Dear Evan Hansen is a stage musical with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Steven Levenson. The musical follows Evan Hansen, a high school senior with social anxiety, "who invents an important role for himself in a tragedy that he did not earn".
The show's world premiere was at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. in July 2015. After an Off-Broadway production at Second Stage Theatre from March to May 2016, the musical transferred to Broadway, opening at the Music Box Theatre in December 2016. It closed on September 18, 2022.
The show received critical acclaim; at the 71st Tony Awards, it was nominated for nine awards, winning six, including Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Actor for Ben Platt, and Best Featured Actress for Rachel Bay Jones.
A film adaptation was directed by Stephen Chbosky and co-produced by Marc Platt, the father of Ben Platt, who reprised his performance in the title role. Released by Universal Pictures on September 24, 2021, it was a box-office disappointment and received negative reviews from critics. This, along with soft ticket sales caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, became the leading factors that would cause both the Broadway and West End productions to close.
The show continues to be performed worldwide, with Music Theatre International holding the licensing rights, which have been made available to amateur theatres as of December 8, 2025.
Plot
Act 1 Evan Hansen, a 17-year-old high school senior in Maryland with social anxiety and depression, is assigned by his therapist to write letters to himself detailing what will be good about each day, starting each with "Dear Evan Hansen, today is going to be a good day, and here's why". Evan's overworked mother, Heidi, suggests that Evan, having fallen out of a tree and broken his arm, ask people to sign his cast to make friends. Meanwhile, Cynthia and Larry Murphy struggle to connect with their own 17-year-old son, Connor, a sullen and equally depressed drug abuser who is abusive to his younger sister, Zoe ("Anybody Have a Map?").
At school, Evan meets compulsively-overachieving classmate Alana Beck and his reluctant "family friend" Jared Kleinman, both of whom neglect to sign his cast. Evan runs into Connor, who misinterprets his awkwardness for hostility and pushes him to the ground. Zoe, with whom Evan is infatuated, feels obliged to apologize for her brother's behavior. Evan wonders if his destiny in life is to always be ignored ("Waving Through a Window"). Evan writes the letter to himself in the school library, wondering how he could talk to Zoe and if anyone at school would notice if he disappeared ("Waving Through a Window" [Reprise #1]). Connor bumps into Evan again, this time ironically offering to sign Evan's cast. He finds Evan's letter on the printer and, thinking that Evan intentionally made the letter so Connor would find it, becomes furious and storms out, taking the letter with him. Meanwhile, Alana ponders her own inner anxieties ("Waving Through a Window" [Reprise #2]).
A few days later, Evan is called to the principal's office, where Connor's parents tell him that their son has died by suicide. They found Evan's letter in Connor's pocket, and mistakenly believe it is a suicide note Connor wrote to Evan. Despite Evan's fumbling attempts to explain the truth, the Murphys believe the two boys had a close friendship and invite Evan to their house for dinner. There, Evan tells them what he thinks they want to hear to avoid discomfort, pretending that he and Connor had secretly been best friends, and recounting a fictional version of the day he broke his arm at an abandoned apple orchard the family had visited years ago ("For Forever"). Evan enlists Jared's help in creating fake, backdated email conversations between him and Connor ("Sincerely, Me").
After Evan shows the Murphys the fake emails, Cynthia is ecstatic to "learn" that her son had a friend, but Larry is hurt, believing Connor took his family and his privileged life for granted, and Zoe still refuses to mourn Connor because of how he abused her ("Requiem"). However, after reading the "suicide note", Zoe notices that she is mentioned fondly and asks Evan why Connor would say that about her, so he tells her all the reasons he likes her under the guise of Connor saying them ("If I Could Tell Her"). Evan impulsively tries to kiss Zoe, but she pulls away.
