While its 2021 film adaptation was an absolute abomination, “Dear Evan Hansen” is one of my favorite musicals I have ever seen. I first saw the musical on Broadway in 2016 with my mom, again in 2018 with my father and most recently this past weekend with my girlfriend in Scranton. While the musical closed on Broadway in 2022, its most recent North American tour made its way through Scranton and did not disappoint.
“Dear Evan Hansen” follows a high school senior with social anxiety. After a classmate takes his own life, Evan Hansen, the titular teenager, fabricates a lie and says that he was best friends with this classmate, Connor Murphy, in an effort to gain acceptance and belonging among his peers. While the musical deals with sensitive subject matter, it navigates this tricky plot with thoughtfulness and precision, leading to a musical that explores grief, mental health issues and the search for connection.
First of all, the songs in “Dear Evan Hansen” are gorgeous and memorable. Written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the songwriters behind “La La Land” and “The Greatest Showman,” the soundtrack is filled with sweeping melodies and touching lyrics. The musical’s opening number, “Anybody Have a Map?” effectively and efficiently outlines the dynamics between Evan and his mother, as well as Connor Murphy and his family, all in two and a half minutes (talk about efficient writing). The next song, “Waving Through a Window,” is perhaps the song that “Dear Evan Hansen” is most known for, and for good reason. The song captures Evan’s social anxiety and his sense of isolation in such a powerful way. As someone who has anxiety, I really connect to this song, and lyrics like, “On the outside always looking in/Will I ever be more than I’ve always been?” are questions that we have all asked ourselves.
Aside from the music, the writing and the plot are excellent as well. While Evan’s actions throughout the musical are morally gray at best, the musical does a good job getting you on his side while acknowledging that what he’s doing is wrong. As the situation gets further and further out of hand, Evan’s guilt mounts to the point where he sees the figure of Connor as a representation of his pent-up guilt. Songs like “Good for You” (not by Olivia Rodrigo), a rock ballad in which Evan’s mother and his classmates, Jared and Alana, reprimand Evan, are visceral reminders that Evan is a deeply, deeply flawed person.
Speaking of Jared and Alana, the side characters are also extremely well-developed. Jared, Evan’s insecure family friend/confidant, provides necessary comic relief in an otherwise serious musical. Alana, Evan’s overachieving, hyperactive classmate, serves as a reminder of how people react when a person takes their own life; she claims to be acquaintances with Connor even though she barely knew him (kind of like a lesser version of Evan).
Heidi Hansen, Evan’s mother, is another standout character. Her relationship with Evan is tender, sweet and believable. While their relationship goes through its ups and downs, its ending with the ballad “So Big/So Small” provides Evan with a sliver of hope only his mother can.
The Murphy family is also well-written in its own right. With each of their different reactions to Connor’s death, the musical is able to give a complex and multilayered depiction of grief. Zoe Murphy, Connor’s sister, has confused feelings of anger and resentment while also longing for her brother. Larry Murphy, his father, has buried his feelings deep within himself to be the “rock” for his family. Cynthia Murphy, his mother, has feelings of grief laced with toxic positivity.
In the end, “Dear Evan Hansen” is a multilayered musical about grief, anxiety and mental illness. While everyone may have different opinions on this musical (Is Evan too unforgivable?), it’s hard to deny the artistry on display anytime it is performed.