The hit musical promises to bring you to tears in its depiction of our fundamentally human reactions to grief and the need to belong.

Few recent musicals in the 21st century can claim to have as much impact and widespread appeal as Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s Dear Evan Hansen. With an irresistibly replayable soundtrack that balanced catchy tunes with witty and emotionally resonant lyrics, Dear Evan Hansen was a show that took the world by storm, and quickly became a favourite of fans everywhere, even with its heavy, controversial content surrounding issues such as teenage suicide, mental health and broken families, all dealt with in a relatively sensitive and poignant manner.

If anything, Dear Evan Hansen is not an easy musical to stage. Not only is it heavily reliant on finding talented young cast members to play the leads and hit the range of the songs; it is also one of the more emotionally-heavy musicals that requires extremely strong chemistry between cast members to make us believe in their relationships. But in its Southeast Asia premiere, and one of the first times the musical has made its way outside of the USA and UK, local company Pangdemonium has the honour of bringing the smash hit to life, and under the lead of director Tracie Pang, the team has taken on this immensely difficult challenge. Amidst all odds, they have made this dream a reality, recruiting a cast that hits all the right notes, committing themselves to their roles and capable of going from goofing off to heartbreaking interactions, to give this show the production it rightfully deserves on the Singapore stage.

Set in 2014 in a small city in the USA, the musical follows the eponymous Evan Hansen, a teenager with social anxiety disorder returning to high school after summer break. Essentially a nobody with no friends, Evan is tasked to write letters to himself by his therapist, one of which ends up in the hands of the local school ‘freak’ Connor Murphy. But when Connor dies, his parents assume the letter is a suicide note, and find Evan for closure. Feeling bad for them, Evan lies that Connor was his secret best friend. One thing leads to another, the lie spirals out of control and Evan ends up becoming closer than ever to the Murphy family, and as news spreads, fame and popularity finds him and changes him in ways he could never even imagine. But just how long can he keep up the facade, and at what point does it all fall apart?

Central to the success of Dear Evan Hansen is the cast and their likability, and given how so many have criticised Evan Hansen for his morally grey behaviour, a white lie that he holds onto for his own benefit, it is critical that the actor playing Evan himself not only evokes sympathy for his initial plight, but also allows audiences to understand and eventually, forgive him for his mistakes. To that end, in Pangdemonium’s production, newcomer Angelo Martinez takes on the role with gusto. As his very first professional theatre role, there are some nerves and uncertainty onstage, where it is clear that he is trying his best to ensure that everything he does is on point. Thankfully, much of these also feed into the character’s own anxiety and awkwardness, whether Evan is stumbling over his words or shows uneasy ticks in his physicality, and you believe that this is someone who is living each day with sweaty palms, earnest about niche topics like trees but completely unable to fit in with the world. That is also key to ensuring that we root for and fear for him, despite how questionable his actions are, and hope that he ends up ok by the end of the musical.

Most importantly, Angelo finds his confidence and voice each time he sings, his nerves fading away as he steps into the spotlight and allows his naturally powerful sound to come through, shining in the show’s biggest solos such as ‘For Forever’ – a blatant lie that we end up could almost believe because of the sincerity with which he sings and describes this fictitious perfect day with Connor. Featured in so many numbers, it is impressive how Angelo adjusts his sound in almost every song, bringing a different quality or emotion to each one, from the uncertainty and desperation in ‘Waving Through A Window’, to the big Act 2 number ‘Words Fail’, his voice almost cracking from regret at the realisation of how terrible his actions have been and the feeling of being totally, utterly alone as everything falls away from him, on the verge of tears as he stands there, alone once more in the darkness all around.

Beyond Angelo, Pangdemonium has found a spectacular cast that embody the rest of the roles perfectly. Mia Smith, as the college resume-crazy Alana Beck, is also new to the Singapore stage, and balances both being grating as she takes advantage of Connor’s death for clout, while also delivering the character’s inherent insecurities in her brief but memorable moments when she allows the facade of perfection to break and lets her true emotions come out. And then there’s Gaby Rae, as Evan’s crush Zoe Murphy, who manages to create layers to her character as she deals simultaneously with grief and resentment for her dead brother, excelling in songs such as ‘Only Us’, her voice always clear and brimming with complex emotions. In ‘Requiem’, where all three Murphys sing about their different reactions to Connor’s death, Zoe is given the most difficult parts of the song, her voice rising to almost a wail from a lament, overcome with confusion and anger at the newfound rift between her and her family.

