The last couple of years have been turning points for musical theatre as the music from the subject matter has changed. The musical Dear Evan Hansen touches subject matters that are very relevant in todays youth and connects with audiences who have felt like they are invisible.

The story follows a teen in his senior year named Evan Hansen, played by Ben Platt (who stars in Pitch Perfect) who struggles with social anxiety and is overall depressed. He fell from a tree over the summer, which leads to his broken arm. His therapist advised him to write letters to himself entitled “Dear Evan Hansen” and speak about the good things that will come in the day. Evan’s mother advises him to tell people to sign his cast to get him more out there and make his senior year a good one.

Evan has no real friends, except one which is a family friend named Jared. He is the comedic relief of the show and helps Evan later on in the show. He makes fun of him and the school “freak,” which is almost like Evan’s bully. Connor, the “freak,” pushes down Evan and Connor’s sister Zoe steps in to apologize for her brother’s actions. Evan has a huge crush on Zoe but would never let her know that.

He feels invisible in the halls and sees himself basically “Waving Through A Window” and decides to write his letter where he states that it is not going to be a good day, or week, or year. The  only thing that could turn this year around is Zoe, Conner’s sister. He started it as he always does, Dear Evan Hansen and ended it “Sincerely, Me.”

Connor happens to be in the same room and asks to sign his cast so they can at least both pretend to have friends. However, Connor sees the letter and thinks it was there so he could see it and make fun of him. He leaves and is not seen for a couple days. Evan fears of what he might do with the letter, will he expose him or keep it to himself? Evan gets called into the office where Connor’s parents are waiting there in tears. There son has commit suicide and he had Evan’s letter in his pocket, which they believe is his suicide note.

Evan’s letter was taken as a suicide note and to not cause any more problems and sadness agrees that it was Connor writing to Evan and that they were friends on the down low. Evan is invited to dinner later that day to talk more about their secret friendship and talks about going to an orchard, which evidently is the place where Connor and his family would go when he was younger, and makes an elaborate story about how they went to the orchard and he fell off the tree, causing his broken arm. The story only gets more tangled and twisted.

He claims they would not talk or text but e-mail each other, but his family said that they already checked his mail. Evan then goes on by staying they had secret email accounts and would send each other letters. This results in Evan going to Jared, mentioned earlier, to help him make fake emails with dates and detail, which results in a hilarious musical number entitled, Sincerely Me.

Evan also gets the girl, which is now his dead best friend’s sister. Not okay.

Overall, the musical is very heartfelt and the audience can sympathize with Evan and relate to feeling the way he has. It has won 6 Tony’s and Best Musical. If this sounds interesting, you can catch it at the USA Gammage later this year.