Dear Evan Hansen

### Awards Won

5 (Obie Award for Musical Theater, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics, Tony Award for Best Musical, Tony Award for Best Original Score, Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical)

### Amaetur Liscensing?

No

**Dear Evan Hansen** is a musical about a senior in high school, named Evan Hansen. He struggles with social anxiety disorder and finds himself in a mess he never meant to get himself into, following the death of a classmate.

## Synopsis

### Act I

Evan Hansen is a teenager who struggles with social anxiety disorder. His mother, Heidi Hansen, makes him write a hopeful letter to himself before his first day of senior year, because his therapist suggests he do so.Though she is a busy nurse's aid, studying to be a paralegal at night, she tries her hardest to connect with her son. She suggests Evan tries to make friends by asking kids to sign his cast, which he got by falling out of a tree over the summer.

On the other side of town, the Murphy family sits down for breakfast. Cynthia Murphy attempts to talk her son, Connor Murphy out of skipping the first day, as her husband and daughter, Larry Murphy and Zoe Murphy berate Connor for getting high before school. Cynthia struggles with her family falling apart, and as Heidi is, the two mothers wonder how to connect with their sons. ("Anybody Have a Map?")

Once he gets to school, Evan runs into Alana Beck, a nerdy, smart student, obsessed with doing whatever possible to get into a good college. Evan attempts to ask her to sign his cast, but she continuously interrupts him until Evan eventually =gives up. He also finds Jared Kleinman, the son of a family friend and the closest thing Evan has to a real friend. Evan attempts to ask Jared to sign his cast, but Jared just makes fun of him and refuses. The two run into Connor, who Jared teases over his hair. Connor then pushes Evan and Jared, not having any interest in helping, leaves. This prompts Zoe, Evan's longtime crush to apologize for her brother. Evan wonders if he is doomed to be the way he is forever- to be the ignored, social outcast he is, who can barely get Zoe to notice him. ("Waving Through A Window")

Evan finishes a letter, saying how it's not going to be a good day and that he's given up on it even being a good year. He says that all his hope is pinned on Zoe, who he doesn't know and who doesn't know him. While printing the letter, he runs into Connor again, who takes up the offer to sign Evan's cast, saying, that now they can both pretend they have friends. After signing the cast, he sees Evan's letter and reads it, becoming furious at the mention of his sister. He thinks that Evan intended to see the letter, to make fun of him. Connor then storms out of the room, taking the letter with him, causing Evan to go into a panic.

Several days pass without any sign of Connor or the letter, leaving Evan more intensely anxious than usual, wondering what Connor could have done with it. Then one day, Evan is called down to the principal's office, where he finds Larry and Cynthia waiting. They tell Evan how Connor committed suicide, with the note in his pocket. They believe it was Connor's suicide note and that he wrote it to Evan. The parents ask if Connor and Evan were close, as Connor had never mentioned having friends before. Evan is unable to explain, and becomes overwhelmed and panicked. Seeing how sad the two are, and not wanting to cause any more grief, Evan agrees that he and Connor were friends. He then agrees to meet up with them at their house after school to talk about Connor.

Evan tells Jared about everything, who is not much help. He advises Evan to just "nod and confirm" before stating that nothing he tells his parents is true, but they still believe him. Evan starts by doing so, until he goes overboard and begins to create an entire story of their 'friendship,' even making up a story of how he broke his arm. ("For Forever") Evan mentions how he and Connor kept up over email and when the Murphys mention how they never noticed his name, Evan says they had a secret email account, which was actual nonexistent. Before returning home, the Murphys ask to see the emails, and Evan volunteers to bring in some of them, leaving him in a state of panic, knowing they don't exist. Later, Heidi reminds Evan he needs to begin applying for college scholarships, but Evan is far too distracted by creating his friendship with Connor. She mentions Connor's death, but Evan confirms that he did not know Connor and there is no reason to worry. Noticing Connor's name on Evan's cast, she confronts him, but he lies, saying it was someone else named Connor who signed the cast.

