Dear Evan Hansen
The titular character (Ben Platt) is an anxious adolescent with an arm cast who is told by a therapist to write letters to himself explaining why "today is going to be a good day" in the musical Dear Evan Hansen, which was written by Steven Levenson and features songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The school outcast, Connor Murphy (Colton Ryan), signs his name on Evan's cast on the first day of school after the summer break. He also finds Evan's letter in the library printer and takes it home. Then he ends his life.
His parents think Evan was his secret best friend because all that is found on him is the letter addressed to Evan. Instead of challenging this presumption, Evan, who is too anxious to disagree with the family, starts an elaborate lie, which gives Connor's family, including his sister and Evan's crush Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever), comfort.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower author Stephen Chbosky, who is best known for adapting his own beloved teen novel, thought the musical was like a "tearjerker" version of Heathers. He had to serve as the film's director if Dear Evan Hansen was ever going to be a movie.
Following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the reactions to the movie have been impassioned, to say the least. Here, Chbosky talks about how he wanted to rewrite the ending of the musical to redeem Evan and what he thinks of the "haters."
- Ratings: 5.0/5
- Website: https://dearevanhansen.com/broadway/
- Theater: Music Box Theatre
- Ticket Price: Starting at $59