Disgusted by the idea of Connor being forgotten, and motivated by Alana and a vision of Connor, Evan enlists Alana and Jared's help in founding "The Connor Project" to keep Connor's memory alive, which the Murphys eagerly encourage ("Disappear"). While making a speech at a school assembly for Connor, Evan suffers from a panic attack but composes himself, and the speech goes viral online; Zoe, overcome by the impact her brother and Evan have had, kisses him ("You Will Be Found").
Act 2 Evan and Alana pitch a fundraising campaign on The Connor Project's website, to raise $50,000 to restore the abandoned apple orchard. Meanwhile, Jared continues to help Evan write fabricated emails, narrowly avoiding a fabricated incest subplot from Jared ("Sincerely Me" [Reprise]). After Heidi learns about Evan's speech about Connor online, she asks him why she never knew about this or the "friendship", and they get into a fight. Evan runs to the Murphys' house, where he bonds with Larry, who offers Evan Connor's old, unused baseball glove ("To Break In a Glove"). While on a date in his house, Evan offhandedly mentions that Heidi is struggling for funds to pay for his college ("Only Us"). Evan becomes preoccupied with Zoe and neglects Heidi, Jared, and The Connor Project.
On one of his many visits to the Murphys, Evan finds Zoe invited Heidi for dinner. The Murphys reveal they want to give Connor's college fund to Evan, offending Heidi that Evan would discuss her money troubles with others. At home, Heidi and Evan fight, with Evan telling her he has found family in her absence. Heidi, Alana, and Jared converge in Evan's conscience, compounding his guilt and doubt over his decisions ("Good for You"). Evan debates with the vision of Connor about whether he should tell the truth, where it’s revealed that Evan intentionally fell from the tree in his own suicide attempt ("For Forever" [Reprise]).
Alana has become suspicious about Evan's "friendship" with Connor, so Evan shows her Connor's "suicide note" to try and prove it. Realizing that the letter is the key to fulfilling the fundraising goal for The Connor Project, Alana posts it online without Evan’s consent. This also goes viral and achieves the goal, but the public begins to blame Connor's wealthy, previously dysfunctional family for his suicide ("You Will Be Found" [Reprise]), making them the targets of harassment. Evan walks in on the Murphys fighting among themselves about the blame and finally admits to them his fabrication; as the Murphys leave in disgust, Evan absorbs his perceived brokenness as inescapable ("Words Fail"). Heidi recognizes the "suicide note" online as one of Evan's therapy assignments and apologizes to him for not seeing how badly he has been hurting. She recalls the day his father moved out and promises that she will always be there for him when he needs her ("So Big/So Small").
A year later, Evan is still living with his mother, working at a store to earn enough money for college the next semester. Zoe invites him to meet her at the orchard, which has been reopened. He apologizes for the pain he caused and Zoe forgives him, saying the ordeal brought her family closer together. After they part ways, Evan mentally writes himself one last letter reflecting on the impact he has had on his community and questions what is to come next ("Finale").
