Thoughts on Dear Evan Hansen

It has been frequently documented here that I have little to no objectivity when it comes to work written by friends.  I think I'm constitutionally incapable of serious criticism or lack of enjoyment. I suppose if someone I know wrote something REALLY terrible, I might notice, but...who knows?  Besides, my friends would never write anything really terrible. Anyway, here are some thoughts on the new Off-Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen, written by dear gents I already love.  It doesn't open until early May, so I probably wouldn't have been so critical this early in the process anyway.

Dear Evan Hansen is a very sweet, but very sad, and ultimately very touching musical about an isolated teenager in crisis, who begins his senior year of high school with little expectation that anything will change for him.  But change does come, due to unexpected tragic circumstances that overwhelm him and cause him to make disastrously wrong choices that paradoxically bring him happiness for a time.

How's that for vague?  I'm trying to avoid spoilers here.  The musical has previously been produced in D.C., and, for once, I did take a look at the previous production's reviews. I'm kind of glad I did, because the inciting incident of Dear Evan Hansen is a bit disturbing, at least as far as I'm concerned, and if I hadn't known about it in advance, I might have had a harder time becoming engaged.  Because I knew what would happen, I could just let it happen and get involved in the story.  Other people may not enjoy knowing what happens beforehand.  I get that.  I'm just putting it out there.

The music is spectacular, in my humble opinion.  The songs just throb with feeling and are all so well-crafted to give us emotion and character and story. They're really well done. I'm looking at the song list now and find it hard to choose just one as a standout.  Though I guess "So Big/So Small," sung by Evan and his mother near the end of the show, just broke my heart with its simplicity and perfection.  But the whole score is first-rate and I seriously cannot wait to get a cast album.

The show is very funny in spots, with a quirky and original-sounding libretto.  The story definitely went places I didn't expect.  Even with all the sadness and hopelessness occasionally explored, there is a heart and a sense of humor present that keeps everything in balance.  I liked the way the show was directed - there was an ease and flow about things.  There is a lot of online action in the show (chat rooms, websites, Facebook posts and such) and it is very well delineated as to when people were really together or connecting online.  The characters are drawn with honesty and all of the acting is achingly good - each actor conveys so many emotions, it's simply heartbreaking.  

I cried a lot during Dear Evan Hansen, not only because I love its creators and I am so proud of them, and not only because the story was so moving, but also because I have a teenage nephew and I worry sometimes that this electronic world and virtual realities can be so isolating at times.  There's so much anonymous rage and hate floating out there that a young mind might get overwhelmed, confused and despairing.  I worry about my nephew, and his whole generation, that they'll never be able to connect with other people face to face because of all the computer/tv/video screens, and the thought that he might get desperate enough to do some of the things depicted in the show made me cry, too.  So it was a rather meta experience.  But it's definitely a meta experience I'd like to have again, because I'd love to hear that score again and I'd love to relish those performances again. The house was full last night, but you should try to get a ticket to Dear Evan Hansen.  I'm thinking this production won't be the last we'll see of it in New York, but it's always better to get in early.