Los Angeles Times - Highly Recommended
"...But this beautifully acted touring production of "Dear Evan Hansen," under the aerodynamic direction of Michael Greif, revealed to me, in my third encounter with the musical, another explanation for why everyone right now in Los Angeles is clamoring for tickets: It's one of the most evocative portraits of the inner turmoil of adolescence ever put on stage."
LA Weekly - Highly Recommended
"...Those tuned into the world of Broadway or musicals might think Dear Evan Hansen over-hyped. But it's earned the buzz. It resonates and connects as it entertains. As the production itself references, today's world is oversaturated with content, which has led to fleeting attention spans. When something new comes along, it's easiest to just digest it quickly and move onto the next new thing."
Broadway World - Highly Recommended
"...The North American tour roars expertly on, playing the Ahmanson Theatre through July 31. All of the faces (and voices) have changed a few times over since Ben Platt, Rachel Bay Jones and the musical's original cast stormed Broadway. The current production is the musical's second stint in L.A. With its award-winning book by Steven Levenson and score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, it offers the same gut punches along with assurances that life for the Hansens, the Murphys and the millions of nameless, faceless lonely souls out there on the internet may yet be OK. As we continue to emerge from the carnage and isolation of COVID, that's not a bad message to spread."
Stage and Cinema - Recommended
"...While the 150-minute two-act flies by, thanks to Michael Greif's patient but compelling direction, it's possible the show could have more impact in houses smaller than the vast spaces booked for national tours; for those seated farther back, the only time you can truly see Evan's face is when it's rarely projected on one of the many rolling screens (simple sets by David Korins; complex projections by Peter Migrini; and sensitive lighting by Japhy Weideman)."
ArtsBeatLA - Recommended
"...What's great about this musical is its depiction of complex family dynamics. The storyline, while highly contrived, nevertheless does progress in a logical way, with developments and conversations that seem to happen at exactly the right time. The direction by Michael Greif is crisp and detailed, capturing glances and interactions between the characters with a pleasing precision. The staging is gorgeously fluid and seamless in the many swift transferences from scene to scene, location to location. Marvelous scenic design is by David Korins. The final scene is especially gorgeous, thanks to the lighting design by Japhy Weideman and the projection design by Peter Nigrini."
Grigware Blogspot - Highly Recommended
"...Have you ever told a lie or fabricated a story that made you feel important and needed in the lives of others? And one that brought happiness to those other people creating a better sense of community? Such is the premise for Dear Evan Hansen, the winner of six 2016 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Currently at the Ahmanson through November 25, Dear Evan Hansen is a big box office hit. Splendidly directed by Michael Greif, the cast of eight turn in indelibly gripping performances."
Cultural Weekly - Somewhat Recommended
"...This does not mean that the long first act is not redundant or that the insistent repetition of the songs and sheer amount of technical wizardry that overwhelms it (making a comment of its own) could not do with Less instead of all that More. But Evan Hansen has come to Los Angeles as a fully formed Huge Hit, so arguing with its success is arguing to change our orbit around the sun."
Stage Raw - Highly Recommended
"...Though other critics may focus on the narrative’s flaws, Dear Evan Hansen is one of the most deeply moving pieces of musical theater playing on stages today. Audiences should bring tissues, a shoulder to cry on, and an open heart; this mental health musical might just change you for the better."
Haines His Way - Recommended
"...If you have seen the musical Dear Evan Hansen and are a fan, you might not want to read any further because I will be challenging most things that you hold dear about the show. I am sure to be one of the very few dissenting voices in my appraisal of this behemoth star-making musical."
On Stage and Screen - Recommended
"...Dear Evan Hansen is a very high quality show all-around, from the performances to the music to the very modern set and projection design (David Korins and Peter Nigrini), which shows a never-ending stream of tweets and texts and Facebook statuses, creating an ironic backdrop of constant connection for a show that is all about the anguish of feeling terribly alone. And regardless of where you decide Evan's moral compass falls, the message of the show is an important, hopeful one. "You are not alone," the cast sings in "You Will Be Found," the heart-wrenching act one closer. Sure, not all of the messaging is perfect-who Connor actually was as a person is largely lost in the shuffle as his death is appropriated for an internet movement, although that is quite possibly the point. But in each audience there is surely at least one person who desperately needs to hear that they are not alone, and for that reason, it is important that a show like Dear Evan Hansen exists."
Peoples World - Recommended
"...The highly popular Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, now on its second national tour, and playing here through July 31, shares much of the esthetic of the “afterschool special,” which I don’t mean derogatorily at all. The analogy is only brought to mind by the teenage focus on stage, and in the public the show has attracted, though not exclusively. Much of the greatest art ever produced shares some of those characteristics: A problem created by human frailty and a denouement involving lessons learned, reconciliation and hope for the future. These far outnumber works of despair and hopelessness. What audiences care to spend their hard-earned buck on a dreary night of theater that tells them they’re probably better off shedding this mortal coil and saying goodbye to the vanities of this world?"
Indulge Magazine - Highly Recommended
"...How to translate a drama about social anxiety, suicide, loneliness and the ever-challenging teenage years into a musical? Though no easy task, the brilliant adaptation from Steven Levenson’s book by the Grammy, Tony, and Academy Award® winners, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul accomplished the mission with flying colors, justifying a whopping nine Tony Award nominations, and winning six, including Best Book, Best Score, and the coveted Best Musical."
