DEAR EVAN HANSEN at Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre- Page 3

[pupscotch]

Posted: 4/2/16 at 9:25pm

Has anyone gotten the rush seats for this show through TodayTix yet? Or the student rush at the theater? Where are the seats?

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 4/2/16 at 9:39pm

HSky:  since you asked the question, what did you think of the change?

 

 

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I personally really liked the focus on the parallels between the mothers. I am now closer in age to the mothers than Evan. Although I have no children, I can't imagine trying to relate to teenagers in this environment with the internet so prevalent. Life as a high schooler was hard enough 20 years ago when I was there without these challenges. For that reason, I thought the focus on the moms very effective. 

 

[mg2685a]

Posted: 4/2/16 at 11:27pm

I saw tonight's show and I must confess that I'm really disappointed. I think this show has one of the most talented company's in New York but they're given so little to work with. Evan is so fleshed out but the other characters seem like caricatures and stereotypes. I have to say that I think Jennifer Laura Thompson stole the show. After Evan, I think her character is most developed. 

I also found the show to be way too predictable and preachy. I think the show has an incredibly powerful message but I just don't think they've found a way to make it come through.

If I could make changes, I'd totally rewrite Alana and Jared. I thought they were so hilariously unlikable. I also believe Connor needs to be more integrated into the story. His character has something valuable to share and I think his role as Evan's "conscience" could be expanded. 

As for the music, I didn't find it particularly memorable. It wasn't bad but it wasn't anything we haven't already heard. The set was also a bit of a letdown. The DC set looked much cooler and this set just didn't mesh well with the tech aspects. 

I'm curious to see where this goes. If they undergo serious revisions, it could be something really special. At this rate, I don't see it succeeding on Broadway, even though the cast is stellar. 

For those expecting to see the next Next to Normal, you should look elsewhere. 

[theateraddiction]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 12:06am

I saw the show tonight and was absolutely blown away. I had initially been so looking forward to this show, but after reading comments on this chat board, I became less enthusiastic. I'm so glad I decided to go despite the comments because this is hands down one of the most gorgeous productions I have ever seen. It has such a beautiful story with incredible performances all around. Ben Platt is giving a tour de force performance. He is so unbelievably talented—having achieved this much at 22, I cannot wait to see where he will go. Rachel Bay Jones is also giving, IMO, the best performance of her career. There really isn't a week link in the cast—they're all fantastic. I found both the book and score absolutely glorious: hilarious, heartbreaking, and everything in between. Throughout the second act, I was sobbing uncontrollably. I am not one to cry often at shows, but this show just hit me. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this show after reading the mixed-negative comments on this board, but I just adored it. I went with a group of friends, all of whom are, like me, serious theater-goers, seeing shows multiple times every week, and all of us thought it was absolutely outstanding and were hysterically crying. I sincerely hope this moves to Broadway. It's such an important story to share. Theater has the capacity to change lives, which is why we LOVE it so deeply, and this show is doing just that. All I can say is WOW.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 12:31am

I know I've posted my thoughts on the production, but I just think it's hilarious how everyone either LOVES it or hates it. 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 12:38am

Yeah, I really didn't expect the responses to be on two extremes. From what I remember, the reception here about the DC production was pretty warmly positive, if sometimes hesitant.

[HSky]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 1:21am

ChiTheaterFan -

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

I'm split between how I feel about it musically and structurally. I liked the pace of "This'll Be the Year" better and I wouldn't be surprised if the interspersed moments were originally written within the framework of that song. I felt those moments occasionally felt shoehorned into "Does Anyone Have a Map?", which doesn't grab you by the lapels and propel you into the story the same way. However, I think it was a wise move to highlight the parallels between the mothers and it was a better introduction to the Murphy family. It's one of the reasons why I thought the characters were better defined.

 

Updated On: 4/3/16 at 01:21 AM

[benmangini]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:21am

Are we sure there's rush tickets on the todaytix app ? Getting them is impossible 

[pupscotch]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:33am

benmangini said: "Are we sure there's rush tickets on the todaytix app ? Getting them is impossible 

 

"

I got them for tonight's performance! And I've had them in my cart before, and then not used them, so getting them is possible! Does anyone know where the seats are?

