Hello from New York, where November days sit around 50 F and winter is on the way.
We finally saw Dear Evan Hansen, the 2017 Tony winner with six awards including Best Musical. Even two years after opening, the show was selling out daily and tickets were hard to find. Thanks to a partner invitation, we caught both the afternoon and the evening performance, and we are sharing the theater details, what the production looks like, our impressions, and moments to watch for.
Table of Contents
About Dear Evan Hansen
Set in the age of always online social media, Dear Evan Hansen follows a teenager trying to define himself and the ripple effects on the people around him. It is a story that asks what truly matters in our lives and how connection can appear in unexpected ways.
Winner of 6 Tony Awards in 2017
In a world where it is easy to message anyone, many still feel alone. This production reached many people by exploring that gap and asking how we stay connected across ages and backgrounds.
For a deeper synopsis and more highlights, see the page below.
The venue is the Music Box Theatre
Music Box Theatre
Address: 239 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036
For theater history and features, visit the details page below.
Check the merch and the bar before curtain
The merchandise stand and bar are on the lower level, along with restrooms and a lounge area.
The roomy lower level displays a 1912 piano once used onstage and framed artwork, all in a simple look inspired by classic English design.
Because the story is set in high school, the merch selection includes notebooks, pencil cases, and other school friendly items. Popular picks are the original cast recording and Evan’s signature blue polo.
The T shirt reading ON BROADWAY highlights that this title premiered and plays in New York rather than in the West End.
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Our seats for this visit
We saw an afternoon performance and an evening performance. Here is how our seats compared.
How to read the ticket: ORCHC G 106
Row G (8th row), seat 106
These are premium seats with a face value around 400 dollars. Center orchestra gives an ideal distance from the stage.
Because many scenes focus on a few characters near center stage, a centered view helped us connect with the performances.
How to read the ticket: ORCHO J 1
Row J (9th row), seat 1
With a capacity of about 1,025, the Music Box is more compact than many houses, and seating feels tight side to side. The floor rake is gentle, so a tall person in front can block your view from some rows.
We lucked into an aisle seat, which helped, but the limited rake can be challenging for shorter patrons.
Note: Music Box Theatre sightline quirks
Unlike many theaters, the very front rows here are not ideal. The stage sits close to the front row, so you will be looking up from those seats.
The auditorium also has a gentle rake, which means sightlines can be blocked easily.
We found that row G around eight rows back is where the eye line levels out, so aim for mid orchestra or the front mezzanine.
Broadway tip: Try the stage door
Head to the stage door right after curtain call
We went straight to the stage door to try for signatures on our Playbill. At the Music Box, the stage door line forms to the left of the main entrance.
Happily, we met Taylor Trensch as Evan, Alex Boniello as Connor, and Lisa Brescia as Evan’s mom, collected signatures, and snapped photos. Taylor was not doing two shots, but he was gracious with autographs.
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After-show thoughts
Why audiences say it makes them cry
Because that loneliness is universal, it is easy to see yourself and others in the story, which makes the emotions land with real force. Through the production we were reminded not only of the loneliness we have felt, but also of what others may be carrying.
A high school story for the social media age
More than Waving Through a Window!
How Dear Evan Hansen took shape
The seed of the story came from two real experiences shared by the songwriting team Pasek and Paul.
First, when Benj Pasek was in high school, a classmate died after struggles with substance use. Like Connor in the show, he was isolated, and the school organized a memorial effort so he would not be forgotten.
Second, after the events of September 11, 2001, social platforms showed how quickly information and emotion could spread. That idea of digital amplification became a core part of the plot.
Before the title Dear Evan Hansen was chosen, a new project began to take shape.
Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul reached out to playwright Steven Levenson in 2011. The trio informally called it the PPL Project and spent five years building the show from story to songs.
No wonder it still sells out. Beyond the thrill of finally seeing it, we understood why it connects so strongly. The themes are familiar, but the combination of fearless performances and a score woven directly with the writers who crafted the story is rare.
If you are choosing a must see Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen deserves a spot at the top of the list.
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