DEH Positivity Thread!

[coreman009]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 2:36pm

Like most of our Broadway community,, I'm thrilled that Dear Evan Hansen won the Tony for Best Musical (and thrilled for all its success). However if you scroll through these boards, Twitter, or whatever, you'll see a ton of bitter and nasty people trashing Dear Evan Hansen because they wanted their show to do better (it's almost always massive Great Comet fans). Obviously most of us who've seen it love it, that's why it's so successful in all aspects. But as with everything, the negative is louder than the positive.

So I wanted to start this thread for people who are happy. Not for people who say DEH is racist or problematic or white mediocrity or whatever they claim, but for us. People who saw it (or heard it) and loved it. Post on here what Dear Evan Hansen means to you, how it may have changed you, how you feel about it winning at the Tonys, etc.

We should be celebrating the excellence that this show delivers, not having to listen to those who want to tear it down and shout louder than us. So let's create a thread for those of us who were moved by this show! #YouWillBeFound

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 2:53pm

DEH and TGC fan here!! I love both and we are very lucky to have two brilliant works in one season!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 2:55pm

you'll see a ton of bitter and nasty people trashing Dear Evan Hansen because they wanted their show to do better

I've seen a lot of people giving their honest opinions and even engaging in rather lengthy intelligent discussions and debates.  Even when voicing legitimate questions and concerns.  The DEH fans have been pretty vocal in their positivity from the beginning.  Regardless, every Best Musical winner has its detractors when it wins.  Every single year.  This year is no different and not special or unusual because of the show or the star or the fans or the detractors.

[froote]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 2:58pm

Indeed, maybe I just haven't seen it but I've seen no DEH detractors resort to name calling and insults the way I have the DEH fans. But we're the nasty and bitter ones obviously. And Comet has been just as divisive on here.

I would have happily stayed out of this thread and left you to your positivity if it wasn't for that part of your post. It would be nice if a positivity thread didn't include any negativity at all.

Updated On: 6/13/17 at 02:58 PM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 3:06pm

I must say that those of you who didn't enjoy DEH are very (sometimes brutally) vocal about your opinion.  It can sometimes feel like you're really hating on both the show and the people who like it.  I understand that people are allowed to share their opinion, but you don't see me entering every thread to criticize Groundhog Day and Come From Away just because they weren't my favorite.  Anyways please let those of us positively effected by DEH have this thread and enjoy this show, free of criticism.

[froote]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 3:12pm

I admit to being brutally hard on the show, although I'm not exaggerating, it's my honest opinion. But I have never and will never hate on those that like it, they're free to do as they wish. I only bring it up in suitable threads, unlike our good friend muscle34tl (or whatever his username is) who enters threads on Great Comet's seating or people wanting to sell a ticket just to insult it. There's a difference. As I've said before, this board is for sharing positive and negative opinions and I will continue to do so, just as those that dislike my favorite shows will without me telling them to stop. Enjoy the positivity!

[coreman009]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 3:49pm

I'll address the Great Comet part briefly: I have never seen a huge Come a From Away or Groundhog Day or Bandstand fan trash Dear Evan Hansen or its casting (racially speaking) or its message. But Great Comet megafans do it a lot, they have no chill. And they get really nasty.

Anyway, yes Dear Evan Hansen moved me so much. There doesn't need to be a certain racial quota for this to be a moving story that touches all people, regardless of background. This show succeeding isn't an example of white supremacy as I've seen online, it's just a great musical (that doesn't involve race...and that's okay) that tells a powerful story. Not every character has to have a 100% perfect moral compass. It shows real life that so many go through, in which all of us are flawed and make bad choices, but with meaning behind those decisions, which DEH explores. 

This show deals with suicide and mental illness in a way that no entertainment has done before (more representative than Next to Normal). It speaks to so many themes. Evan Hansen is a deeply sympathetic character (even if he makes a poor choice or two), who is just struggling to make it through every day and trying to do the right thing. You Will Be Found moves me not just for him story of being at the lowest point imaginable and redeeming himself, but also for what the lyrics mean to so many people who struggle. 

I absolutely love Dear Evan Hansen and I don't care who knows it! 

[Kad]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 3:52pm

I applaud everyone's bravery in coming out to say that they are fans of a critically lauded, commercially successful, and multiple award-winning musical. Truly, you all have been found and shall wave through windows no more.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 3:54pm

God.  Why is everyone on here so confrontational all the time?

[froote]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 3:54pm

To be fair, this thread opened with a deliberately confrontational post.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 3:55pm

froote said: "To be fair, this thread opened with a deliberately confrontational post.

 

Ya got me there, froote.

