By Lynda Lacayo
“Dear Evan Hansen” has been playing to sold-out houses since its December 2016 opening. The 2017 top Tony contender took home six wins, including Best Musical and just about every honor out there from Drama Desk to a Grammy. Yes, (Benj) Pastek and (Justin) Paul’s brilliant piece scored Best Musical Theater Album and select singles are I-tuning to the top of the charts.
“Dear Evan Hansen” can be funny, yet it’s so real, so now, that it’s bringing audiences across the continent to tears. Grab your hankies, Orange County, “Dear Evan Hansen” starts off the New Year, playing at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Jan. 1 – 13, 2019.
The Washington Post wrote “Dear Evan Hansen” as “one of the most remarkable shows in musical history.” “Dear Evan Hansen” is taking the world by storm, on stage, on social media and through critical acclaim, because it is that rare yet exciting marvel, a modern musical that is wholly original, features an unfamiliar score by up-and-coming songwriters and a book that actually tells a gripping brand new story about a fascinatingly flawed adolescent and his runaway lie.
Another of the ground-breaking concepts in “Dear Evan Hansen” is that there is no ensemble, just a small troupe of eight players, all in principle roles, who express the story in mind-bogglingly good music. Among the touring company’s sterling cast, is Jessica Phillips. Phillips is wowing audiences across the country playing Evan’s tender and resilient Mom, Heidi Hansen. Phillips is the emotional anchor of the show bringing theater patrons to tears night after night.
Phillips felt an instant connection and attraction to the emotionally charged musical but it’s the character, Heidi Hansen, whom she describes as a ‘dream role.’ She says, “Heidi is firing on all cylinders. She’s a single, full-time mom, going to night school, and working a day job. She’s doing all this single-handedly while trying to improve life for herself and her son, Evan, who is struggling with social anxiety. She does it all with humor and an attitude that she can’t be beat down. She approaches life and parenthood in an admirable way because she tries so hard to find the good in everything she is handling. And she doesn’t always do this gracefully. She says the wrong thing at times, she tries too hard, she loses her temper, just as real human beings do in life. This is why I love her, she’s so real.”
Phillips continues, “She expresses the full spectrum of human emotion and what it means to be a parent. She clearly has a deep bond and love for Evan. Heidi has these moments of goofiness, humor, silliness, and fun. Then she’ll have moments of incredible depth of emotion and truth. As an actor, it’s a gift to get to play the entire range of emotions.”
“Hamilton” had Gen X audiences flocking to theaters because it spoke to them in a musical language they related to. In much the same way, “Dear Evan Hansen,” has been labeled the Musical of a generation, because it shines a light on teen anguish and anxiety created by social media influences in a Gen Z world. The musical is deeply attuned to generational obsessions as is creatively shown by the background of giant Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram screens. Social media is fundamental to the plot and is propelling a social media firestorm.
The contemporary, cutting edge show is wildly trending on social media and in the hearts of audiences.
To explain this phenomenon, Phillips explains, “You only have to appear at the theater door to know the impact of this musical. People are connecting to it; audiences of all generations can see themselves in at least one of the characters. Families who come to the show have a shared experience that, we hope, will open doors to meaningful conversation among themselves. The power of the piece is that it is so beautifully written people see themselves in the characters and connect to them emotionally.
Pastek and Paul’s musical score is another of the mesmerizing elements leading to the spectacular success of “Dear Evan Hansen.” Phillips says of the songwriters, “their songs are articulated with a kind of complexity that is, first of all mind-blowing, but also just emotionally compelling. They get to the heart of the song that they are constructing. And they do it in a way that sweeps up audiences in an unexpected manner.”
Phillips is thrilled to work with the musical maestros. What she finds even more exciting is her 11 O’clock number, “So Big, So Small.” She says “It’s a show-stopping number and it’s mine. The song is very simple in its construction and that makes it captivating. It’s a gut-wrenching piece of music. It’s also an emotional turning point in the story. It allows Heidi to break through and connect with her son when she says/sings ‘I already know you and I love you.’”
“Dear Evan Hansen” is loaded with many favorite moments for Phillips. She says, “the brightest, happiest moment in the show, for me, is a song called ‘Sincerely Me.’ The three youthful male leads come together to sing, dance and celebrate. It’s really fun.”
There are many life lessons in “Dear Evan Hansen.” One such message, “You Will Be Found,” has resonated with younger fans, some tattooing the words on their arms. Phillips believes “audiences interpret these words in a way that is most meaningful to them.” She says, “For me, the meaning is that at some moment in life, we all feel alone, isolated or misunderstood but that passes and we realize that we’re all connected, we’re all the same.”
The brilliant Gen Z smash Musical belongs to all of us because it deals with real issues, relevant in a globe gone electronic. Phillips recommends “Dear Evan Hansen” to audiences, saying, “It’s like real life. It’s the most contemporary, the most topical and poignant piece that’s out there right now.”
“Dear Evan Hansen” is playing at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Segerstrom Hall on January 1 – 13, 2019. For tickets and information: Online, SCFTA.org; Phone, 714-556-2787; The Box Office, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626. Hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily.
