Student blogger Evan Fitzpatrick writes about the themes of Dear Evan Hansen playing January 10-12 at The Hanover Theatre & Conservatory for the Performing Arts. Please note, the second paragraph includes spoilers about key plot points.
Dear Evan Hansen,
Your story means a lot to me. It all started back in second grade when my teacher played your soundtrack on repeat in class every chance he got for an entire semester. As a young adult now understanding the themes, this was completely bizarre. Still, I know every word.
The story centers on a boy named Evan Hansen, who suffers from significant anxiety, which is especially pronounced in social encounters. His therapist encourages him to write positive, self-affirming letters to himself as a therapeutic exercise. One of his letters makes its way to another student named Connor Murphy, who takes his own life. When Connor’s parents find the letter, they want to celebrate Connor and Evan’s friendship, which never actually existed. In wanting to help console the grieving family, Evan goes along with the lie and false narrative of his friendship with Connor with good intentions. The Hanover Theatre is excited to welcome back cast members, Caitlin Sams and Jeff Brooks, who play Connor’s parents. Both Sams and Brooks previously appeared at The Hanover Theatre in other touring productions.
This show will move audiences regardless of who you and the relationship you have with grief, societal pressure, and loss. In my hometown of Hopkinton, there have been far too many students who have taken their own lives, including one of my friends. Personally, I’ve lost too many family members to suicide. One is too many.
I ask the audience to listen for the song “Requiem.” It shocked me as a second grader because it still seemed cruel even as I contemplated the death of a storybook villain. As an adult, I now hear layers of complexity of grief and anger. The song “Waving through a Window” is also unforgettable, even for those who didn’t listen to it in class for a year. During the show, we’ll see all the characters appear like shards of glass in the background of this song. The message is for us to try and understand the interconnectedness of tragedy and shared lives. As a society, we are just cracking the envelope of how anxiety affects the human mind. This song encapsulates the feeling of invisibility in a selfie-driven world.
The message of no matter how alone you feel #youwillbefound will cling to you. In the months ahead, let’s cling to each other in the best of ways and celebrate how it feels to be found, to be seen, and appreciated.
Your friend,
Evan Fitzpatrick
