- The show is super relatable!
-
Dear Evan Hansen focuses on the life of a high school student who struggles to fit in. The show is
centered around the use of social media in our society and how his life is deeply impacted by it. Anyone
watching (besides the grandma sitting in front of you with her flip phone) can relate to the addiction and
the dark sides of never being able to disconnect from media. It’s so easy now for your life and things you
want kept private to be revealed online. I think we can all relate to going to high school and being a
student with so much technology around us and being pressured to post the best picture or seeing rumors
get sent around through messages. While this is something gen z kids grew up with, older audience
members can still connect to it in a way. They may not have experienced it first hand and had to send
notes in class and actually go outside and walk to a friends house just to say hello. However, there is often
a barrier that the two generations face. “Why can’t you just stay off your phone for one minute?”, “I don’t
understand this… instantgram? Is that what it’s called?”, “The reason you don’t understand is because of
that phone!” These are statements i’m sure you have all heard by a mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, etc. By
seeing the show, it can give them a better understanding of why people succumb to being on social media
so often.Evan Hansen struggles with social anxiety and we can see him get picked on throughout
the show. A large majority of people can relate to being bullied in school and trying to fit in with peers.
His anxiety is also very relatable to the audience, as more people today struggle with mental health than
ever before. - The soundtrack is AMAZING!
-
Even if you have not seen the show yet I highly recommend giving the soundtrack a listen! The songs are
so catchy you will immediately want to be on stage singing and dancing with them. Even if you don’t find
yourself singing and dancing along, the lyrics are all packed with meaning, lessons, values, and
sentimentality. You will easily find yourself connecting to the characters and feeling empathetic for them
just from the lyrics. Songs such as “You Will Be Found” are a heart-felt reminder that it is okay to be
different and that your voice will be heard! After seeing Dear Evan Hansen it will be hard to listen to
anything but the soundtrack! - It sheds light on mental health!
-
As Evan Hansen is struggling to fit in, make friends, and feel valid, little does he know one of his
classmates, Connor is going through the exact same thing. However, Connor ends up losing his life to
suicide. It’s really heartbreaking to watch especially because of the fact that if they were friends, things
could have been different. (You may want to consider packing some tissues with you!) We get a glimpse
into the family life of both Evan and Connor and you can see while they both have opposite personalities
and have different homelifes, they have a very similar struggle with mental health. The show really
emphasizes using platforms on social media in a good light to make others feel valid and heard. The
Connor-project aimed to keep Connor’s memory alive while also leaving a safe-space for students who
were also struggling. I think this can be eye-opening to audiences because this is reality for people,
mental health is something that should be treated as would physical health. It is not rare anymore that we
see students committing suicide because of the bullying they face from other kids or because of the battle
with mental health. It can raise awareness for students, teachers, parents, and anyone to check up on
others. This can also be an initiative to the people watching to start reaching out and using social media ina different way, to help someone. You never know someone's story or what they are going through. With a
few small actions such as talking to someone who seems lonely or left out, you can change a life and I
believe that this show truly inspires people to do so. - It makes you feel less alone!
-
It is really easy to feel alone and everyone has felt lonely at least once in their life. Upon watching this
musical, It was a comforting feeling for me to see that I'm not alone and that even if you feel lost or
lonely, you will eventually be brought back up again. This musical is one I will keep with me forever and
it serves as a tremendous reminder to me that there is light at the end of the tunnel. The script, the songs,
and the messages being portrayed are aimed to reach every audience member and it is very special to
experience live. While this show is a real tear-jerker, it is very important to see and I think it is one of the
best musicals out there because of the power and impact it holds.
HCXO, Becca Interdonati