DEH worth it?

[rubpasternak]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 3:17pm

Listen, I LOVE BROADWAY. All of my friends love DEH. Though, it's really expensive. I love the soundtrack don't get me wrong. But is all that money worth it? 

[whatdoesntkillme]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 3:18pm

I paid $100 to see it at Second Stage and didn't think it was worth it. But most people on this site will say it is. I was frankly underwhelmed with the show as a whole.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 4:15pm

Define: really expensive?  Is it worth waiting longer to get less expensive tix?  Sure.  Premium?  No...but I don't think any show is worth premium pricing.

You really have to ask yourself....does the cost of the ticket change your enjoyment/expectations of a production.  Is it going to eat away at you if you spend 159 bucks?   Because if so, then no, it's not.

 

I'm not like that.   I've never walked out of a show thinking I overspent....unless I've hated the show and free would have been too expensive.   I like it or I don't....money doesn't come into play.

[ethan231h]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 4:18pm

Seeing it live is incredibly different then the cast recording. the emotion is there live. and rachel bay jones performance is NOT to be missed. 

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 4:32pm

It's not a soundtrack.  It's called a cast recording.  The original Broadway cast was incredible, and it won the Tony for Best Musical.  Tickets are expensive for Broadway, it's the best theater district in the world.  I guess you have to figure out what "worth it" means to you.  

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 4:36pm

if you live near NYC, just play the lottery every day. Or next ticket release, get whatever the cheapest ticket is... but it is a high-demand show that is nearly always sold out, so you will have to decide. If you like the OBCR and want to see more, then you seem inclined to like/want to see the show.

[JPeterman]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 5:12pm

I’ve seen it with and without Ben Platt. I would say the high prices were worth it ... until Ben left. It is still a really good show, but Ben made it special.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 5:22pm

I personally believe DEH is one of the most important works of musical theatre of the 21st century, and was disappointed when it wasn't a finalist for the Pulitzer, but to be fair, I fully recognize that I'm musical theatre trash, so take that for whatever you will.

[Danielle49]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 5:28pm

If you have the funds to do it, why not. But if you're wavering because of money, I'd shy away from it until prices go way down. I paid $173 - the most I've spent for any show - to see it from the front row on Ben Platt's final weekend and was much more interested in his narrative as an actor than the actual show. I like about 4 songs from the cast recording. Somehow I think this show will be one that won't hold up in ten years. That said, I'm 100% in the minority here.

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 5:57pm

No.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 6:00pm

Totally self-indulgent personal anecdote that affects nothing, but I personally picked other shows when I had the chance to see it because I thought I'd rather pay Broadway prices for a bigger orchestra rather than a pop score. But that's just me!

[tgirl16]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 6:10pm

I recently was guilted into paying $199 tickets for DEH by a friend. I was a little apprehensive going into it, (especially considering I've already seen it for half the price!) but we were able to get seats towards the front of the theatre and it felt like a different show. If possible, I'd go and speak to the box office, because I feel like our tickets were definitely worth more than that, but he gave them to us anyways!

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 6:16pm

Alex Kulak2 said: "I personally believe DEH is one of the most important works of musical theatre of the 21st century, and was disappointed when it wasn't a finalist for the Pulitzer, but to be fair, I fully recognize that I'm musical theatre trash, so take that for whatever you will."

Can you explain what exactly is “important” about it?

[dunebuddy]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 6:29pm

I saw it last June with Ben Platt. and was underwhelmed.  Often when a show is as hyped up as this one is, I go in expecting a lot.  That did not happen for me here.

[Bwayfan292]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 6:31pm

rubpasternak said: "Listen, I LOVE BROADWAY. All of my friends love DEH. Though, it's really expensive. I love the soundtrack don't get me wrong. But is all that money worth it?"

*Cast Recording. 

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 9:08pm

I finally listened to the Cast Recording and was a bit underwhelmed. Liked Dogfight better. I may still see it but in no rush. JMO

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 9:52pm

dunebuddy said: "Often when a show is as hyped up as this one is, I go in expecting a lot."

Really setting yourself up for failure there, no?