[JM226]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 11:33am

LizzieCurry said: "Yeah, I really didn't expect the responses to be on two extremes. From what I remember, the reception here about the DC production was pretty warmly positive, if sometimes hesitant.

 

"

 

the reviews would refute that. go back and read them. the overwhelming majority were very positive without hesitancy. a couple of them even gushing.  this is far superior to N2N in that the score is much more accessible; more contemporary musical theatre than rock pop, which N2N was unabashedly so.

 

the other poster was right. this is no N2N. this is much better.  glad to hear it is selling well... i will be returning toward the end of the month and look forward to seeing all these changes. 

[petewk87]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 11:47am

Really looking forward to seeing the show. I know the questions have been raised in this thread, but could someone summarize where the seats are for both the TodayTix rush and student rush? Are 30 under 30 seats pretty much sold out at this point? Thanks so much!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 11:49am

I saw it in DC and I enjoyed it. It doesn't need any white-knight fans, though.

[billyelliotfan123]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 11:56am

I got a student ticket on Wednesday night 15 minutes before curtain. I was in the balcony but since everything is staged down stage center I didn't miss a thing although I could totally see why people complain about the balcony. Any other show and the view would be miserable

[JM226]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 12:06pm

LizzieCurry said: "I saw it in DC and I enjoyed it. It doesn't need any white-knight fans, though.

 

"

 

it also doesn't need posters claiming very untrue things online. the reviews were not hesitant in their love for it. they were embracing of it. this is not something that can be refuted, as you only need to read the reviews for proof. that is all. thanks 

[benmangini]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 12:14pm

Is this the most popular show at the theater or did Amanda Seyfried's show also have big audiences ?

[billyelliotfan123]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 12:55pm

I'd say it is likely to become the off Broadway show to see this year. I thought it was fantastic. Unfortunately though I don't think it will be successful on Broadway. I just don't see it fitting in a big theater. However people said the same thing about Fun Home and even Hamilton

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 6:53pm

billyelliotfan123 said: "I'd say it is likely to become the off Broadway show to see this year. I thought it was fantastic. Unfortunately though I don't think it will be successful on Broadway. I just don't see it fitting in a big theater. However people said the same thing about Fun Home and even Hamilton"

 

I think you forgot about Lazarus. Despite any criticisms, it was infinitely more popular and more buzzed about than Evan Hansen. It made international headlines long before Bowie's death. It's very safe to say that Lazarus was the off-Broadway show to see this season.

 

[BOM]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:06pm

Saw this show today and loved it. I'm not one to get emotional but this show really touched me. Ben Platt gave such a heartbreaking performance. I have no doubt in my mind that if this show was on Broadway it would get a lot of tony noms. Acting, score, and book were all top notch. Really hope I can see it again someday. There's something in this that everyone can relate to. 

[talinatter]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:12pm

I agree with this review out of all in the thread. I went into the show with very, very high expectations, and went out very confused to whether or not I had liked the show. Spoiler:!!! Connors character really confused me because it's unclear why he killed himself, and based off of his character alive, he didn't seem like he would want his parents to be happy, so I didn't really understand his ghost. Also the whole show was basically waiting for Evan to tell, and the ending was kind of unfulfilling. That being said, I very very much so enjoyed the show. It is so relevant and I think it really is a new fresh piece of theatre. Ben is astonishingly good, he evoked so much sympathy from me, despite what he was doing. I really wanted a happy ending, but I felt that his character has barely changed by the end. But, the show has only just begun so I cannot wait to see how it develops!! The music is gorgeous and the lighting/ set is stunning. I can't personally see it going to Broadway because of how intimate it is; and the appeal in my opinion would be to the younger generation. I really wish there would have been more of an ending to show how Evan had changed, and what happened to the rest of the characters. I would have liked to see Connor explain himself and be more against what Evan was doing. But, I truly did learn so much from this show. It really kept me thinking and feeling and will continue to do so, I'm sure. I started to cry 20 minutes in, and never really stopped. Despite a few plot holes, the idea behind this story and the way in which it is told is stunning. I got to the theatre an hour before it started and got back row center seats, which were great for $25. There isn't a bad seat in the house. I do recommend this to everyone. The characters are all so thought provoking and it shows how people act in a crisis in this day and age. I doubt the messages will leave my mind for awhile 

