Strong Production of Dear Evan Hansen Closes out A.C.T. of CT Season
By Kiersten Bjork (May 16, 2026)
Dear Evan Hansen took the theatre community by storm back in 2016 when it debuted on Broadway with Ben Platt in the titular role, taking home 6 Tony awards including Best Musical. Now playing at A Contemporary Theatre of Connecticut (A.C.T. of CT) through June 21, the production is a strong one, particularly with Kenny Lee taking the lead as Evan.
Dear Evan Hansen, with a book by Steven Levenson and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, is a deeply personal, evocative musical that follows Evan, a high school senior as he navigates social anxiety, loneliness, family trauma, and more, when a sudden tragedy in his school community presents him with the opportunity to change his life in ways he had only hoped for. What transpires is a rather heartbreaking sequence of events that spiral out of control, until Evan has no choice but to expose the truth.
Director Scott Schwartz and choreographer Marcos Santana, with music director Cole P. Abod and music supervisor Bryan Perri, have crafted a dynamic production that clearly resonated with the audience in attendance on opening night. The talented company are adept storytellers who bring the weight of this narrative into the intimate performance space at A.C.T. of CT nicely, and there were more than a few audience members fighting tears before the end of the night.
Dear Evan Hansen took the theatre community by storm back in 2016 when it debuted on Broadway with Ben Platt in the titular role, taking home 6 Tony awards including Best Musical. Now playing at A Contemporary Theatre of Connecticut (A.C.T. of CT) through June 21, the production is a strong one, particularly with Kenny Lee taking the lead as Evan.
Dear Evan Hansen, with a book by Steven Levenson and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, is a deeply personal, evocative musical that follows Evan, a high school senior as he navigates social anxiety, loneliness, family trauma, and more, when a sudden tragedy in his school community presents him with the opportunity to change his life in ways he had only hoped for. What transpires is a rather heartbreaking sequence of events that spiral out of control, until Evan has no choice but to expose the truth.
Director Scott Schwartz and choreographer Marcos Santana, with music director Cole P. Abod and music supervisor Bryan Perri, have crafted a dynamic production that clearly resonated with the audience in attendance on opening night. The talented company are adept storytellers who bring the weight of this narrative into the intimate performance space at A.C.T. of CT nicely, and there were more than a few audience members fighting tears before the end of the night.
Kenny Lee and the company of A.C.T. of CT’s Dear Evan Hansen (A.C.T. of CT)
Kenny Lee absolutely shines in the notoriously difficult track of Evan Hansen. His vocal and physical choices are excellent, and his relationships with each and every actor opposite him are deep and real. Lee invites us into the complicated character of Evan, giving us the good, the bad, and the ugly of being human, all over the course of the three-hour evening. It’s a truly impressive performance, and definitely the highlight of the production.
Evan’s mother, Heidi Hansen is portrayed by Maya Days. At the performance I attended, it seemed that Days was straining for higher notes, potentially fighting something that resulted in a rougher, hoarser sound–'tis the season for allergies. While it impacted some of her vocals, it in no way hindered her performance of the character of Heidi. She delivered a Heidi who is exhausted but trying, balancing supporting her son with a hefty work and school schedule that results in her being out of the house more nights than not. Days has such a presence to her, grounded and intense, yet incredibly connected to Lee, especially in her rendition of “So Big/So Small.”
The Murphy family parents, Heather Ayers as Cynthia and Gil Brady as Larry, play the complex, tense relationship well. They are at times distant, and then passionate and devastated, reminding us of the complicated nature of grief. As their daughter Zoe, Olivia Foght is sweet yet sad. She balances the anger and frustration at her brother with the softer, hopeful light that follows in his wake. Foght has a great voice that really feels right for Zoe. Erik Houck is an excellent Connor Murphy, in both his darker, hurting moments, and the campy, over-the-top humorous ones. “Sincerely, Me” remains one of my favorite parts of this show, and Houck, Lee, and Josh Hoyt as Jared Kleinman absolutely knock it out of the park. It’s always fun to watch actors clearly enjoying themselves onstage, and this is a scene where that is on full display.
Hoyt as Kleinman gives us both sharp, biting humor and softer moments, and does well in the role. Amaya White is great as Alana Beck, delivering a dynamic performance.
