Content Warning for brief discussions of suicide.
Broadway in Akron continued its 2024-2025 run with “Dear Evan Hansen” back in mid-November. Following “TINA: The Tina Turner Musical,” “Dear Evan Hansen” is the second Broadway show to come to E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall this school year.
Long-time “Dear Evan Hansen” fans filled the seats, but there were many audience members who were unfamiliar with the show. I, and a few other Buchtelite reporters and editors, were able to get tickets to the show. I’ve also been lucky enough to see the show twice before at Playhouse Square, and the cast and crew for this tour did not disappoint.
“Dear Evan Hansen” follows high school senior Evan Hansen as he navigates social anxiety. Tasked with writing letters to himself by his therapist, Evan prints one of the letters at school.
He is confronted by another student, Connor Murphy, who believed Evan was making fun of him since the letter mentioned Connor’s sister, Zoe. After taking the letter, Connor ends up committing suicide. Misinterpreting Evan’s letter as Connor’s suicide note (addressed to Evan), the Murphy family turns to Evan for comfort.
Unable to bring himself to tell them the truth, Evan makes up stories about him and Connor, eventually becoming closer to the Murphys. With friends Jared and Alana, Evan starts ‘The Connor Project,’ to bring attention to mental health.
While the lies grow, Evan begins to overcome his social anxiety before everything comes tumbling down.
The musical numbers push the show’s message even further and truly connect the audience with the characters. When Evan longs to fit in during “Waving Through Aa Window,” everyone can feel his pain at feeling like he is on the outside. “You Will Be Found” later sends chills through the audience as Evan brings the world together with a powerful speech and vocals. “Good For You” has always been a personal favorite as well, with a powerful instrumental that overwhelms Evan as he attempts to escape the web of lies and hurt, he finds himself in at the end of the show.
Even beyond its discussion of mental health, the show touches on different kinds of families. The complicated home lives of both Evan and Connor are on display during the show. “Anybody Have a Map?” gives the audience a preview of the struggles of Evan’s single mother and Connor’s distant parents. The penultimate song “So Big/So Small” is a touching reconnection between Evan and his mother and made all of us teary-eyed.
It was clear that the entire cast and crew gave their all to this production. While the small cast (only eight performers) allowed for everyone to shine, Michael Fabisch played Evan Hansen with incredible heart and nuance. He mastered the comedic elements of the show, while also perfectly embodying Evan’s struggles.
Hatty Ryan King was also excellent as Zoe Murphy, capturing the overwhelming pain and relief Zoe feels as she loses her brother and gains a friend.
With the original cast, the musical sparked poignant discussions about teen mental health and loneliness when it premiered in 2015. Ten years later, those discussions continue as college students still attempt to manage stress, anxiety, and depression.
“Dear Evan Hansen” makes the audience question how we can support those around us and be open to discussing mental health challenges and more stigmatized topics, like suicide. Connor’s loss is continually felt throughout the show. While Evan’s lies can be criticized, he makes a good impact in the fictional world by encouraging people to talk about their struggles and accept help.
Bringing the show to a college campus was an excellent idea as well, as students are faced with both academic anxiety and the stresses of adult life. Being faced with the message that “you are not alone” is a good reminder for everyone, whether you are facing impending finals or nerves for a new semester.
Another lucky audience member and UA student was Kara Smith. Smith has personal experience doing theatre and has greatly enjoyed seeing many other musicals live. We got the chance to interview her about her personal connection to Dear Evan Hansen as well.
Olivia: What is your overall experience with the show?
Kara: “While I don’t think that Dear Evan Hansen is my favorite musical or play of all time, I still really enjoy the show. Not only is this one of the few Broadway shows I’ve seen in person (let alone twice), but it’s also one of the only ones that I’ve enjoyed with both friends and family. It’s a simple show to understand, but the emotions can be felt by any person, regardless of their understanding and experience of theater. To me, it’s a show that I can easily understand and enjoy without having to sacrifice the message and emotion. It’s a show that relates closely to me and my peers, and something that I feel puts our experience in a perspective that others can best understand.”
O: How does Dear Evan Hansen connect to your own life or impact you?
Kara: I don’t have Evan’s exact experience with social anxiety, many aspects of our lives are similar. Like Evan, my parents divorced while I was very young. While I still often visit my dad and have other siblings, the brief bit of time before my dad moved back to Ohio and the age gap between my siblings and I meant that there were several years where it was just my mom and I, in a large house built for a full family. Evan’s relationship with his mom felt very similar to my relationship with my mom. Although we have our differences at times, she will always be a person I can talk to.
O: How do you think the musical can impact/connect with college students?
Kara: Dear Evan Hansen is a show that’s very different from other musicals. It covers themes and experiences that only modern-day students can experience. It tackles depression and anxiety, the fallout of struggling families, and the way that communities remember those lost (both the good and the bad), covered with our typical display of using comedy to avoid our struggles. While not everyone has had the difficulties that Evan and the rest of the cast have experienced, I think every student in their early 20s can see the reality displayed in the show.
O: What is your favorite song/moment from the show?
Kara: My favorite moment by far is when Evan’s mom sings “So Big / So Small.” The line “the house felt so big, and I felt so small” hits me the hardest every time I listen to it; it reminds me exactly of when my parents got divorced, and it was just her and me in our house meant for a full family. The first time I saw it in person, this song made me cry through the end of the show, and I called my mom to tell her I loved her on the bus ride home. The second time I saw it was here at Akron with my mom. While she’s not the most emotional, she reacted the same way as I did. Even though we didn’t speak about it, I know it was a moment that brought us closer together. Outside of that, my favorite song is “You Will Be Found.” Like most, the emotion of Connor’s parents, and particularly his father, is a very intense moment at the end of the second act.
O: Do you have anything else you’d like to add about yourself or Dear Evan Hansen?
Kara: I guess for more context about my experience with theater: I did some theater as a kid but wasn’t closely involved through high school, but I love music and musicals and have made an effort to watch more in recent years. I’ve seen and loved classic shows like Les Mis and Hamilton, and watched Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies when it was free to view during Covid. Seeing Dear Evan Hansen in person was another box checked in the list of musicals I’d wanted to see, and while it’s not one of my top favorites, it holds a special place in my heart.
Following “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Hadestown” will come to Akron on February 22nd at 1:30 and 7:30pm. Another touching musical, “Hadestown” follows the ancient Greek story of Orpheus and Eurydice, mixing it with a more modern steampunk influence. “Come From Away” will then close out this year’s Broadway in Akron run in late March.
At E.J. Thomas, students at the University of Akron gain easy access to purchase tickets for the 2024-2025 Broadway run. While ticket prices can range from $25-$70, students can get tickets at a discounted price of $15 by showing their Zip Card at the E.J. box office.
