The minute I heard Ben Platt’s magical voice sing “Waving Through a Window,” I knew that the new Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen, was going to become my latest and greatest obsession. After listening to a classmate rave about it while sitting in an arts marketing class, I knew I needed to see the show. Never did I ever think that something could change my outlook on life the way this musical has.
The show tells the story of a high school kid, Evan Hansen, and how his life is turned upside-down when a lie about a classmate spirals out of control. Without giving away too many details, the story presents people with tough questions. Is lying justified if it ends up helping and healing people at the end of the day?
This show does it all. One minute you’re laughing and the next minute you’re ugly sobbing, looking for comfort from your neighbor who you don’t know, but all of a sudden doesn’t seem so strange anymore.
Anyone with a beating heart who has ever felt any emotion ever can relate to this show in so many ways. In a world consumed by technology and social media, it’s easy to feel like you’re alone and that being yourself isn’t enough. This show tells us all that we are enough, even in our darkest times. This musical is so revolutionary because it truly does connect every single one of us.
We are all Evan Hansen.
We all have days where we feel like we’re not good enough or we’re not doing enough. There will always be times where we do feel like we’re on the outside always looking in and the world is passing us by. What’s important to remember is that we are not and never will be alone.
The cast of this show is truly spectacular. Ben Platt stars as Evan Hansen and if there’s one performance on Broadway right now that you should go see, it’s his. With the show winning six Tony awards including Best Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role, it’s a must see (even though the tickets are SO expensive *cries*). Ben Platt’s final performance is November 19th, so if you can, go see him in it!
I was lucky enough for my 20th birthday to go and see the show. To put it simply, it was a night I wish I could relive for the rest of my days. I am so incredibly thankful to have seen something truly inspiring and wholesome live and in person. Even if you’ve never really been exposed to the theatre world before I highly encourage you to give this show a chance. Give the cast album a listen and who knows; maybe, just maybe, you will be found.