“Dear Evan Hansen, today is going to be a good day, and here’s why.”
This trademark line of the Broadway hit is enough to give anyone chills. I had heard of Dear Evan Hansen for a while and wanted to see it for quite some time. After two years of wishing to see it, I was finally able to this past spring break. I can honestly say this show changed my life, which is why everyone needs to see it. Even if you’re not a Broadway lover, the message behind it is one of the most important things we all need today.
Dear Evan Hansen follows the story of a high school senior named Evan Hansen who struggles with severe social anxiety. Going to school and having a normal life is not easy for him. His therapist gives him the assignment of writing daily letters to himself, each beginning with, “Dear, Evan Hansen, Today is going to be a good day and here’s why.” He struggles with this, finding it difficult to pinpoint what the good in his life is. The storyline progresses when a classmate, a boy named Connor who was often found alone without any friends, commits suicide. Evan finds himself caught in a lie, which gets him involved with Connor’s family and the aftermath of the situation. It’s important that I don’t elaborate too much because by describing the whole story I will give everything away. However, this is enough information to understand the importance of the show.
Although struggling socially, Evan teams up with some of his classmates to create “The Connor Project,” which commemorates Connor’s life so that nobody forgets about their lost classmate. This spirals into a viral movement, showing the world that no matter what, everyone is important. Their use of social media is something to be noted, as it is something that we use every day.
Most of you probably have not seen the show and may be wondering what the message is. What makes this show any different than all of the other Broadway shows out there? This show really hits home where it truly matters. A surprising amount of high school and college students suffer from anxiety and depression disorders, some of which go unnoticed and untreated. Due to this, many people often feel sad, aloof and completely alone. No one can really know what’s going in someone else’s head. These people can create a façade, acting as if nothing is wrong when a storm of negative thoughts is brewing in their heads every minute. Unfortunately, this can go on until it is too late, which happens to Connor in the show.
Although the whole show has an important theme, the song right before intermission is named “You Will Be Found,” which is where the message truly begins. The whole cast sings the lyrics “you are not alone.” After this song, everyone around me was in tears, and there was not a dry eye until the end of the show. This powerful message is something that everyone needs to take in. No matter what, everyone should have someone to lean on in hard times.
Even when we feel we are at our lowest, there are people out there to help us, even if we don’t believe it. In the show, an unlikely group of students unite together to convey this message. The backdrop of the show had tweets and different social media posts having to do with the Connor Project to emphasize how important it is to spread the message to everyone. In today’s world, social media is a powerful force, and it can help prevent things like this from happening.
This show is hard to even put into words. The power and emotion in it is indescribable. After a long series of events, Evan Hansen decides to accept himself. He realizes that every day will not be perfect and that’s okay. We will go through difficult times and that’s okay. We will struggle and that’s okay. Eventually, we will find ourselves and understand our self-worth. It will take time and that’s okay. Even if you don’t struggle with diagnosed anxiety, there are times where we will feel like we’re just not enough. The thing that Dear Evan Hansen does is show that we are enough. We are all unique individuals with a purpose, and this needs to be acknowledged by everyone.
Everyone needs Dear Evan Hansen in their lives. I can say with confidence that this show will trigger an emotion out of every single person. This show has the unique ability to bring people together, which is something that most shows can’t do. With that being said, as I conclude listening to the soundtrack, I want everyone to know that “Today is going to be a good day, and here’s why — because today, at least you’re you, and that’s enough.”