Evan then calls Jared about the fake email account, and Jared offers to help making backdated emails. ("Sincerely, Me") Evan then shows the Murphys the emails and Cynthia is ecstatic her son had a friend. Larry is more hurt that Connor took his family and privileged life for granted and Zoe, who was never close with Connot, refuses to mourn for him because of his abusive behavior towards her. ("Requiem") Soon, Evan shows Zoe the 'suicide note,' and after noticing that her name is mentioned, Zoe asks if Connor ever talked about her. Evan proceeds to take his thoughts and feelings towards her, changing them to be more brotherly, saying that Connor said them.("If I Could Tell Her") Suddenly, while overcome with emotion, Evan kisses Zoe. She pulls away and yells at him to leave.

At school, Evan notices how people are beginning to forget about Connor. Wanting to prevent what happened to Connor to happen to anyone else, Evan enlists Alana and Jared, founding "The Connor Project," an organization dedicated to keeping Connor's memory alive, and helping those like him, therefore preventing teen suicide. The trio pitches the idea to the Murphys, who gladly support the project. ("Disappear") Cynthia then asks Evan to speak at Connor's memorial service, and he hesitantly accepts. Evan's speech goes viral, once posted online, and Zoe is overcome by the impact her brother and Evan had on people, and kisses him. ("You Will Be Found")

### Act II

Evan and Alana pitch a fundraising idea to a Connor Project website, stating how, in memory of Connor, they want to reopen an abandoned apple orchard, that Evan continuously mentions they spent time. The money they want to raise is $50,000 in three weeks. Evan, however has begun to neglect his mother, Jared, and The Connor Project, due to his newfound family with the Murphys and his relationship with Zoe.

Heidi tells Evan how she discovered the Connor Project website and saw the video. She scolds Evan for lying to her about being friends with Connor and why he didn't tell her about the Connor Project. Evan, unusually angry, responds saying he would have told her, but she is never around, so he never got the chance. Heidi is hurt, but Evan rushes off to the Murphy's, lying that he is going over Jared's house. At the Murphy's house, Evan bonds with Larry, since his father left and remarried when he was only seven, and no longer keeps in touch with either him or his mom, and he never had a father figure. ("To Break in a Glove")

A bit of time later, while Zoe is at Evan's house, Evan comments how he and his mother don't have much money, and he needs to apply for scholarships to get into college. He begins to mention Connor, but Zoe mentions how she doesn't want their relationship to be how it is. Evan gets nervous, thinking this means she is breaking up with him, but Zoe reassures Evan that she is not breaking up with him, and what she means is she wants their relationship to be about the two of them. Not about Connor. ("Only Us")

Evan later, gets into a fight with Jared, who says that Connor's death is the best thing that's ever happened to him. He is no longer invisible and he is dating Zoe. Evan refuses and returns to the Murphy's, where he finds that Larry and Cynthia had invited Heidi over for dinner. Cynthia offers to use the money they had saved for Connor's college for Evan, making it clear Zoe mentioned to her parents Evan didn't have much money for college. Heidi, having no idea that Evan spent time with the Murphys, is hurt that they are assuming he has no money for college, and she takes Evan home. After returning, the two fight over Evan's secrecy. Heidi protests that the Murphys are not Evan's family, but he shoots back that he feels welcomed and accepted by the Murphys, due to Heidi's constant absence and expectations of his mental health. Upset and hurt, Heidi berates Evan for running off to a new family. Alana begins to notice inconsistencies in the letter and is upset by how Evan has become so much less involved in the Connor Project. As she begins to suspect the story is alive, a panicked Evan begs Jared to help him write more emails, showing Connor getting worse, Jared claims that Evan only wants to be his friend when he needs something. Jared threatens to expose Evan, but Evan says how Jared could go ahead and admit he 'pretended to be a kid who killed himself.' ("Good for You")

Evan decides he wants to come clean with everything, when an imaginary Connor attempts to talk him out of it, citing how happy he's made the Murphys, and his relationship with Zoe. Evan angrily shouts how he wants everything to be over, but Connor is unconvinced. He asks Evan how he really broke his arm, saying to him, "Did you fall or did you let go?" Evan denies 'letting go,' but Connor tells Evan how telling the truth will leave Evan with nothing but himself. He then disappears, leaving Evan alone.

