Dear Evan Hansen broadway musical
Description: Dear Evan Hansen is a broadway musical written and based off the book by Steven Levenson, and music by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The main characters, Evan Hansen and Connor Murphy depict a story of two high school outcasts going through their mental health difficulties and finding their way through it and figuring out where they belong. Sadly, Connor Murphy resorts to taking his own life while having one of Evan Hansen's personal notes with him, causing a chain of events that leads to Evan Hansen involving himself in a tragedy he originally had no part in.
Details:
Interpretation:
While Dear Evan Hansen started off as a musical, it hit the big screen in theaters in 2021 and became a big hit reaching a wider range and bigger audience. The musical and movie convey the effects that suicide can have on families and loved ones, and the depth or seriousness of struggling with mental health that a growing teenage kid in modern social media times can experience. By making a socially anxious, loner high school student the main character, the audience empathizes more with Evan Hansen. Especially when he gets bullied and all he wants is to feel important, fit in and feel accepted by his peers and high school. It represents the importance of kindness and how the simplest, smallest acts can go a long way and make someones day. Or, in other cases, even save a life.
Details:
- Evan Hansen deals with social anxiety disorder and depression while Connor Murphy deals with depression
- Evan Hansen lies to the grieving family that he and Connor were best friends with many significant memories, thinking it would help them cope or comfort
- As Evan digs himself deeper into a hole with fabricated stories, he becomes closer and more fond with the Murphy's and is seen as family
- The musical puts an emphasis on mental health resources and kindness since everyone is secretly dealing with their own struggles
- Evan faces a decision and choice to make - either tell the truth and lose everything he's always wanted (people and somewhere where he feels understood, comfortable and accepted), or have his whole life and his relationships be based off lies and deception
Interpretation:
While Dear Evan Hansen started off as a musical, it hit the big screen in theaters in 2021 and became a big hit reaching a wider range and bigger audience. The musical and movie convey the effects that suicide can have on families and loved ones, and the depth or seriousness of struggling with mental health that a growing teenage kid in modern social media times can experience. By making a socially anxious, loner high school student the main character, the audience empathizes more with Evan Hansen. Especially when he gets bullied and all he wants is to feel important, fit in and feel accepted by his peers and high school. It represents the importance of kindness and how the simplest, smallest acts can go a long way and make someones day. Or, in other cases, even save a life.