The musical that has touched the hearts of millions of Americans is going to be adapted for the big screen.
The 6 Tony Award-winning musical will be produced by Marc Platt and Adam Siegel, while creators Benj Pasek and Justin Paul will executive produce. Steven Levenson, who won a Tony Award for his libretto, will write the screenplay. Stephen Chbosky is in talks to direct the film. The casting has not yet been announced.
The story
Evan Hansen is a 17-year-old high school student who suffers from social anxiety disorder. When one of his classmates, Connor, commits suicide, Evan finds himself in the center of turmoil. In a misguided attempt to comfort the grieving family, Evan claims he was actually good friends with Connor. He invents an email messaging to "fabricate" evidence and prove their friendship. But when a fake suicide note goes live, Evan finds himself the unwitting face of a viral video about loneliness and friendship.
Evan sinks into his lie and his relationship with his mother deteriorates compared to that of his "bright new family." He finally picks up the girl of his dreams but more importantly - he's no longer invisible.
Ultimately, Evan will have to make a decision: will he let go of the fantasy he has created or will he confess everything at the risk of losing everything he always wanted?
Declared as one of the most outstanding shows in the history of musical theater by Peter Marks of the Washington Post, Dear Evan Hansen opened its doors at the Music Box Theater for glowing reviews on December 4, 2016, breaking all box office records and touching the hearts of critics and the public.
The first national tour is currently underway and performances are planned throughout America. International productions have been announced in Toronto (March 2019) and London (Fall 2019).
In addition to winning six Tony Awards, Dear Evan Hansen has won numerous other awards, including the Drama League Award in 2017, two Obie Awards, one Drama Desk Award, two Outer Critics Circle and two Helen Hayes Awards. The show's original cast recently won a Daytime Emmy Award for "Best Musical Performance on a Daytime Talk Show" for their April 2017 performance of "You Will Be Found" on NBC's "Today Show."