Dear Evan Hansen: stage vs screen

Stephen Chbosky's 2021 film of Dear Evan Hansen brought back Ben Platt, who originated Evan on Broadway in 2016 and won the 2017 Tony Award for the role, alongside Kaitlyn Dever as Zoe, Amy Adams as Cynthia, and Julianne Moore as Heidi. The film tells the same story of a lonely teenager whose lie spirals after a classmate's death, but it cuts a large part of the score, adds two songs, and gives Evan a longer road to making amends. These are the main differences.

Stage

Broadway musical (2016)

Screen

Dear Evan Hansen (2021), directed by Stephen Chbosky

1. Nine stage numbers are cut

The film drops "Anybody Have a Map?," "Disappear," "To Break in a Glove," and "Good for You," along with the reprises of "Waving Through a Window," "Sincerely, Me," "For Forever," and "You Will Be Found." Losing "Anybody Have a Map?" means the film no longer opens with the two mothers. Chbosky said the film stays on Evan's journey, letting audiences meet the other characters through him.

2. Alana gets a new song

Amandla Stenberg, who plays Alana Beck, co-wrote "The Anonymous Ones" with Pasek and Paul, and Alana sings it in the film. Her role is expanded overall, and the song lets her share struggles of her own instead of serving mainly as the organizer of The Connor Project.

3. Connor sings "A Little Closer"

"A Little Closer" is another song written for the film. Colton Ryan, who had understudied Connor on Broadway, sings it as Connor in a video recorded while Connor was in rehab. Evan receives the video late in the story and passes it on to the Murphys, Alana, and Jared.

4. Connor no longer appears as a vision

On stage, Connor appears to Evan as a figment of his imagination, joining in songs and urging him to keep the story going. The film cuts the material in which Evan sees Connor encouraging the lies, so Connor no longer serves as Evan's imaginary partner in the deception.

5. A longer, more public ending

In both versions Evan confesses the truth to the Murphys during a family argument. On stage, a short epilogue then jumps a year ahead to Evan and Zoe at the reopened orchard. The film adds more: Evan uploads a video confessing the lie, reads Connor's favorite books, and shares the video of Connor singing in rehab before he meets Zoe at the orchard.

6. Evan's fall is named as a suicide attempt

On stage, the truth about Evan's fall from the tree comes out in Act Two, during an argument with the imagined Connor. In the film, Evan says it aloud to his mother, telling Heidi that his fall was a suicide attempt.

7. Changes to Larry and Jared

On stage, Larry is Connor and Zoe's father. The film makes him their stepfather, played by Danny Pino. Evan's family friend Jared Kleinman becomes Jared Kalwani, played by Nik Dodani, and his part is smaller.

Dear Evan Hansen movie vs musical: FAQs