story is a lie. Evan panics over this and urges Jared to help him correct the inconsistencies. Jared refuses because Evan has not been in touch for a long time. Evan replies that Jared only needed him as a friend if he wanted something from him. Jared threatens to expose Evan and Evan warns him that he should be clear about his own role in this matter in return. All three unite in Evan's thoughts and the doubts and the guilt in him become stronger and stronger ("Good for you").

Evan decides he has to clean the table. However, the imaginary Connor tries to talk him out of it. He talks about the luck the Murphys found out through him and about Evan's relationship with Zoe. Evan, however, is sure and yells at Connor that the whole thing has to be ended. Connor is not convinced of this and he asks Evan how he broke his arm: Did he fall by chance or did he actually let go? Evan denies this intention, but Connor tells him that if he tells the truth, everything he has is over and the only thing he has left is himself. Connor then disappears and leaves Evan alone.

Evan goes to Alana to apologize, but she says she won't help Evan with the Connor Project anymore. She doubts the truth of Evans' repeated statements that he was Connor's best friend since they were never seen together, and she says it's easy to create fake backdated emails. Desperate, Evan replies that he has evidence that they were friends. He shows her the letter he wrote to himself, in which he gave up hope of having a good year himself. He claims it's Connor's suicide note. Realizing that the letter is key to fulfilling the fundraising goal, Alana publishes this letter, much to Evan's annoyance. So it goes online and is read and passed on by many. As a direct consequence, everyone now believes that Connor's suicide was due to his indifferent parents. Desperate, Evan makes his way to the Murphys, who have since become the target of hateful comments as everyone believes they are responsible for Connor's death. He meets all three and wrestles with them about why Connor really killed himself. Evan finally admits that he invented friendship with Connor. He would have done so in the hope that the tragedy would create a real connection between himself and the Murphys. Zoe and her mother run out crying and Larry turns away from Evan in disgust. Once again Evan internalizes his newly perceived inner brokenness (Words Fail ").

At home, Evan meets his mother Heidi, who is already waiting for him. She saw the letter posted online and immediately knew it was one of Evan's therapy assignments. She apologizes for not realizing how badly Evan was hurt. Evan denies that she was to blame for his deception. He then reluctantly admits that his fall from the tree was itself an attempted suicide. Heidi sits down next to him and remembers the day his father moved out: How she felt so small and lonely and didn't know herself how she would make it on her own. In the end, however, she found that she wasn't alone - she had Evan and knew that the two could get through anything as long as they were together. In tears, Heidi promises that she will always be there for him when he needs her ("So Big / So Small").

A year has passed. Evan still lives at home and works at the Pottery Barn to make enough money to go to college the next semester. He makes contact with Zoe, whom he himself has not seen since his confession to the Murphys. He asks if she would like to meet him. She agrees, but insists that they meet in the orchard that was reopened in memory of Connor. He apologizes for the pain he caused her family and admits that he has now read Connor's ten favorite books. He found a list of books in an old yearbook, and did so to feel connected to the real Connor and to understand who he really was. He thanks her and her parents for keeping his secret to themselves and not telling anyone about the fictional friendship with Connor. Zoe forgives him, saying that this whole ordeal has brought her family closer together over the past year because "everyone has needed it for something". Evan asks her why she insisted on meeting in the orchard, and she replies that she wanted to be sure that Evan saw that garden too. The two share an intimate moment before they part, embarrassed.

Evan himself mentally writes a final letter in which he reflects on the effects of his actions on society and then finally accepts himself for what he is ("Finale").

Background and development

Dear Evan Hansen received a New Play Award from the Edgerton Foundation . The plot of the musical goes back to events from Pasek's school days. The musical is about Evan Hansen, who invents a central role for himself in a real tragedy and thus unjustifiably moves into the center of the action.

Productions

Dear Evan Hansen premiered at Arena Stage in Washington, DC, where the production ran from July 10 through August 23, 2015. Directed by Michael Greif ( Rent ), the orchestration was done by Alex Lacamoire ( Hamilton ), the set was designed by David Korins and the projections were produced by Peter Nigrini . The title role was played by Ben Platt , with Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Mike Faist (Connor Murphy), Rachel Bay Jones (Heidi Hansen), Will Roland (Jared Kleinman) and Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy) in the cast.

The previews for an off-Broadway production were shown at the Second Stage Theater on March 26, 2016 , and this production will premiere on May 1. New to the cast were John Dossett (Larry Murphy) and Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana Beck). The direction was again directed by Michael Greif, the choreography developed by Danny Mefford. Production ended on May 29 of the same year.

Previews for the Broadway production began on November 14, 2016 and premiered on December 4. Initially, the Belasco Theater was planned as the venue, but in mid-September the producers announced that Dear Evan Hansen would be performed at the Music Box Theater instead . Michael Park, who was already part of the cast of the Arena Stage production, took on the role of Larry Murphy again; Dossett had meanwhile been signed for War Paint . All other actors in the off-Broadway production continued their engagement.

Chart positions Explanation of the data

Albums

Dear Evan Hansen   US 8th  gold 02/25/2017 (23 weeks)

Publications

In 2019 Ransom Books will publish the book on the musical.

• Dear Evan Hansen from Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

Financial success

The official Broadway cast album debuted at number 8 on the US album charts in its first week. It was only the fourth Broadway cast album that reached the "Top Ten" of the US album charts in the past 50 years. in Great Britain the album was awarded a silver record .

Web links

• Official website
• Dear Evan Hansen at the Lortel Archives Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Dear Evan Hansen on the Internet Broadway Database

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Charles Isherwood: Review: 'Dear Evan Hansen' Puts a Twist on Teenage Fear . In: The New York Times . May 1, 2016.
2. ↑ Dear Evan Hansen . Archived from the original on August 18, 2015. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved August 22, 2015. 
3. ^ Peter Marks: Dear Evan Hansen: Original story, high hopes for Benj Pasek and Justin Paul . In: The Washington Post . July 10, 2015.
4. ^ Gioia, Michael: Pasek and Paul's Dear Evan Hansen, About the High School Struggle to Fit In, Premieres in DC . In: Playbill . July 30, 2015.
5. ↑ Olivia Clement: Ben Platt to Star in NY Premiere of New Musical 'Dear Evan Hansen' . In: Playbill . February 2, 2016.
6. ^ Gordon Cox: Buzzy Musical 'Dear Evan Hansen' Sets New York Run . August 13, 2015.
7. ^ Gioia, Michael: Following Its DC Run, Pasek and Paul's Dear Evan Hansen Will Transfer to New York . In: Playbill . August 13, 2015.
8. ↑ Olivia Clement: Pasek and Paul's 'Dear Evan Hansen' Bows in New York . In: Playbill . March 26, 2016.
9. ↑ Olivia Clement: Dear Evan Hansen Opens on Broadway December 4th In: Playbill. December 4, 2016, accessed March 25, 2017 . 
10. ↑ Viagas, Robert. "'Dear Evan Hansen' Announces Broadway Theater, Date and Cast" Playbill, June 7, 2016
11. ↑ Gordon, David. "Ben Platt-Led 'Dear Evan Hansen' Finds a New Broadway Home" theatermania.com, September 12, 2016
12. ↑ Clement, Olivia. "'Dear Evan Hansen to Premiere Music Video at Exact Same Time as Tonight's Live Broadway Performance" Playbill, November 14, 2016
13. ↑ Dear Evan Hansen in the US album charts (Billboard)
14. ↑ Music Sales Awards: US UK