High school is a different world from what many of us
experienced growing up. Now, social media is an integral part of life and that
fact is evident from the scrolling feeds presented on the hanging panels of the
Dear Evan Hansen set. The story of a community coping with the suicide of a
teenage boy took Broadway by storm when it premiered in 2016. It helped people
feel seen and connected in a time when suicide and hopelessness run rampant in
our society.
The show is greater than its summary. The description
doesn’t capture the grief and depth of loneliness the characters are facing.
While the plot is relatable for so many, the show would fall flat without its
incredible score. It was written by Grammy®, Tony®, and Academy Award® winners
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman). A live orchestra
performs each number of the captivating composition on a riser above the stage.
The Tuesday night production was entirely understudies except for the roles of Zoe and Connor, but that made no difference to the level of excellence. Despite the serious subject matter, there's plenty of humor in the musical. “Sincerely, Me” is a fun and playful number, and Jared, played by Matthew Edward Kemp, was full of sarcastic quips. The “Only Us” duet between Zoe and Evan was beautiful. Sam Primack played the title character and he captures the angst of high school life and the awkwardness that seems ingrained in every interaction. I also loved that the moms are shown as real, complicated people and not just caricatures. Trying to connect with your teenagers is a challenge fraught with land mines.
The musical is a powerful one. It's a reminder of the hurt that so many real kids carry with them every day. You are not alone.
Don't Miss the Show
The show runs until Sunday, May 1 at the Old National
Centre (Murat Theatre) so hurry to get tickets. Tickets can be purchased at
Clowes Memorial Hall, The Murat Theatre, by calling (800)-982-2787 or online
here. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Saturday and 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
Comments