Trigger warning: mentions of suicide.
Over a year ago, the hit musical Dear Evan Hansen arrived to Broadway and created a big impact by breaking silence on the topic of mental health. For those who have not seen the musical, it follows a young man, Evan Hansen, who suffers from anxiety, does not have many friends, as well as has a complicated relationship with his mother. The big issue is that Evan attempts to commit suicide by jumping off a tree, which leaves him with a broken arm and a visit to a therapist.
The musical begins with a beautifully crafted song, that demonstrates Evan’s struggle with anxiety and ability to talk to others, titled “Waving Through a Window,” including lyrics such as the following:
“On the outside, always looking in
Will I ever be more than I’ve always been?
‘Cause I’m tap, tap, tapping on the glass
I’m waving through a window
I try to speak, but nobody can hear
So I wait around for an answer to appear
While I’m watch, watch, watching people pass
I’m waving through a window, oh
Can anybody see, is anybody waving back at me?”
The story develops more when a fellow classmate of Evan commits suicide and Evan gets tied into the event through a misunderstanding in regard to a mistaken suicide note.
Overall, the musical delivers the powerful message that “you are not alone,” through the very powerful song “You Will Be Found.”
The following are some of the inspiring lyrics:
“Even when the dark comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
And when you’re broken on the ground
You will be found
So let the sun come streaming in
‘Cause you’ll reach up and you’ll rise again
Lift your head and look around
You will be found”
The musical and soundtrack alone are powerful works of arts that demonstrate the importance of mental health awareness to the public, as well as reassuring anyone who is in need of help, that they will be found.
Here is the link to the YouTube playlist of the soundtrack, and it is also available on Spotify.