'Dear Evan Hansen' in Manila: What does it mean to be found?

When "Dear Evan Hansen" opened at The Theatre at Solaire over the weekend, it wasn’t just another theater debut.

For Filipino fans, it was the long-awaited arrival of one of the most talked-about musicals of the past decade. The timing couldn’t be more meaningful, coming in the same month as World Suicide Prevention Month. The show’s story about loneliness, grief, and connection hits especially close to home.

At the center of it all is actor Ellis Kirk as Evan Hansen, the anxious high schooler who longs to fit in. Kirk completely draws the audience into Evan’s world. Every nervous fidget and every awkward pause feels heartbreakingly real.

His voice soars in both intimate and grand moments, but it is “Words Fail” that leaves the theater breathless. The vulnerability of that performance shattered hearts; by then, sniffles and quiet sobs rippled across the room.

A cast of standouts

Rebecca McKinnis, as Evan’s mother Heidi, anchors the story with raw honesty. Her portrayal captures the exhaustion of single parenthood layered with fierce, unwavering love. Her songs “Good For You” and “So Big/So Small” were among the night’s most applauded performances.

Zoë Athena’s Zoe Murphy was another standout: angry, wounded, yet tender. Her “Requiem” was haunting, stripping away the audience’s sympathy for her late brother Connor and replacing it with her own conflicted grief.

The Murphy parents, Helen Anker and Hal Fowler embodied Cynthia and Larry with devastating restraint, painting a picture of parents stuck between denial and sorrow. 

Meanwhile, Rhys Hopkins, though largely appearing as an imagined version of Connor, delivered memorable chemistry with Kirk in every shared scene. Tom Dickerson as Jared Kleinman balanced the heaviness with biting humor. 

Every member of the cast, down to the ensemble, brought depth and precision. 

Each song, from the rousing anthem “You Will Be Found” to the intimate “Disappear,” was beautifully performed and deeply felt.

This production makes powerful use of LED screens, lighting, and sound design. Social media posts, viral tweets, and text messages flash across the stage. The simplicity of the set allows the music and performances to shine, while the digital visuals highlight just how fragile and overwhelming the online world can be.

A story that divides and connects

One of the reasons "Dear Evan Hansen" continues to spark conversation is its morally complicated core. Evan gains the acceptance he has always longed for, but only through a lie about his connection with a classmate who died by suicide. Some view him as selfish and cruel, others as a painfully lonely teenager making desperate choices.

That divide was evident in Manila. Some viewers left angry, talking about how they wanted to punish Evan. Others left sobbing. Many felt both at once. And that is the magic of this show: it is messy, uncomfortable, and deeply human.

"Dear Evan Hansen" gives us the chance to feel seen, to feel less alone, and to be found. 

But the show also leaves us with a caution: To not become like Evan, who in desperation, hurt those around him. Our choices, even in loneliness, ripple outward. Who we affect, and how deeply we wound them, may be more than we ever realize.

After all, being found doesn’t mean losing yourself. It means holding on to who you are, and letting others meet you there.

This staging marks the first stop in Asia for the UK touring company, after 32 cities across Britain. Directed by Adam Penford, with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and a book by Steven Levenson, the Manila run is a milestone for the city’s theater community, which is proving itself ready for musicals that both entertain and challenge.

Tickets are available through TicketWorld, ranging from P1,904 to P6,877. — LA, GMA Integrated News