‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Review: A Cast Worth Signing

Few musicals of the 21st century are as well known as “Dear Evan Hansen.” The Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club’s rendition, directed by Ava E. Della Pietra ’27 at the Loeb Experimental Theater from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1, lives up to the hype.

“Dear Evan Hansen” follows Evan Hansen (S. Jack McCarthy ’30) — a high school senior with intense social anxiety — whose therapist has him write letters to himself to cope with his friendlessness. When one of these letters falls into the pockets of Connor Murphy (Aidan M. Vissers ’29) — a depressed outcast who later commits suicide — Connor’s parents mistake the letter for a suicide note and proof of a secret friendship between the two boys. Too afraid to correct them, Evan plays along, and the lie quickly spirals out of control, drawing him closer to the Murphys and Connor’s sister Zoe (Lana M. Schwartz ’27), Evan’s longtime crush.

Student productions of “Dear Evan Hansen” have only recently become possible — Music Theatre International only opened up the musical to amateur productions in December 2025, placing HRDC’s production among the first wave of college productions across the country. Despite the Broadway production’s six Tony awards, its 2021 film adaptation faced sharp criticism for casting 27-year-old Ben Platt as Evan — an obvious age gap that made Evan’s deception feel more creepy than awkward. By contrast, HRDC’s cast — many of which were fresh out of high school themselves — embodied the youthfulness required to make teenage anxiety feel authentic.

The Loeb Ex’s tight black box gave the production an intimacy that a larger stage could not, though it limited options for set design. However, set designer Jessie Zheng ’29 proved that less can be more. Working with just a few key pieces — including a bed, a sofa, a table, and some chairs — she clearly highlighted every setting without crowding the already small space. Though minimal — from the plated dinner table to the neatly made bed — each piece was thoughtfully dressed, giving the scenes a touch of realism. Behind these items, a wall of screens lined the back of the stage, which worked well in dynamically setting each scene.

In most scenes, the screens served as a static backdrop, but in critical moments, they sprang to life, erupting into tsunamis of tweets and videos to showcase Evan’s virality. In these moments, the video clips’ voices gradually overlapped, building into a chaotic crescendo, but the sound team kept the mix well-balanced and ensured the actors were not drowned out.

Most impressive were the actors: McCarthy made an entirely believable Evan. The character’s lack of confidence was palpable, and each line he delivered — with a slight hunch and a tremble — was wonderfully cringe. On top of that, McCarthy was an impressive vocalist, giving a powerful performance during “Waving Through A Window.” Fred L. Klein ’28 as Jared also brought sharp comedic timing and a charm that made it easy to find such a selfish character oddly endearing. Together, the duo played into the mismatched energy of the two characters, creating fun moments amid the show’s dark premise.

Connor, Zoe, and Alana (Finley McElhinney ’27) were just as strong. Vissers nailed the brooding outcast without overdoing it, Schwartz sold the heartfelt grief, and McElhinney gladly overdid the tryhard student act — as expected from a Harvard student. Evan’s single mother, Heidi (Dessa E. Kavrakis ’27), and the Murphys, Cynthia (Cassidy C. Crabb ’28) and Larry (Ben L. C. Arthurs ’27), all shone convincingly as parents, carrying themselves with an effortless maturity well beyond their years.

Many audiences walk into “Dear Evan Hansen” already knowing every twist and song. Thanks to a young cast and a small stage, the HRDC still made it feel special. While the show is difficult to pull off — constantly tiptoeing the line between heaviness and humor — Della Pietra’s production never wavered.

“Dear Evan Hansen” ran at the Loeb Drama Center from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.