Perhaps the biggest revelation of the night however, is from brothers Xander Pang and Zachary Pang. As director Tracie Pang’s sons, there is naturally skepticism in giving them the opportunity to star in such a hotly-anticipated musical and greater expectations on them to deliver on their performances. Both sons are well-aware of this, and manage to not only prove that they were the right choice, but that they can and should be performers to look out for on the local and international stage in the years to come. Zachary, as Evan’s ‘family friend’ Jared Kleinman, brings the snark in every scene he appears in, full of himself and always the practical joker. While he could easily play Jared as simply snivelling, vulgar friend, the latter half of the play allows us to see and sympathise with him as similarly lonely like Evan, where his humour and smartass personality is merely a shield to defend himself against how he truly feels.

Xander is given one of the most challenging roles in the musical of all – as the sullen and aggressive Connor Murphy, his time onstage is limited, but every time he appears onstage, he is almost a completely different character, requiring Xander to prepare himself to embody a different physicality and emotion. Each time, he is an imaginary version of the character, a sort of guilty conscience to Evan (“For Forever (Reprise)”), and a much goofier version in Jared’s fake emails (“Sincerely Me”). In the latter song especially, one of the most memorable of the night for its jaunty, upbeat melody, Xander’s experience acting in college musicals is evident, as he allows himself to play the fool, completely at ease onstage while he does jazz-style dance and clearly having fun with both Angelo and Zachary, as choreographed by Andy Benjamin Cai. He ensures that Connor is given the depth and complexity he needs instead of simply writing him off as a deceased side character, and always ensures his high energy keeps his appearances fresh, always raring to go and knowing when to take the limelight, and when to support his cast mates. Indeed, both Zachary and Xander have stepped into the sun, coming into their own as actors to watch for.

And while the younger cast are undoubtedly the highlight of the show, the adult cast’s presence is also keenly felt and integral to the narrative, often providing some of the emotional high points in the show. After all, both mothers are at a loss as to how to handle teenagers in a turbulent environment they feel so far away from, already evident from the very beginning in ‘Does Anybody Have A Map?’, which should be familiar to any parent in the audience, both mothers crying out for help as they hurry across the stage. Cynthia even holds onto a pot of coffee the entire time while yelling at her kids to convey the chaos of parenthood. As Cynthia and Larry respectively, Ethel Yap and Gian Magdangal’s tension is felt, the two of them divided over Connor’s death most clearly seen in ‘Requiem’. Gian does especially well in ‘To Break In A Glove’, with Larry’s passivity towards Connor’s death transformed into regret and what-could-have-beens as he bonds with Evan, giving him the glimpse of a father he never had, and his voice crisp and easygoing, just the slightest hint of sadness at the edges while warming to Evan. Ethel Yap plays the role of a grieving mother well, often on the brink of hysterics keeping it all together, and always brimming with an infectious hope as she looks for Connor in every smallest corner that you can’t help but pity her, knowing that it’s all a big lie.

As Evan’s mother Heidi Hansen, Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai forges one of the strongest emotional anchors to the show. Rebekah’s role is a tough one, where she displays a clear trajectory and journey she undergoes over the entire play, even though she is absent from the stage for most scenes, and must spend most of her time offstage preparing herself for difficult, emotionally-demanding scenes. Heidi is a strong-willed character who is filled with concern and tough love for Evan, always pushing him to capitalise on his talents and believing in him, and Rebekah always leaves it all onstage, always at 100% with her emotions and grows in significance from just a naggy, confused single mother to what feels like a force of nature by the time Act 2 comes around.

One of the most powerful moments is when the Murphys and Heidi meet for the first time. As Heidi, Rebekah initially shows confusion and hesitation at being invited over, before revealing a steadfast character filled with pride and independence, unwilling to accept handouts, and how quickly she channels that rage, indignation and shame into the next scene berating Evan, directly leading to outstanding rock number ‘Good For You’, which she performs through disappointment, through anger, and through pain. Rebekah makes it impossible not to see where Heidi is coming from, and it is amazing how she manages to let go of all that anger she held before to become a beacon of light within the storm, becoming a source of comfort for Evan at his lowest point. In her solo number ‘So Big/So Small’, coming after an emotional exchange with Evan, it’s hard to hold back the tears watching how much she cares for her son, and realising how hard she’s been trying all this time, strict, yet always with open arms to welcome him home. You cry not from sadness, but from knowing that Evan will be ok, and that he always has been, always will be, because of the power of his mother’s love.