 

[leighmiserables]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 4:05pm

coreman009 said: "Not for people who say DEH is racist or problematic or white mediocrity or whatever they claim, but for us. People who saw it (or heard it) and loved it.

"

Not trying to start anything, but just because you enjoy a piece of theatre does not negate the fact that there are very sound cases for DEH being all of those things. I enjoy most of DEH (not my favorite show, but I like it), but I'm not blind to the fact that it is not without many faults. You can't just ignore that they're there, which is what this sentence implies, either intentionally or not. 

 

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:00pm

I loved DEH but confess that it's moral ambiguity was disquieting in many ways. Those of us who saw it together discussed Evan's choices and his delimna in great detail. We all thought the show was great but understood that Evan made choices that some of us might not have made. But we also understood exactly what motivated those choices.  Isn't that what great theater should do?

i loved Scotsboro Boys, and did that show make me uncomfortable!

Congrats to DEH, a very deserving winner of the Best Musical Tony. 

[coreman009]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:11pm

Geez, some of the posts on here prove exactly my point. How nasty and ridiculous some people go in attacking this show and its fans. All I meant was that doesn't seem to come from super fans of CFA or GHD...

As for the most recent comment, I totally get that! I'm not arguing that the show can't be without disagreement or whatever. But it's definitely thought-provoking and fulfilling. Some of the things Evan does seem like poor decisions we wouldn't make, but we also can't fully comprehend the situation that would cause some of those decisions to seem necessary. All very interesting! Love the show for that. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:12pm

I like the show.   A lot.   But there is nothing interesting in a mutual admiration society.  You only learn by challenging your own ideas and thoughts.   (See my signature.)   

[SuddenlySeymour3]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:16pm

By the way, if you loved DEH,  you will most likely also love the young adult novels of John Green:

https://www.amazon.com/John-Green/e/B001I9OQNE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1497388535&sr=8-2

Pasek and Paul should probably adapt one of those next. 

[froote]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:24pm

coreman009 said: "Geez, some of the posts on here prove exactly my point. How nasty and ridiculous some people go in attacking this show and its fans. All I meant was that doesn't seem to come from super fans of CFA or GHD..."

First of all, you started a thread to say that people that dislike a show are 'nasty'. You really think that people that dislike said show aren't going to object to that? No one here has attacked this show's fans, but you have attacked another show's fans for whatever reason. 

You wont see the same from CFA or GHD because they don't have huge fanbases the way Comet and DEH do. The race thing you keep bringing up has been barely discussed on here. And as I said before, the only people I've seen throw around personal insults on this board are fans of the show you love. I was called a rabid animal a few days ago for goodness sake. Now we're nasty. 

I have no doubt that people on Twitter may be being unnecessarily rude but that's because they're largely teenagers, SOME of whom don't understand respect. And it happens in every fanbase of teenagers for every show, band, TV show etc. It's called immaturity and eventually it wears off. But this board is not comparable to that and so introducing a thread with an aggressive tone seems largely unnecessary and ruined any chance of this being a good opportunity for fans to share positive thoughts on a show. 

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:31pm

Some of the things Evan does seem like poor decisions we wouldn't make, but we also can't fully comprehend the situation that would cause some of those decisions to seem necessary.

And the show doesn't really explore the gravity of the consequences of some of his actions.  Instead, just fast-forward a year or so and it all worked out okay.  Sigh of relief.  Sun.  Curtain.

I don't mind feeling emotionally uncomfortable by a musical when it is intended.  My discomfort in DEH was entirely different. 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:34pm

Some people like DEH.  If you don't, this probably isn't the thread for you.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:37pm

I liked the performances, the staging and some of the songs.  I've said that several times.  And I'm positive the book is not practically perfect on paper.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:41pm

Mister Matt said: "I liked the performances, the staging and some of the songs.  I've said that several times.  And I'm positive the book is not practically perfect on paper.

Well, I happen to think so and that is a perfectly valid opinion for me to have, Matt.

 

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:50pm

See there?  Why do need a special thread?  DEH can turn anything positive!  Just tack on a feel-good scene at the end.  It's all okay now.  Sunlight.  Feels.  Yay!

 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:53pm

Matt, why are you like this?  Who hurt you?

[binau]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:56pm

"This show deals with suicide and mental illness in a way that no entertainment has done before (more representative than Next to Normal)"

More representative of what and/or whom? 

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 5:59pm

LOL  It doesn't matter.  They meant well, so whatever they did to me is okay now.  I think they even improved my marriage and my family.  They can stand in the sun now.  Maybe you're just not getting the subtext.  If I haven't clearly explained, I certainly implied, so why the questions?