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

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

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.

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.

ChiTheaterFan -

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

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?

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!

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.