Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal, and profoundly contemporary, musical about what happens when we let a lie consume us. This groundbreaking musical - featuring a book by Tony-winner Steven Levenson and a score by the Grammy, Tony and Academy Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul - examines what it means to be alive.
A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in.
The formerly promising young songwriters Pasek and Paul, who created an interesting score for Dogfight and a surprisingly accomplished one for the holiday show A Christmas Story, are promising no more; their talent is thoroughly realized with Dear Evan Hansen, one of the strongest scores in years. The songs are not merely tuneful and funny and touching; Pasek and Paul can plumb the inner depths of their characters and rip through emotions in words and music. And as contemporary as their new score is, it should be added that their three musicals have demonstrated that they are equally adept in varied musical theatre styles.
Finally, there is Platt (the 'Pitch Perfect' movies), with his astonishing vocal nuance and his rare ability to communicate bunches of conflicting feelings with just a frown and a hurt, hopeful smile. His portrayal of catastrophic, perhaps autistic alienation is so astute in the early scenes that, when Evan miraculously heals up, we feel a little guilty for missing the old one.
2015 | Washington, DC (Regional) |
Arena Stage World Premiere Production Washington, DC (Regional) |
2016 | Off-Broadway |
Second Stage Original Off-Broadway Production Off-Broadway |
2016 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
2019 | Toronto |
Original Canadian Production Toronto |
2021 | West End |
Original West End Production West End |
2021 | US Tour |
First National Tour US Tour |
2024 | US Tour |
US Tour US Tour |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Book of a Musical | Steven Levenson |
2017 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Direction of a Musical | Michael Greif |
2017 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Leading Actor in a Musical | Ben Platt |
2017 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Musical | Dear Evan Hansen |
2017 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Orchestrations | Alex Lacamoire |
2017 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Score | Benj Pasek |
2017 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Ben Platt |
2017 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Rachel Bay Jones |
2017 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Broadway of Off-Broadway Musical | Dear Evan Hansen |
2017 | Tony Awards | Best Book of a Musical | Steven Levenson |
2017 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Musical | Michael Greif |
2017 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Japhy Weideman |
2017 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Japhy Weideman |
2017 | Tony Awards | Best Orchestrations | Alex Lacamoire |
2017 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | Benj Pasek |
2017 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical | Mike Faist |
2017 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical | Ben Platt |
2017 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical | Rachel Bay Jones |
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