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Regional Reviews: Phoenix Dear Evan Hansen
The musical centers on Evan Hansen, an anxious and socially awkward high school student who becomes entangled in a lie following the death of a classmate, Connor Murphy. What starts as a simple misunderstanding quickly grows into a fabricated friendship, earning Evan unexpected popularity and a sense of connection, things Evan never had before. However, as the deception deepens, he is forced to confront the guilt of his actions and the consequences of a situation that has spiraled far beyond his control. Featuring an emotionally resonating Tony winning score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul that combines contemporary pop-rock melodies with deeply personal lyrics, along with a thoughtful Tony winning book by Steven Levenson, Dear Evan Hansen is a powerful exploration of loneliness, identity, and the human desire for connection. The musical examines the consequences of seeking validation in the wrong places, the far-reaching effects of deception, and the temptation to tell people what they want to hear rather than the truth. The score beautifully reinforces these themes and includes several standout songs that have become modern musical theatre favorites. "Waving Through a Window" captures Evan's profound isolation and longing to be understood, while "You Will Be Found" serves as the show's uplifting anthem, offering a message of hope, belonging, and reassurance. However, as emotionally resonating as the book and score are, some may be turned off by the fact that the main character finds acceptance and friendship by lying, and that he continues to lie throughout. Michelle Chin's direction allows for the intimate, humorous, and emotional moments to resonate. Her fluid staging makes good use of Michael Downs' set, which uses black panels to move us from one location to the next, Anthony Churchill's video designs, which use a combination of projections and video elements to depict the constantly overflowing content of social media, and John A. Mitchell's sleek lighting to provide a sense of how technology impacts us. Chin's clear direction also ensures the emotional weight of the characters' journeys is always in focus, and her staging finds lovely ways to make the songs and overlapping harmonies shine. Cari Smith's costumes are character appropriate and perfect. Alan J. Plado's music direction delivers soaring vocals and rich harmonies from the cast and a beautiful sound from the small orchestra. Mason Ballard is fantastic as Evan. His clear singing voice and solid stage presence bring vulnerability and a realistic, multi-layered portrayal to this young, overly apologetic teen who just wants to be noticed. Elyse Wolf is equally strong as Evan's loving but struggling mother, Heidi. Wolf's depiction is natural and the scene she shares with Ballard in act two delivers a gut punch of heartfelt emotion that shows how strong the loving bond between a mother and child can be. Hatty Ryan King, who played the same role in the recent national tour of the show, delivers a beautiful and heartfelt portrayal of Connor's sister, Zoe. As Zoe and Connor's grieving mother, who is searching for answers to why her son killed himself, Jenny Hintze balances grief and hope beautifully, while Rob Watson, as her husband Larry, does a wonderful job depicting the reserved strength and uncertainty of a man who doesn't quite know how to grieve. As Connor, Connor Dunning delivers a performance that is both haunting and humorous at times and his powerful singing voice shines throughout. Griffin Slivka is very funny as Evan's "family friend" Jared, and Madison Norwood is quite effective as Evan's classmate, Alana, who finds the impact of Connor's death a way for her to have a purpose and feel seen. Dear Evan Hansen is a deeply moving musical about acceptance, redemption, hope, and forgiveness. With a fantastic cast, clear direction, and immersive creative elements, The Phoenix Theatre Company presents a stirring and superb production of this powerfully effective musical. Dear Evan Hansen runs through August 2, 2026, at The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N Central Avenue, Phoenix AZ. For tickets and information, please visit http://phoenixtheatre.com or call 602-254-2151. Book by Steven Levenson Cast: (in alphabetical order) *Members of Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors & stage managers in the U.S. |
