The musical, “Dear Evan Hansen,” is making its world premiere at Washington’s Arena Stage. Ben Platt (“Pitch Perfect”) stars as a lonely, ill-at-ease high school senior whose psychiatrist assigns him to write pep-talk letters to himself -- letters that start: “Dear Evan Hansen.” But when Evan’s first letter winds up in the wrong hands, there are enormous consequences, exacerbated by cyberspace and a web of lies. Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck talks with Tom Hall about this heart-wrenching new musical, with a script by Steve Levenson, a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and direction by Michael Greif.
"Dear Evan Hansen" continues through Sunday at Arena Stage in Washington.