On the production side, long-time Pangdemonium collaborator Eucien Chia is best known for his hyper-realistic sets, recreating entire interiors onstage. With Dear Evan Hansen, Eucien delivers once again, with smooth transitions between the many set changes during the show – his initial abstract, computer-chip like backdrop represents the many connections social media lead us to, before shifting to a school setting, using just a few lockers to resemble a corridor. Eucien also has an eye for detail, clearly differentiating the Murphys’ well-furnished home, with high-ceilings, fully-equipped kitchens and an entire store room filled with boxes and tools used exclusively for ‘To Break In A Glove’, in contrast to the Hansens’ somewhat more messy, simple home, where a single couch represents their living room, or Evan’s sparse bedroom with only a drawer, for great juxtaposition of the two families’ circumstances, worlds apart. Eucien’s set is a layered one, and behind all the walls, is a space reserved for the live band onstage. As much as they are invisible for most of the show, the band is is tasked with the monumental task of making every note hit, leading and cueing the actors to ensure that they are being showcased at their best. Led by music director Joanne Ho, this is a band that is clearly well-disciplined, every note coming in at the right time, rising and falling with the actor’s voice and emotions, and makes Pasek and Paul’s compositions feel almost physical, fleshed out and full in the space of the Victoria Theatre. The band makes good on the beloved soundtrack, and ensures the most emotional moments are further amplified by their performance.

It would be all too easy to copy the original Broadway and West End clothes, but costume designer Leonard Augustine Choo seems to have taken the cast’s wardrobe one step further, choosing clothes that are representative not just of teenagers, but of trends that were in style back in 2014. Each article of clothing clearly indicates the characters’ personality, such as Jared’s loud Hawaiian prints immediately informing us of his penchant for jokes, Connor’s pseudo-punk ensemble to hide his brokenness within, and Evan’s slightly oversized signature clothing that feel too old or too young for him, representing how difficult it is for him to fit in. Even for the adults, Cynthia’s outfits exude elegant richness, expensive but comfortable to suggest her need to relax, while Larry’s suits suggest a man who has decided to remain professional, detached and distant.

If anything, Pangdemonium has always strived to push themselves artistically, taking creative risks as they wrestle with new forms of presentation, from multimedia to sound design. Utilising Ableton Programming by Scott Wasserman and Enrico De Trizio, Act 1 closing number ‘You Will Be Found’ feels louder and more full with a virtual choir of voices in addition to the main cast. This is further aided by projection designer Genevieve Peck, who showcases a stream of faces onscreen to represent other youths lost to suicide. Throughout the show, Genevieve also focuses on using her projections to showcase how much our devices have taken over our lives – when characters interact with each other from their homes, we see live video feed of the two projected onscreen, to represent a Facetime call, for example, or how Evan’s letter to himself is seen to be typed out ‘live’.

Having a good story and award-winning soundtrack is generally a recipe for success, but Pangdemonium knows that such an established, popular musical would also come with heavy expectations to do justice to it. Thankfully, those expectations are well-met, and this production makes for a worthy Southeast Asian premiere of a beloved show. Few companies dare to, or even have the resources to stage a show as big as this, to commit to the huge opportunity this gives them and have the chutzpah to open a show of this stature after a single night of previews to the public, compared to how most Broadway or West End productions have the luxury of a week or two before officially opening. The immense effort and expense that has gone into bringing this show and recreating it for Singapore has paid off, not only giving those who’ve never travelled to Broadway or the West End a rare chance to see it, but also introducing some fantastic new talent to the local stage, and Pangdemonium should be very proud of themselves for pulling off such a feat all on their own.

The issues Dear Evan Hansen grapples with are not easy ones; the stress and guilt of a parent bringing up a child, always wondering where they went wrong, and if they could have done better. The sheer sense of alienation of being someone who doesn’t fit in no matter how hard you try, and how all that can bring you to the brink of a break down. The way we just want to not be isolated in the world. All of these are issues are perhaps more relevant than ever as we tackle the ever-growing mental health epidemic. Often, it can be scary because nobody knows what the hell is going on, because there is no one-size fits all solution to guide you down the right path – we’re making it up as we go along. And that is precisely why a show like Dear Evan Hansen is so important – it’s a reminder to learn that life is messy, and you will inevitably make mistakes. But if you take a little patience and take a little time, to give the love and forgiveness and presence someone else might need to stop them from going over the edge, to tell them that it’s ok, that you’re here with them through and through and won’t just abandon them the moment something goes wrong, maybe, just maybe, they will feel like they’re not so alone after all, and believe that they will be found.

Photo Credit: CRISPI

Dear Evan Hansen plays from 11th October to 10th November 2024 at Victoria Theatre. Tickets available here

Production Credits:

Director Tracie Pang Book Steven Levenson Music & Lyrics Benj Pasek and Justin Paul Cast Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai, Gian Magdangal, Angelo Martinez, Xander Pang, Zachary Pang, Gaby Rae, Mia Smith, Ethel Yap Assistant Director Timothy Koh Ableton Programming by Scott Wasserman and Enrico De Trizio Music Director Joanne Ho Choreographer Andy Benjamin Cai Vocal Coach TJ Taylor Set Designer Eucien Chia Associate Set Designer Grace Lin Lighting Designer James Tan Projection Designer Genevieve Peck Sound Designer Jing Ng Associate Sound Designer Jean Yap Costume Designer Leonard Augustine Choo Producers Tracie Pang and Adrian Pang