When Evan goes to apologize to Alana, she states that she has given up on the Connor Project, and she states her doubt that they were ever friends, since they were never seen together. Evan panics, saying he has proof they were friends. He shows Alana the suicide note. She realizes that this letter is the key to reach their fundraising goal, and posts online, though Evan protested. It goes viral, people posting that they believe Connor's suicide was because of an uncaring family.

A distraught Evan goes to see the Murphys, where he walks in on them fighting about why Connor really killed himself. Not wanting them to fight any further, Evan blurts out how Connor didn't write the letter. He did. He admitted that he only lied, in hope he could form a bond with the Murphy's, because of the tragedy. Cynthia and Zoe tearfully run out, as Larry turns away from Evan in disgust. Feeling he needs to explain, Evan admits how broken he feels and how he never had their kind of 'perfect' family. ("Words Fail")

Evan finds Heidi waiting for him at home. She says that she saw the letter and knew it was one of Evan's therapy assignments. Heidi apologizes for not seeing how badly Evan was hurting. Evan says nothing was her fault, and he vaguely admits how falling out of the tree was his own suicide attempt. Heidi sits Evan down and reminisces the day Evan's father left them, reassuring that she will always be there for him no matter what. ("So Big / So Small")

A year later, Evan is still living at home and working at Pottery Barn to earn enough money to go to college. Evan gets back in contact with Zoe, whom he has not seen since she found out the truth. She agrees to meet with him, but insists to meet at the orchard that was reopened in Connor's memory. He apologizes for the pain he caused her family and admits he has been reading Connor's ten favorite books from a list he found in an old yearbook, in attempt to connect with who he really was. He also thanks Zoe and her family for keeping his fake friendship with Connor a secret. She forgives him, saying how the incident had brought her family closer together. Evan asked why she asked to meet in the orchard, and she replies saying she wanted to make sure he saw it. The two awkwardly part, and Evan makes one final letter to himself, mentally. He reflects on the impact he has had on his community and how now he is who he really is and that he is enough. He mentions his questions about his future and what is going to come next. ("Finale")

## Casts

### Workshop

**Evan Hansen:** Ben Platt

**Heidi Hansen:** Rachel Bay Jones

**Zoe Murphy:** Laura Dreyfuss

**Connor Murphy:** Mike Faist

**Cynthia Murphy:** Jennifer Laura Thompson

**Larry Murphy:** Michael Park

**Alana Beck:** Alexis Molnar

**Jared Kleinman:** Will Roland

### Off-Broadway

**Evan Hansen:** Ben Platt

**Heidi Hansen:** Rachel Bay Jones

**Zoe Murphy:** Laura Dreyfuss

**Connor Murphy:** Mike Faist

**Cynthia Murphy:** Jennifer Laura Thompson

**Larry Murphy:** John Dossett

**Alana Beck:** Kristolyn Lloyd

**Jared Kleinman:** Will Roland

### Original Broadway

**Evan Hansen:** Ben Platt

**Heidi Hansen:** Rachel Bay Jones

**Zoe Murphy:** Laura Dreyfuss

**Connor Murphy:** Mike Faist

**Cynthia Murphy:** Jennifer Laura Thompson

**Larry Murphy:** Michael Park

**Alana Beck:** Kristolyn Lloyd

**Jared Kleinman:** Will Roland

### London

A London production of Dear Evan Hansen has been confirmed to open 2018

### Broadway Cast Replacements

* **November 20, 2017:** Noah Galvin replaced Ben Platt as Evan Hansen

## Tour(s)

### First US Tour

A U.S. Tour was announced to begin in Denver, Colorado, in October, 2018.

## Songs

* Anybody Have a Map?
* Waving Through a Window
* For Forever
* Sincerely, Me
* Requiem
* If I Could Tell Her
* Disappear
* You Will Be Found
* Sincerely, Me (Reprise) †
* 3To Break In a Glove
* Only Us
* Good for You
* For Forever (Reprise) †
* You Will Be Found (Reprise) †
* Words Fail
* So Big / So Small
* Finale

*\* † = Not Included in Original Broadway Cast Recording*