‘Dear Evan Hansen’

Basin Community Theater musical packs an emotional punch

MOSES LAKE — Some stage musicals are grand, brightly-colored affairs, with lots of dancing and flamboyant sets and unbridled joy. “Dear Evan Hansen” is not that kind of musical. “There’s a lot of emotion,” said Basin Community Theatre producer Marion Wyman. “It’s going to make some people shed some tears. In fact, one of our adult cast members at (a rehearsal) sat down and just cried over the emotion he felt during the last song.” “Dear Evan Hansen,” which opens tonight, is loaded with heavy-duty themes: bullying, mental illness, drug abuse and suicide. The story centers around Evan (Kaleb Stanberry), a high school senior who is beset with social anxiety and depression, with a single mother who works too many hours to provide him the support he needs. Evan’s therapist has him writing notes to himself during the day to cope with his problems. Meanwhile Evan’s school bully nemesis Connor (Gus O’Donnell) comes from an outwardly healthy family but turns to drugs to cope with his own depression. When Connor takes his own life, one of Evan’s notes is found in his possession and Evan pretends to have been Connor’s best friend in an attempt to comfort Connor’s parents Larry (Weston Beck) and Cynthis (Amy O’Donnell), and especially Connor’s sister – and Evan’s crush – Zoe (Emma Leavitt). The story is told partly through Evan’s internal monologue and narration by Connor’s ghost, as Evan’s pretense spirals out of control.