(Production photo by Jeff Butchen.)

by Tim Leininger

RIDGEFIELD — Most theaters are non-profits. I get that. But let’s face it, production companies want to make money with their shows. With that in mind, I don’t fault companies that do shows I don’t enjoy when they know it’s going to have a successful run just on the name of the show alone, especially when the company does a good job with it. Such is the case with A Contemporary Theatre of Connecticut’s production of Dear Evan Hansen, running through June 21, at their theater at 38 Old Quarry Road, directed by Scott Schwartz.

            I’m not a fan of Dear Evan Hansen. I find it incredibly emotionally manipulative with convenient avoidance of consequences for most of the actions that take place by the show’s titular character, here played by Kenny Lee. In a real world situation, Evan and likely Alana Beck (Amaya White) and Jared Kleinman (Josh Hoyt) would be facing 20 to 30 years in prison, and up to $250,000 in fines, plus returning the money they technically defraud over the course of the show.

(Production photo by Jeff Butchen.)

            If you’re unfamiliar with the musical, Evan is a terribly depressed teen whose dad has left him and his mom, Heidi (Maya Days). Heidi is working double shifts as a nurse trying to keep them afloat. Evan, meanwhile, suffers from neglect from her, social indifference at school, and bullying from Jared, who is a friend of the family, but not really a friend, more of an emotional manipulator of Evan. When the school’s problem child Connor Murphy (Erik Houck) who has a propensity toward violence, commits suicide, Evan is mistaken as Connor’s only friend. Instead of being honest with Connor’s family, he decides to lean into their belief, which steamrolls into a hot mess of fraud and manipulation as he digs himself a deeper hole. Things get worse as Alana, whose motives are anything but altruistic creates a fundraiser in honor for Connor, whom she didn’t even know, which she wrangles Evan in to help with. To make matters worse, Evan turns Connor’s parents into surrogates for himself and becomes closer to their daughter Zoe (Olivia Foght), whom he’s had a crush on for a long time.

            On it’s surface Dear Evan Hansen plays on themes of peer pressure in the digital age. Evan quickly becomes taken by all the attention he is getting for the first time in his life, even though he knows it’s all a lie. This leads to a big breakout moment for the character as he fights his social anxiety to give an inspirational speech at the end of act one (“You Will Be Found”). It all seems inspiring, and with the social media responses he gets, it tends to trigger the audience to want to stand up and cheer for him, even though everything that has led up to this moment is a manipulation of grieving parents, a vulnerable sister, and a community of people who are unsure how to grieve for a believed to be reprehensible human being. But because Evan is essentially an innocent until he starts playing into the deception, the audience is conditioned to still be empathetic to him.

(Production photo by Jeff Butchen.)

            Up until this point, Evan’s been manipulated by his naivete and his sudden newfound popularity. But things get worse in the second act, to the point of serious illegality and there are no consequences for his, Jared, and Alana’s actions outside of the embarrassment of it all.

            Despite my dislike for Dear Evan Hansen, ACT has produced an exceptional production of it. Christopher and Justin Swader’s scenic design has an economic presentational quality as each scene location slides from an outer point on the stage down center when needed to be spotlighted. Camilla Tassi, who may be the best projection/video designer in the Tri-state area has created beautifully stylized projections that aren’t ostentatious, but nuanced and detailed.

(Production photo by Jeff Butchen.)

            The cast is solid. Kenny Lee plays Evan with a frantic neuroticism, speaking at a staggering stuttering rate when anxious. Olivia Foght gives a fantastic performance as the conflicted Zoe, giving her a complex array of confusion as she doesn’t understand how Evan and Connor can be friends, but also recognizes that there is something inexplicably happening to her surviving family that feels right as her perpetually fighting parents start to find some degree of happiness. Maya Days is also excellent as the beleaguered Heidi, giving a deep developed despair as she feels like she’s losing her child to this new family. Jared, though, feels incredibly miscast. I don’t get any sense of intimidation in his bullying tactics with Evan.

            I don’t like Dear Evan Hansen. But, if you’re a fan of the show, ACT has assembled an excellent production that you would enjoy. The cast is overall good to great, and the production design is excellent. This is a show the fans will love.

TICKETS: http://www.actofct.org

PRODUCTION

Book by Steven Levenson; Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul; Directed by Scott Schwartz; Choreographer: Marcos Santana; Scenic Designer: Christopher Swader & Justin Swader; Costume Designer: Leslie Bernstein; Lighting Designer: Charlie Morrison; Sound Designer: Shannon Slaton; Video Designer: Camilla Tassi; Production Stage Manager: Arthur Atkinson; Casting Director: Koppel Casting, Karie Koppel; Orchestrations & Additional Arrangements by Alex Lacamoire; Vocal Arrangements and Additional Arrangements by Justin Paul; Music Director: Cole P. Abod; Music Supervisor: Bryan Perri

CAST (in alphabetical order)

Heather Ayers as Cynthia Murphy

Gil Brady as Larry Murphy

Maya Days as Heidi Hansen

Olivia Foght as Zoe Murphy

Erik Houck as Connor Murphy

Josh Hoyt as Jared Kleinman

Kenny Lee as Evan Hansen

Amaya White as Alana Beck