Advice- DEH or Great Comet?

[Blue207]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 6:47pm

Have been following the discussions on these boards and am hoping for some advice from all of you.  I'll be in NYC in March to take my mom to see Miss Saigon, and we have time to see one other show.  I'm torn between Dear Evan Hansen and Great Comet- the music is maybe a bit more my taste for DEH from what I have heard of the shows so far, but Great Comet seems like an overall more interesting experience and Josh Groban was impressive when I saw him in concert.  It also sounds like DEH would be more likely to tour, is that right?  I missed it the first time it was in Washington, DC, but can usually get to shows either there or in Baltimore.  To give you an idea of which recent shows I like... loved both Hamilton and Shuffle Along, but also saw She Loves Me based on the good reviews it was getting, and thought it felt dated and was pretty boring.  Come From Away was fantastic when it was in DC this fall.  No interest in School of Rock, Matilda, etc., and I've already seen Book of Mormon and Wicked multiple times.  Appreciate any advice from those of you who've seen the shows already... thanks!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 6:52pm

Honestly, they are both lovely shows.

My only advice?  Muss Saigon is pretty heavy/emotional....maybe a nice balance would be Comet.

[ethan231h]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 7:37pm

Dear Evan Hansen is an absolute must in imo 

Updated On: 12/1/16 at 07:37 PM

[pushdabutton]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 8:59pm

Dear Evan Hansen

[Andy51]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 9:07pm

Both are outstanding, but the overall production values of The Great Comet are so exceptional that I have to give it the nod over DEH.

[willep]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 9:38pm

I think you are also correct in thinking Dear Evan Hansen is more likely to tour.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 9:54pm

I greatly preferred Great Comet to Dear Evan Hansen, but I think the tour consideration is a good one. DEH will almost certainly tour, and even if Comet somehow got a tour together, it won't be able to replicate what's being done at the Imperial right now, which is unlike anything I've ever seen on Broadway. 

[VotePeron]

Posted: 12/1/16 at 11:55pm

You will be able to see hundreds of versions of Dear Evan Hansen in your lifetime (on tour, regional & high school theaters) but you will NEVER see The Great Comet presented in all it's glory, like it currently is, ever again. Having seen both, I personally feel like it would be a huge mistake to miss out on this production of Great Comet. 

[DeepVSexyWitch2]

Posted: 12/2/16 at 1:20am

Hands down, Great Comet. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/2/16 at 8:33am

I saw both, and you really can't go wrong with either one. Both shows are the two best shows that I have ever  seen on Broadway. Sure you can see Dear Evan Hansen on tour, but you will not be seeing it with the incredible Ben Platt and Rachel Bay Jones. The same can be said the staging for The Great Comet- if you do see it on tour, it will definitely not be the same experience that you get on Broadway. That being said, if I HAD to choose between the two, I would probably go with Dear Evan Hansen.

[HSky]

Posted: 12/2/16 at 12:03pm

I adore both of the shows. Pros for seeing The Great Comet definitely include the physical transformation of the Imperial. The design work is breathtaking, the cast has boundless energy, and the immersive nature is a special experience. When I discuss it with friends, I mention two notes to temper expectations. It's very much an ensemble work and not a Josh Groban concert, so don't go in with the expectation that Pierre carries the entire show, and be open to action swirling all around including a rave (there is prolonged use of a strobe). The matinee was letting out when I picked up my ticket to an early preview, and one woman exiting kept grumbling about how she didn't understand it and wasted her money, with some of her companions in agreement. It isn't going to click with everyone stylistically.

As for Dear Evan Hansen, it is on a much smaller scale physically, but it packs more of an emotional wallop for me and Ben Platt does a tremendous job on that stage. I'm practically in tears before Rachel Bay Jones even begins singing "So Big/So Small." The musical style is contemporary pop, not the eclectic mix of electropop and other styles in The Great Comet. 

[Blue207]

Posted: 12/3/16 at 7:08pm

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses!  Decided to go with Great Comet due to the unique opportunity to see it staged at the Imperial and my mom thinking DEH might be too heavy to see along with Miss Saigon.  We were able to get front row mezz tickets for Great Comet and are looking forward to it!