Evan’s mother, Heidi Hansen is portrayed by Maya Days. At the performance I attended, it seemed that Days was straining for higher notes, potentially fighting something that resulted in a rougher, hoarser sound–'tis the season for allergies. While it impacted some of her vocals, it in no way hindered her performance of the character of Heidi. She delivered a Heidi who is exhausted but trying, balancing supporting her son with a hefty work and school schedule that results in her being out of the house more nights than not. Days has such a presence to her, grounded and intense, yet incredibly connected to Lee, especially in her rendition of “So Big/So Small.”
The Murphy family parents, Heather Ayers as Cynthia and Gil Brady as Larry, play the complex, tense relationship well. They are at times distant, and then passionate and devastated, reminding us of the complicated nature of grief. As their daughter Zoe, Olivia Foght is sweet yet sad. She balances the anger and frustration at her brother with the softer, hopeful light that follows in his wake. Foght has a great voice that really feels right for Zoe. Erik Houck is an excellent Connor Murphy, in both his darker, hurting moments, and the campy, over-the-top humorous ones. “Sincerely, Me” remains one of my favorite parts of this show, and Houck, Lee, and Josh Hoyt as Jared Kleinman absolutely knock it out of the park. It’s always fun to watch actors clearly enjoying themselves onstage, and this is a scene where that is on full display.
Hoyt as Kleinman gives us both sharp, biting humor and softer moments, and does well in the role. Amaya White is great as Alana Beck, delivering a dynamic performance.
Gil Brady, Heather Ayers, and Maya Days in A.C.T. of CT’s Dear Evan Hansen (A.C.T. of CT)
Scenic designers Christopher Swader and Justin Swader cleverly fit the space with pieces for Evan’s bedroom, Connor’s room, and the Murphy’s household, all of which are constantly present, though are rolled forward and back as the story transitions from place to place. Video screens are framed as windows across the upstage wall, with video designs by Camilla Tassi adding to the setting, as well as providing the playing space for the online world that is important the show. Videos, messages, emails, and social posts are shown, creating an intricate backdrop of what the characters are seeing and experiencing, blown up for the audience to witness on a large scale.
Lighting design by Charlie Morrison is well done, utilizing color, shadow, and spotlights to elevate each moment. Leslie Bernstein’s costume design builds upon the characters personalities, and incorporates nice character touches like Jared’s graphic t-shirts and Zoe’s star-doodled jeans. Sound design by Shannon Slaton is strong, though there were some moments in group numbers where Evan is still carrying the solo work that I wish the balance allowed him to come through over the full group a bit more.
Lighting design by Charlie Morrison is well done, utilizing color, shadow, and spotlights to elevate each moment. Leslie Bernstein’s costume design builds upon the characters personalities, and incorporates nice character touches like Jared’s graphic t-shirts and Zoe’s star-doodled jeans. Sound design by Shannon Slaton is strong, though there were some moments in group numbers where Evan is still carrying the solo work that I wish the balance allowed him to come through over the full group a bit more.
Maya Days and Kenny Lee in A.C.T. of CT’s Dear Evan Hansen (A.C.T. of CT)
Dear Evan Hansen is a complicated story that explores loss, grief, isolation, and loneliness, and it’s certainly not for everyone. It's heavy, it's emotional, and it has the potential to be very personal for a range of different reasons. However, if it is your cup of tea, A.C.T. of CT’s production is certainly a great one–and Lee’s performance as Evan is not to be missed.
Dear Evan Hansen plays May 14-June 21, 2026, at A.C.T. of CT in Ridgefield, CT. Learn more and purchase tickets at actofct.org or by calling the Box Office at (475) 215-5497.
Kiersten Bjork is a professional theatremaker, performer, and reviewer (Connecticut Critics Circle) from Branford, CT.
Dear Evan Hansen plays May 14-June 21, 2026, at A.C.T. of CT in Ridgefield, CT. Learn more and purchase tickets at actofct.org or by calling the Box Office at (475) 215-5497.
Kiersten Bjork is a professional theatremaker, performer, and reviewer (Connecticut Critics Circle) from Branford, CT.