BWW Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN Spins a Telling and Cautionary Tale for a Digital Age
by Lauren Van Hemert
- Mar 14, 2019
Dear Evan Hansen, today's going to be a good day and here's why... That's how the juggernaut of a little show that could, opens. Nearly 427,000 hashtags later, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is not only a phenomenon but literally part of America's cultural heritage. Artifacts from the show, still running on Broadway, were accepted into The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History collection last fall, a decision which Curator Ryan Lintelman says was a no-brainer. 'It has this freshness to it that helps people to connect to these issues of social media and the internet, of depression and anxiety, and how you present yourself in a world that's increasingly digital,' he said.
DEAR EVAN HANSEN tells the story of Evan, an awkward, self-conscious, and lonely teen. He is encouraged by a doctor to write affirmation letters to himself, one of which is intercepted by an outcast named Connor in the school computer lab. After Connor commits suicide, Connor's mother finds Evan's letter. Evan then finds himself entangled in a lie that was never meant to be told, living a life he had only imagined. DEAR EVAN HANSEN opened on Broadway in 2016 and won six 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
And rightfully so. This is the right show for right now, a commentary on a media age that connects us virtually, but often, imprisons and cripples us socially.
BWW Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN National Tour in Chicago
by Rachel Weinberg
- Feb 15, 2019
Both profoundly moving and profoundly disturbing, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is one of the most deeply troubling musicals I've seen. I left DEAR EVAN HANSEN with a swirl of mixed emotions. The musical is a meditation on social media and how it makes the social isolation and challenges of high school all the more difficult.
VIDEO: Ben Levi Ross and Taylor Trensch Sing 'Only Us' from DEAR EVAN HANSEN
by Alan Henry
- Feb 14, 2019
Boyfriends Ben Levi Ross and Taylor Trensch have both played Evan Hansen - on tour and on Broadway respectively, in addition to playing opposite each other on Broadway (with Ross as Jared.) Today, in honor of Valentine's Day, the show has released a special duet version of 'Only Us.' Check out the video below!
BWW Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN at the Paramount - You Will Be Found ... Laughing, Cheering, Crying, all the Feelings
by Jay Irwin
- Jan 26, 2019
After a shaky start (sorry to all you folks who got bumped from the Wednesday performance) the 2017 Tony Award winner, "Dear Evan Hansen" is here at the Paramount. Now, I managed to catch this phenomenal show on Broadway when it was still in previews, so I got to see the original cast. The cast I'm sure all you fans of the show are familiar with from the cast recording from having listened to it over and over again. Well not to worry, as much as I loved the originals, this cast is just as sublime and not a carbon copy but putting in their own spin on this incredible story and characters.
Nine Shows To Look Forward To In South Florida In 2019
by A.A. Cristi
- Jan 19, 2019
2018 has given South Florida a fun cornucopia of live theatre, from the Southeastern premiere of Freaky Friday at Slow Burn to the national tour of Hamilton at the Broward Center. Since 2019 is already well underway, here is a look at what South Florida theatre has to offer this year.
BWW Review: Through Tears, DEAR EVAN HANSEN Wows at OC's Segerstrom Center
by Michael Quintos
- Jan 10, 2019
A powerful, emotionally-riveting, dynamically-staged original stage musical, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is a truly incredible, phenomenal show that I happily admit-in just a few years of its existence-has quickly become one of my favorite Broadway musicals of all time. Not only does it feature gorgeous, memorable songs from Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, it also has a simple but notably layered and impactful book by Steven Levenson that encourages deeper, meaningful discourse long after the end of the show. Even more remarkable is that the show presents a troubled but empathetic title character that demands so much from the extraordinary Ben Levi Ross-the actor tasked to bring him to life-that you are left in awe at his performance's sheer tenacity and brilliance. Thankfully, it has finally arrived at Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where the Tony Award-winning musical's first national tour continues its much-too-brief two-week engagement through January 13, 2019 in Costa Mesa.
BWW Feature: The Top 10 Upcoming Shows in Seattle I'm Excited About in 2019
by Jay Irwin
- Jan 7, 2019
It's a whole new year with a whole new slate of fabulous theater coming to Seattle and the surrounding areas. So many exciting shows ready to thrill and astound us, make us laugh and cry. And so, I thought I'd let you in on the Top 10 shows coming up that I'm most excited about (actually 11 since I couldn't narrow it down to 10 but 'Top 10' sounded better) in chronological order.
DEAR EVAN HANSEN Comes To The Paramount This January
by A.A. Cristi
- Jan 3, 2019
KeyBank Broadway at the Paramount is thrilled to announce the winner of six 2017 Tony Awards Dear Evan Hansen will play The Paramount Theatre for a limited two-week engagement from January 23 February 2.
BWW Review: ASU Gammage Hosts The National Tour Of DEAR EVAN HANSEN
by Herbert Paine
- Nov 30, 2018
DEAR EVAN HANSEN is a Broadway-smart production that fuses together the essential elements of a smash hit along with just enough superficiality and social relevance to juice up the audience and build box office. The National Tour, featuring a brilliant lead performance by Ben Levi Ross, is at ASU Gammage in Tempe through December 2nd.
BWW Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN Delivers Caring and a Sense of Community to Ahmanson Audiences
by Don Grigware
- Oct 22, 2018
Have you ever told a lie or fabricated a story that made you feel important and needed in the lives of others? And one that brought happiness to those other people creating a better sense of community? Such is the premise for Dear Evan Hansen, the winner of six 2016 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Currently at the Ahmanson through November 25, Dear Evan Hansen is a big box office hit. Splendidly directed by Michael Greif, the cast of eight turn in indelibly gripping performances.
Based on an incident that music composer Benj Pasek experienced in high sch
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