Dear Evan Hansen

I've never felt so torn about the review of a show as I have after attending an evening at Second Stage to watch Dear Evan Hansen.  The title represents a key document in the teen-angst musical's plot - an alleged suicide note to be specific.  The trouble here - it wasn't s suicide note and just about everything that Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) told Colton's (Mike Faist) family after they mistook it for their son's suicide note is a complete lie.  The lie explodes beyond friends, family, school and ultimately and predictably overtakes social media into the entire community and larger social network.  The social commentary here has something to do with "fitting in".  It is complicated by the fact that the chief liar is a messed up kid himself - so one might ask "Is it OK to lie and promote those lies about a dead kid as long as it actually helps heal and help the messed up one who is still alive?"  I really think that the fact that this show made it this far means that people just look at the premise and say "That's just how it is."

I understand that one of the writers of this musical (Benj Pasek or Justin Paul I am not sure which) wrote it as a response to a suicide they experienced in their own young school life.  The trouble I found here is that although there is a mild "you get what you deserve" ending, it basically promotes this behavior or if you can't take that  strong a position, you must admit it does virtually nothing to reject the premise.   To make my life harder - the music and songs were astonishingly beautiful.  It really is possible to pair superb music with sub-standard material.

As for the acting - overall despite the youth and inexperience of the cast - it was indeed superlative, and in Ben Platt's (Evan Hansen's) case - (once this show makes it to Broadway) Tony Award Winning stuff.  Seriously, it was that good.  Mr. Platt takes the mannerisms, verbal ticks, quirks, and eye movements of a shy, anxious, socially awkward boy and makes you believe he really is.  His staccato verbal style, pregnant pauses, and nervous laughter is real.  His emotion and actual tears on the stage are quite literally present and true.  His vocals are angelic and the songs/lyrics by Messers Pasek and Paul are quite literally haunting.  Although I will make note that way too many songs had wild swings in octave which forced Mr. Platt into and out of his falsetto voice way too many times.  His cast mates Mike Faist (Connor Murphy) and Will Roland (Jared Kleinman) support Mr. Platt well.  It's a  fine young ensemble cast, the look of the stage, digital and the sound, electronic.

Indeed, I cried at multiple points at the show.  I was upset, I was disturbed, I was sad for Evan Hansen.  But those tears were often tears for the sad and tragic situation he created.  I was crying for his predicament.  Some would argue that is the achievement of theatrical empathy.  I would agree with that theatrical analysis, except I was more upset at what he did rather than for him.

At over 2h:35m (at my performance) the show, which is known to be heading to Broadway after this run, is also way too long.  There is much to be cut and if asked I could readily suggest at least 3 different scenes that could be scrapped.  This show should probably come in at 2 solid hours including the intermission.

Much like Evan, I too am tortured and torn.  This show was so good, yet so disappointing all at the same time to me.

What's It All About? Bacharach Reimagined

At the helm of this new work, Canadian crooner and successful young actor and artist, Kyle Riabko, takes a bunch of classic tunes from an old master, Mr. Burt Bacharach, and re imagines them fin-a concert-like setting for a new generation of hipsters.

There's not really a show here in the true sense of the word if you want a plot.  Mr. Riabko opens the show like a concert by speaking off-the-cuff to the audience welcoming them and giving them a bit of background on how the show came about.  After he launches into the music, not another word is spoken.  It's pure entertainment for sure.  The mind is put to work with each tune trying in the early notes and words to figure out just what the old version was and then left to admire the face lift that it has been given.

You may not love the redo or you may think it's the best new take on an old tune.  Regardless, the magnificent musicians on stage provide quite a show.

I had the on-stage seating experience.  While there was a lot of butt-watching (they played downstage from us a lot), the one magical thing to be a part of was the sound.  I imagine the audience  heard the fully mixed and amplified sound out in the classic seats.  We, on stage, however, were treated to actual natural, un-amplified vocals and harmonies and sounds directly from the instruments.  It was refreshing to hear and I found it remarkable to learn just how talented these young artists actually are.

NYTW seems to be a veritable petrie dish for new artists and unique shows for the past few years (Once and Peter and the Starcatcher both originated here prior to their Broadway transfers). I just wish the play list was published in the Playbill - I left remembering most of the tunes but would have enjoyed looking back on them and remembering the performance even more days afterward too.

And  poor Hal David.  Nobody gives him as much credit for those lyrics as Mr. Bacharach gets for the music!