[pupscotch]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:15pm

I saw this tonight, and I thought it was amazing. I loved the first act especially, though I think the second act could be more fleshed out, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the show. I loved the score, especially Waving in the Window, and Ben especially was absolutely fantastic, though the whole cast is amazing. I think it's great just how relatable the show is, and though I'm not sure if it will succeed on Broadway, I can see it going to Broadway in a small-ish theater (I was thinking the Booth or the Barrymore).

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:23pm

I think the Barrymore may even be too large for this show. I'm thinking the Booth or the Hayes may be the best bet for this show's success on Broadway which is very realistic if the right venue is chosen. 

[BOM]

Posted: 4/3/16 at 10:33pm

The Hayes would be perfect for this show!

[JBroadway]

Posted: 4/4/16 at 12:06am

Wow. So I've been staying away from this thread to avoid having my option affected, and I'm really glad I did. It certainly wasn't a perfect show, but I'm surprised to see that it's so divisive. 

 

This really hit me hard emotionally. A lot of personal stuff in my life came up as a watched, as I imagine it does for many people seeing this sort of show. The amount of time I spent crying might be more than any other show I've seen. 

 

What I was actually most impressed with was the book, which might come as a surprise to some of the show's critics in this thread. True, the story was pretty far-fetched, but I didn't have an issue with that. The emotional and thematic scope of this piece is very ambitious and complex, but I personally think it handled that scope very well, balancing the development of each character and exploring the various emotional implications of this wild scenario. I found the structure very satisfying. Whenever I found myself wanting the show to return to a particular character or plot line, it always did. 

 

The characters of Alana and Jared were less satisfying for me. They were clearly just plot devices, but I could appreciate why they were there. I think every school has someone who would have behaved exactly like Alana in this situation. 

 

My only other issue with the book was that I think all the social media stuff felt like a bit of an overload, and seemed like it was trying really hard to be modern and relevant. For me, it distracted from what was really happening with the characters. 

 

The score was definitely not their best. It often sounded very "generic contemporary musical theatre" to me, but I didn't mind because I think the songs were well-utilize to advance the story and develop the characters, which makes for really satisfying musical theatre overall, even if the songs themselves are not ones that I'd listen to very often on the cast album.

 

The performances were excellent. My favorites were both of the mothers, as well as Laura Dreyfuss and, of course, Ben Platt. If this does move to Broadway, I definitely see a nomination, and maybe even a win for him.

 

 (side note: I realized during the show that Ben Platt would have made a really great Christopher in Curious Incident. Anyone agree?)

 

All in all, I think this is a wonderful piece of theatre, despite its flaws. It's hard to say whether this show will be remembered in 10-15 years, but I'm very glad I saw it now. I don't necessarily think it should go to Broadway, but if they decide to, I would certainly be rooting for their success. 

[BOM]

Posted: 4/4/16 at 12:11am

I agree with the curious incident comparison. He started off the show, and I got this sort of autistic vibe  from him. He just had these mannerisms that were very similar to Alex sharp in Curious. It faded throughout the show though. 

[yfs]

Posted: 4/4/16 at 12:15am

I went back this today after seeing the first preview. A lot of good work has been done, with more to come, I suspect. For me, the biggest problem is the opening number, which seems to me to be about the wrong thing. The show's not about two mothers. Once that problem goes away, the score is incredibly strong, and the book is touching and very sure-footed. I was moved and interested all the way through. I think there's more shaping to do in Act Two, but overall, I really love this show. And Alex Lacamoire has done a great job with the orchestrations and music direction.