Why 'Dear Evan Hansen' Is The Broadway Show Parents Need To See

“Does anybody have a map? Anybody maybe happen to know how the hell to do this? I don’t know if you can tell. But this is me just pretending to know. So where’s the map? I need a clue. ‘Cause the scary truth is I’m flying blind. And I’m making this up as I go.” So goes the first song in “Dear Evan Hansen,” one of the most buzzed-about shows this Tony Awards season. “Does Anybody Have a Map?” is sung by two mothers who are struggling to connect with their teenage sons, and as some have noted, the number is basically a parenting anthem. Starring Ben Platt (of “Pitch Perfect” fame), “Dear Evan Hansen” tells the story of a high school senior with social anxiety who, through a misunderstanding, becomes enmeshed in the aftermath of a classmate’s suicide. Although the plot of musical centers around the titular protagonist and his high school world, the theme of parenthood is also a key component of the show. Rachel Bay Jones plays Evan’s mother, while Jennifer Laura Thompson and Michael Park play the parents of Connor Murphy, a troubled student who dies by suicide early in the show. All three actors are parents themselves, and their powerful performances speak to the love and heartache of raising children today. Jones, Park and Thompson spoke to HuffPost about their emotional roles and the way this play has interacted with their own parenting experiences. J...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news