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 3/20/18 at 10:16pm

I saw it twice with Ben Platt and it was worth it for me. I also with some maneuvering got a very old theatre fan to see it (he's someone who saw the OBC of Company, etc) and he absolutely loved it and it was worth every penny for him too. The story is one that either hits you in the solar plexus or not. 

[broadwayliz22]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 12:27am

I paid $275 to see it last July and it was 100% worth it for me. Probably would not have payed that money if Ben wasn’t in the show. However, show is great and it is a completely different experience seeing the show live. It all depends on how much you’re willing to spend but I think paying $100-150 is definitely worth it.

[michaelhale]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 1:48am

I'd echo that the "worth" is really up to your discretion. I paid $270 max to see the show (with MLB as Evan, horrible stubhub ticket) and then saw it three more times (from $135-213, Ben twice and Taylor once), as a big fan of the show and score I have found it worth it every time and will likely go again, even at the $135+ range. But this is just me, and it really depends on how interested you are in the show.

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 2:30am

Honestly, it wasn't for me. I'm disappointed in myself for buying a ticket for so much through stubhub

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 11:33am

DEH just released "Only Us" performed by Taylor Trensch and Laura Dreyfuss:

 

See if you like it. Also listen to the OBCR with Ben Platt and if you think Ben sings better then I say just save your money and buy the script and read it. If you do like Taylor's interpretation of Evan Hansen, then I think it is worth it at non-premium prices.

[Lot666]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 11:40am

JPeterman said: "I’ve seen it with and without Ben Platt. I would say the high prices were worth it ... until Ben left. It is still a really good show, but Ben made it special."

I pretty much agree with this. I've seen it three times and was only really impressed the first time with Ben Platt. I left the theatre thinking that DEH was truly The Ben Platt show; his emotion and vocal skills elevated the material to something rare and special.

 Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

To me, the book ties up too neatly and easily in the last few minutes of the show. This came as a surprise, because the "Words Fail" scene had me thinking, "Oh man, this is going to blow up into a disaster of epic proportions". But then it didn't; everyone just forgives Evan for the incredible web of deceit that he created (the show doesn't even depict this; the next scene starts and you just assume that everyone got over it). They all sing together in an apple orchard with a clear blue sky, and the show ends. Nonetheless, Ben Platt was somehow still able to sell it.

I also don't feel that the score is uniformly great. "Waving Through a Window", "For Forever", "You Will be Found", and "Words Fail" are very powerful songs, but most of the rest seemed merely serviceable, perhaps with the exception of one or two of the more comedic numbers.

On the subject of comedy, I also feel like the show sometimes swings too wildly between devastating heartbreak and utter silliness. At times, the sophomoric jokes come too fast on the heels of something quite serious, which occasionally makes the show feel somewhat bipolar.

When I saw Michael Lee Brown (a last-minute cast change because Mr. Platt was ill), the whole thing fell flat for me. He looked too old to be a teenager, and paired with the understudy for Rachel Bay Jones (who was also out), the two looked more like brother and sister than son and mother.

Noah Galvin was adequate through the first act but couldn't muster the requisite emotional credibility (or vocal power) when the second act progressed to the more intense scenes.

We're seeing it again in a few months because my husband (who did not see Ben Platt) wants to give Taylor Trensch a shot, and I'm hoping he can pull it off. 

If my comments suggest that I don't think DEH is a great and important show, it's not my intention. It has a lot to say about the society we live in and I believe it is (or perhaps more accurately, was) a groundbreaking piece of theatre.

Updated On: 3/21/18 at 11:40 AM

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 11:56am

Alex Kulak2 said: "I personally believe DEH is one of the most important works of musical theatre of the 21st century, and was disappointed when it wasn't a finalist for the Pulitzer, but to be fair, I fully recognize that I'm musical theatre trash, so take that for whatever you will."

Can you explain what exactly is “important” about it?

 

It's depiction of Social Anxiety, It's unflinching honesty when it comes to how your loved ones react to mental illness, it's call to action of sorts for other musicals to try harder to be something more than silly entertainment.

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/21/18 at 1:03pm

Alex Kulak2 said: "it's call to action of sorts for other musicals to try harder to be something more than silly entertainment."

Unless you're writing a silly show that is meant to be entertaining?