Name: Dear Evan Hansen
ISBN: 9781538761915

Steven Levenson

Benj Pasek

Justin Paul

The official behind-the-scenes book of the hit musical that won 6 Tony Awards! A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he's always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. Both deeply personal and profoundly contemporary, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is a new American musical about life and the way we live it. The book-produced by Melcher Media, the team behind Hamilton, Wicked, Rent, and many more-tells the story of the musical from its conception nearly a decade ago to the Broadway stage. From developing the idea to writing the show, composing, casting, and rehearsals, DEAR EVAN HANSEN appeals to fans far and wide offering them the opportunity to continuously revisit the show, and for those who haven't seen the musical, reading the book will make them feel like they have. Filled with interviews with the cast and crew, original behind-the-scenes photography, a deeper look into Evan's fictional world and the visual world of the show, unreleased lyrics, and of course the libretto, as well as reflections on the creators own formative memories from their adolescence as it relates to the show's themes, and important examinations of how we present ourselves online and mental health, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is a beautifully produced, thoughtful, and uplifting book.

Through the Window

Dear Evan Hansen

An original musical that explores the poignant desire for human connection in the tumultuous life of one young man. Evan is shy, lonely, and bullied for it―teeming with the irrepressible emotions all too familiar with anyone who's ever been a teenager. After a tragedy strikes, Evan's life suddenly gets turned around, but is it ultimately for the better?

Daniel Kilby

I just read this in a single sitting, and can honestly say that I have never cried so hard from a book before, even having been a voracious reader since childhood. The pain and the sadness and the just Alimente of these people radiate off the page. 
If merely reading the text is this affecting (in this less-ideal text only medium), I can only imagine what a blubbering mess I’m going to be when I finally get a chance to see the show performed, as intended.

Joan 

I read this book before it got announced that it was gonna be a movie. I really tried to listen to the musical music while reading this and i cried really hard at the ending. Thought it was a good read since i don’t  live anywhere near a theater where its performed.

Erin 

You know, this book is probably more beautiful than the script itself. Not only do you get the libretto, but you get the insights required to make it. And the processes needed to fine-tune it. And the years and years of work and dedicated and passion to create it. There are chapters from every person involved, and it is clear that DEH wouldn't have become the thing it is today without each and every piece and person that was involved in turning it into the masterpiece it has become. I tried so, so hard to get tickets when I was in New York, but it was so incredibly popular that I didn't even come close. Dear Evan Hansen is such a phenomenal story and musical. I think it's probably even more popular than Hamilton - and hear me out. It's more accessible than Hamilton, and it speaks more intimately to the teenagers and people of today. It is not just a musical for them - it is a musical about them, and that makes all the difference. I would have done so many things to be able to see Ben Platt in the role. He brings such a beautiful essence to the character. And to be able to look deeply into each and every character on stage, brought to you by the creators of this beautiful piece itself, is worth more than anything. From now on, I will pay attention and dedicate myself to everything that Pasek and Paul, and Steven Levenson, will create. I can only hope they come close to mimicking this beautiful piece of art.

MAN. I REALLY LOVE DEAR EVAN HANSEN. I spent the summer in New York and I desperately tried to get tickets to see this, especially because it was already announced Ben Platt would be leaving in November. I tried SO HARD. I entered that damn lottery every single day. Twice on Saturdays. Even though I didn't get to see it, I am happy just reading the script (and listening to the OBC recording - for now). The story of Dear Evan Hansen is relatable for so many people for so many reasons, and that is what makes it truly magical. Ben Platt is amazing and if you read this, I encourage you to search the internet for various clips of his performance (especially at the Tonys - that boy is magical). I definitely saw myself in this, and it reminded me of myself and my thoughts during high school. The best part about scripts published like these is that for those of us who are unfortunate enough to never have seen the stage performance, we can read the dialogue that happens in between musical numbers (I for one never even realised that For Forever was about Evan and Connor). Scripts like these just round out the experience and can make you fall in love even more with the show, especially if you don't live in New York. 

And I just want to give Evan a big hug and tell him everything is going to be all right. Several times I felt like I wanted to cry and I would definitely have been a puddle of tears if I had seen Ben's performance because he is just that good (he didn't win a Tony for nothing!)

Dani 

em 🍂

Valentina Ruiz Pérez

Molly Mason

Marta Costa 🐰

Winner of the 2017 Tony Award for Best Musical “Dear Evan Hansen lodges in your head long after you’ve seen it or heard it or read it. It feels like a pure expression from young writers at a crossroad of coming to terms with who they are and what they want to say about the world. Its honesty and truths haunt and ultimately open us up to ask the same question, no matter what our age or crossroad: What are the lies we tell ourselves?” –James Lapine (from the Foreword) “A gorgeous new musical. Rarely—scratch that—never have I heard so many stifled sobs and sniffles in the theater. For those allergic to synthetic sentiment, rest assured that the show, with a haunting score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, matched by a book of equal sensitivity by Steven Levenson, doesn’t sledgehammer home its affecting story. On the contrary, the musical finds endless nuances in the relationships among its characters, and makes room for some leavening humor too. The musical is ideal for families looking for something more complex than the usual sugary diversions. But then it should also appeal to just about anyone who has ever felt, at some point in life, that he or she was trapped “on the outside looking in,” as one lyric has it. Which is just about everybody with a beating heart.” –Charles Isherwood, New York Times “Ravishingly bittersweet... A marvelous score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and an equally accomplished book by Steven Levenson...Dear Evan Hansen rolls onto some highly sensitive terrain—the writers are taking a serious look here at the ways in which we a s a culture exploit others’ misfortunes, a phenomenon abetted by the high-speed interventions of social media. The delight here is that Pasek, Paul, and Levenson do understand how to make this seemingly unmusical idea sing, and sing grandly.” –Peter Marks, Washington Post “So fine in its craft and rich in its themes that, like the best works of any genre, it rewards being seen again—and again.” –Jesse Green, New York Magazine “Terrific, gripping, and heartfelt. With a gorgeously melodic score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a smart and soulful book by the playwright Steven Levenson, Dear Evan Hansen feels like a theatrical beachhead planted by (and, partly, for) millennials.” –Adam Green, Vogue “Dear Evan Hansen is smartly crafted, emotionally open-hearted, and ideally cast. It has been embraced by millennials—yet its appeal is universal. Whatever your age, you’ll watch Dear Evan Hansen with the shock of recognition, and be touched by the honesty with which it portrays the smothering sensation of being an adolescent misfit, an awkward loser trapped in an indifferent world of self-assured winners.” –Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed could be his. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to belong. Deeply personal and profoundly universal, Dear Evan Hansen is a groundbreaking American musical about truth, fiction, and the price we’re willing to pay for the possibility to connect. *This publication includes the book and lyrics to the musical, as well as a foreword by James Lapine. Please note that it does not include the musical score.* Steven Levenson is the book writer for Dear Evan Hansen. His plays include If I Forget, The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin, Core Values, The Language of Trees, and Seven Minutes in Heaven. A graduate of Brown University, he served for three seasons as a writer and producer on Showtime’s Master of Sex. Benj Pasek & Justin Paul are the song-writing team behind Dear Evan Hansen. Previous musicals include A Christmas Story: The Musical, Dogfight, James and the Giant Peach, and Edges. Their film projects include La La Land (for which they won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “City of Stars,” with composer Justin Hurwitz), Trolls, Snow White, and The Greatest Showman. Their television credits include The Flash, Smash, and Johnny and the Sprites. Both are graduates of the University of Michigan Musical Theatre Program and members of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.

Dear Evan Hansen Through the Window