A solid production ofDear Evan Hansenis still about as good as American musical theater gets right now.
(I also saw the show with Platts immediate replacement, Noah Galvin, who was similarly brilliant.)
And there are other quibbles to be had about this particular transfer.
Credit: Matthew Murphy
But by and large, thisDear Evan Hansenremains a powerful gut-punch with heft.
Connor grabs it from him, fearing Evan is only writing it as a way to mock him.
He helps lift the spirits of Connors parents.
His voice suddenly, finally matters.
He can act out a fantasy.
Yet the original book by Steven Levenson is durably deft.
The musical is deeply attuned to generational trends and anxieties.
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They complement Levensons excellent book in more ways than one, with lyrics that sting and moods that enhance.
That the audience is more in-tune makes the flow feel all the more natural.
You Will Be Found sends the show into intermission as searingly as any fan could hope for.
And this feels like a major moment for Jessica Phillips.
She plays beautifully off of Ross, too, a key ingredient to the musicals success.
Overall, our new Evan acquits himself nicely, playing him a bit more broadly than his Broadway counterparts.
The work is more apparent, at times the acting too mannered.
But Ross hits the big notes.
It gets right at the heart.B+
