Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN from the Hilo Education Arts Repertory Theatre.

There are moments in theater when you feel unmistakably that something extraordinary is happening right in front of you. It is that rare alchemy of talent, material, and vision aligning so perfectly that it leaves you breathless. HEART’s Dear Evan Hansen is exactly that moment. I will say it without hesitation. This may be the best musical I have seen in Hilo.

The Hilo Education Arts Repertory Theatre has been on a remarkable trajectory in recent years. Each production has felt like a huge step forward. Chicago was sleek and razor sharp, executed with a ferocious precision that crackled from the stage. Cabaret was haunting and provocatively intimate, darkly seductive and impossible to shake. Last season’s BroadwayWorld winning, A View From The Bridge was an absolute triumph of dramatic storytelling. Now Dear Evan Hansen feels like the culmination of all that growth. This is a company that has truly found its voice and is using it to say something urgent, difficult, and profoundly human.

HEART does not shy away from hard and current subject matter. It embraces it with courage and clarity, and in this production it does so brilliantly. This is a show about loneliness, mental health, truth, and the aching desire to be seen. Under the direction of Larry Reitzer, fresh off his BroadwayWorld win for A View From The Bridge, the story lands with staggering emotional force.

At the center of it all is Joshua Timmons as Evan Hansen, delivering a performance that is nothing short of astonishing. This is a Broadway caliber turn, deeply vulnerable, painfully real, and vocally stunning. Timmons does not just play Evan. He becomes him, capturing every twitch of anxiety, every flicker of hope, and every unraveling moment. It is the kind of performance that holds an audience in complete silence, hanging on every word.

Melissa Moore as Heidi Hansen gives an equally unforgettable performance. Her portrayal of Evan’s overwhelmed but fiercely loving mother is raw and grounded, but it is her singing that truly devastates. She lives every moment, ripping the roof off the theatre while simultaneously ripping our hearts out of our chests. It is an emotional knockout.

Zaira Hahn brings layered complexity to Zoe Murphy, balancing guarded grief with a quiet longing to be understood beyond her family’s tragedy. Sarah Polloi’s Cynthia Murphy is gripping, portraying a mother unraveling under the weight of loss while searching desperately for meaning. John Frederick gives Larry Murphy a restrained and deeply internalized pain, revealing a father whose emotional distance speaks volumes.

Chris Kocian’s Connor Murphy looms powerfully over the story, giving shape to the absence that defines so much of the narrative. Lenx Neves is outstanding as Jared Kleinman, delivering sharp humor with impeccable timing while still grounding the character’s insecurities. Maya Polloi’s Alana Beck is precise and compelling, capturing ambition, anxiety, and the desperate need for validation.

The ensemble of Lyla Anderson, Cori Lynne Cooper, Olga Lehua, Justin Martin, Josh Payne, Micah Polloi, and Yisa Var is exceptional. They function as the ever present digital chorus, creating a haunting and immersive world that reflects the constant noise of online life where connection and isolation exist side by side. Josh Payne deserves special recognition for his ensemble work and his vocal direction, which is clear, powerful, and emotionally resonant every time anybody sings onstage.

The production elements elevate everything into something truly special. Mahina Bell’s costume design is vibrant and thoughtfully detailed, using color and contemporary style to help define each character’s personality and emotional state. It is storytelling through wardrobe, and it adds tremendous depth. Kaleo Akau’s set, projection, and sound design create a dynamic and immersive environment, and the way the space is used is nothing short of brilliant. Under Reitzer’s direction, every inch of the theatre comes alive. The two level set is ingeniously conceived, and the choice to place the onstage orchestra up top behind a chain link fence is visually striking and thematically perfect.

The lighting design by Sonny Czyscon is, quite simply, the best I have ever seen in a Hilo theatre. It does far more than illuminate the stage. It shapes the action, heightens emotion, and at times feels like a character in its own right, guiding the audience through the story with breathtaking precision.

Under Damien Stack’s musical direction, the score soars with clarity and emotional power, tying every element together into a cohesive and deeply moving experience. I can not tell you how refreshing it was to have to hear a live orchestra in Hilo.  Thank you to Damien Stack and his musicians for bringing back live music.  Damien also served as musical director for Cabaret and Heathers, both of which featured a live band. Mahalo, Damien.

And by the end of the show, the impact is undeniable. As the final moments unfolded, the entire audience was crying. You could hear it all around the theatre, a collective sound of sniffling, as if everyone had been cracked open in the same instant. It is rare to experience that kind of shared emotional release, and it speaks volumes about the power of this production.

It is also important to recognize just how extraordinary HEART’s achievements have been. Last season alone, the company received an astonishing 62 BroadwayWorld nominations, more than any other theatre company in the state of Hawaiʻi. They took home five major awards, including Best Play for A View From The Bridge, Best Director for Larry Reitzer, and Best Children’s Theatre in the state for The Little Mermaid, Best Scenic Design for The LIttle Mermaid and Best Supporting Actor in a Play for Damien Stack. That level of recognition reflects a company deeply committed to professional work and artistic excellence.

With Dear Evan Hansen, HEART has not only continued that momentum. They have surpassed it. This is, without question, the best show HEART has ever put on. It is fearless, emotionally devastating, and exquisitely performed. It reminds us why theatre matters and why it must continue to tackle the hard truths of our world.

This production does not simply entertain. It resonates, it lingers, and it stays with you long after the final note fades.