“Dear, Evan Hansen. Today is going to be an amazing day…” 

Unfortunately, not all days are amazing. Some days are incredibly difficult. This musical tackles this head on through a rollercoaster of emotions. 

Dear Evan Hansen at Red Mountain Theatre.

The cast of Red Mountain Theatre’s production of “Dear Evan Hansen” does a phenomenal job of leading the audience on a journey full of laughter and tears as they portray some incredibly difficult topics:  High school kids who feel invisible, a single mom who comes up short while doing the best she can for her son, a kid in search of a family he never had, and a family that realizes that wealth and privilege don't always protect you from tragedy.  But this incredible musical also shows how a tragic loss can blossom into hope. 

We were fortunate enough to get to watch part of one of the rehearsals for this show and learned that it was done in partnership with the UAB Theatre program. That's right, the non-adult characters are played by UAB students. They bring such professionalism to the stage that you feel like you are watching this show on Broadway! 

RedBull and ready to go!

The sets and blocking of the show give you a sense of how immersed high school students are in social media. There are screens that show actual social media accounts which were set up for each of the characters by the actors themselves. It's extremely well executed! 

The acting and singing was phenomenal! The cast kept the energy up from the light-hearted fun scenes all the way through the heavy somber ones. 

Custom Cocktails for the Show!

Red Mountain Theatre has done a few really great things for this production. They have two specialty cocktails in honor of the show. A “Broken Arm” and a “Heavy Heart,” both of which are light and citrusy. 

Tissues were a good call.

More importantly, during intermission, we noticed that they had written positive messages like “Find Each Other!,” and “You Matter!” on the bathroom mirrors. These statements are accompanied by QR code and contact information for a few community health partners like the Crisis Center and UAB Counseling Services.  Given the subject matter of the musical, these small touches show that art isn't just for entertainment. Sometimes it can save lives. 

Supportive Messaging inside of the RMT bathrooms.

Now to get deeply personal…

At the start of this article I mentioned that “Some days are incredibly difficult.” The performance was absolutely wonderful, but it was also a stark reminder of the most difficult day in our lives. The day we lost Amber's brother to suicide. This is why we feel that the message of “Dear Evan Hansen” is so incredibly important. It addresses those lingering questions that you're left with after such a devastating loss. It pulls to the forefront the painful “What ifs?” that never truly gets resolved as well as the grief that remains a part of you. 

In loving memory of Loren Hudson.

But the message of “Dear Evan Hansen” is one of hope. It serves as a reminder that we are not alone. It highlights the importance of our friends, family, and community as well as how essential it is for us to be there for each other, even if it's just to sit and listen to someone as they navigate through a tough time. 

Thank you to Red Mountain Theatre for reminding us that even if today isn't an amazing day, tomorrow might be. 

“Dear Evan Hansen” is playing at Red Mountain Theatre April 3rd-19th. You can purchase tickets HERE. 

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available right now. Call or text 988 in the US and Canada to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained counselor at the Crisis Text Line. These services are free, confidential, and safe.