Roles and principal casts Cast +Character First Reading Second Reading Third Reading Washington, D.C. Off-Broadway Broadway First US tour Toronto West End Buenos Aires Second US tour Australia UK tour International tour Netherlands tour Evan Hansen Ben Platt Ben Levi Ross Robert Markus Sam Tutty Máximo Meyer Michael Fabisch Beau Woodbridge Ryan KopelEllis KirkWard van Klinken Heidi Hansen Rachel Bay Jones Jessica Phillips Jessica Sherman Rebecca McKinnis Julia Zenko Bre Cade Verity Hunt-Ballard Alice FearnRebecca McKinnis Zoe Murphy Barrett Wilbert Weed Laura Dreyfuss Max McKenna Stephanie La Rochelle Lucy Anderson Rocío Hernández Hatty Ryan King Georgia Laga'aia Lauren ConroyZoë Athena Cynthia Murphy Jennifer Laura Thompson Christiane Noll Claire Rankin Lauren Ward Laura Conforte Caitlin Sams Natalie O'Donnell Helen Anker, Nyncke Beekhuyzen Larry Murphy Michael Park John Dossett Michael Park Aaron Lazar Evan Buliung Rupert Young Fabio Aste Jeff Brooks Martin Crewes Richard HurstHal FowlerAlex van Bergen Connor Murphy Will Pullen Mike Faist Marrick Smith Sean Patrick Dolan Doug Colling Guido Balzaretti Alex Pharo Harry Targett Killian Thomas LefevreRhys HopkinsPepijn van den Berg Jared Kleinman Alex Wyse Will Roland Jared Goldsmith Alessandro Costantini Jack Loxton Mariano Condoluci Gabriel Vernon Nunag Jacob Rozario Tom DickersonDave Rijnders Alana Beck Erin Wilhelmi Emily Walton Emily Skeggs Alexis Molnar Kristolyn Lloyd Phoebe Koyabe Shakura Dickerson Nicole Raquel Dennis Mariel Percossi Makena Jackson Carmel Rodrigues Vivian PankaOlivia-Faith KamauNaima Bayo
Notable Broadway cast replacements Evan Hansen: Noah Galvin, Taylor Trensch, Andrew Barth Feldman, Jordan Fisher, Roman Banks, Ben Levi Ross Heidi Hansen: Lisa Brescia, Jessica Phillips Zoe Murphy: Mallory Bechtel Cynthia Murphy: Christiane Noll Larry Murphy: Manoel Felciano Jared Kleinman: Gaten Matarazzo, Jared Goldsmith Connor Murphy: Alex Boniello
Character descriptions Evan Hansen – A high school senior with social anxiety. He is assigned by his therapist to write letters to himself about why each day will be good, which becomes the catalyst for the plot of the story (hence the name, Dear Evan Hansen). Heidi Hansen – Evan's mother, a nurse's aide who attends paralegal school at night, often leaving Evan on his own as a result. Connor Murphy – A classmate of Evan and high school senior who, like Evan, is also a social outcast with no friends, and is a frequent drug user, getting high to cope with his aggressive and violent tendencies. Connor eventually takes his own life during Act 1. His ghost appears in Evan's mind throughout the rest of the musical. Zoe Murphy – Connor's younger sister and Evan's longtime crush. She was never close to Connor, even hated him and thought he was a monster, but wishes she had known him better and turns to Evan after he lies and says he was friends with Connor. Cynthia Murphy – Connor and Zoe's stay-at-home mother. She is constantly trying to keep her fragile family from falling apart but is often unsuccessful. Larry Murphy – Connor and Zoe's busy and distant father. Jared Kleinman – Evan's droll and sarcastic friend. He helps Evan and Alana found The Connor Project. Alana Beck – Evan's earnest but melodramatic classmate. She is constantly looking for academic and extracurricular activities to boost her collegiate chances.
Musical numbers
Act 1 "Anybody Have a Map?" – Heidi, Cynthia "Waving Through a Window" – Evan, Company "Waving Through a Window (Reprise #1)"* – Evan "Waving Through a Window (Reprise #2)"* – Alana "For Forever" – Evan "Sincerely, Me" – Connor, Evan, Jared "Requiem" – Zoe, Cynthia, Larry "If I Could Tell Her" – Evan, Zoe "Disappear" – Connor, Evan, Alana, Jared, Larry, Cynthia, Zoe "You Will Be Found" – Evan, Alana, Jared, Zoe, Company, VC (virtual community)
Act 2 "Sincerely, Me (Reprise)"* – Connor, Jared "To Break In a Glove" – Larry, Evan "Only Us" – Zoe, Evan "Good for You" – Heidi, Alana, Jared, Evan "For Forever (Reprise)"* – Connor "You Will Be Found (Reprise)"* – Alana, Jared, VC "Words Fail" – Evan "So Big/So Small" – Heidi "Finale" – Evan, Company