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WISCONSIN — A Broadway hit is pushing the conversation about mental health in every state it stops in.
“Dear Evan Hansen,” the Tony-award-winning musical, is heading back to Wisconsin.
The musical follows a high school boy with severe anxiety. He fabricates a friendship with a fellow student who recently died by suicide, in an attempt to express sympathy for the teen’s family. Ultimately, Evan must choose to live in the lie that seems to grow each day, or lose everything he’s ever wanted.
We caught up with two of the actors in “Dear Evan Hansen” before the show’s double-run in Wisconsin. Hear from Nikhil Saboo, who plays Connor Murphy, and Alessandro Costantini, who plays Jared Kleinman.
Spectrum News 1: What drew you to be a part of “Dear Evan Hansen?”
Saboo: I think through the collective experience that we’ve all had through the last two years, a story like “Dear Evan Hansen” was so potent.
Spectrum News 1: If you listen to the soundtrack, it sounds so upbeat, but the show itself is a bit heavier than a lot of people realize. What do you hope people take away from this show?
Costantini: I hope that they feel comfort or support or even the idea of opening up and speaking to people around [them] about when [they] do feel alone or when [they] do feel depressed. The lesson is to use people around you in your life; there’s always someone who will be there to listen and to love you.
Saboo: I would hope it cracks open conversation. Whether that’s about the topic at hand or maybe it dives deeper with themselves, or in relationship to a friend… I hope people leave with an urge to communicate to one another.
Spectrum News 1: What is the most rewarding part of being a part of “Dear Evan Hansen?”
Costantini: I feel very fortunate to be playing an integral part of the story that I know is really serving people. Every night we have thousands of people in the audience who are happy to be there, who are moved by the performance, who write to us after… and share some really personal reflections. I think “Dear Evan Hansen,” to me, is a piece of theater that really fires on all cylinders.
Saboo: The most rewarding thing about this experience has been to be a person of color and to be within this family. I think that mental health today, especially for marginalized people in this world, is really hard. I think that to at least be a representative… to allow the gateway to push someone in the audience to possibly see themselves in any way, just knowing that… that has been the most rewarding. I’m only searching for more ways to have more people of color come see the show and see themselves within it.
Spectrum News 1: Has this show impacted or changed the way you approach or think about mental health?
Costantini: Being deep in this narrative… that people acknowledge as a part of the discourse on mental health. It has certainly removed any remanents of taboo thinking or fear, anxiety, surrounding my own personal mental health or the ability to support other people in my life. It’s become something I check in on quite frequently with people in my life now. I think, especially with the pandemic, it is necessary.
Saboo: You don’t exactly know the ins and outs of people’s lives. Communication is so key… that clear, honest and intentional communication grew within me.
Spectrum News 1: What is your favorite part of “Dear Evan Hansen?”
Costantini: My favorite part is “You Will Be Found” for sure. It feels very “dreams come true” moment and I also know the audience is vibing so hard.
“Dear Evan Hansen” runs at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center from April 19-24 and at the Overture Center for the Arts from May 10-15.