Changing lives To understand how DEH is reaching people on a very visceral, profound level, one must not look further than Rye’s Daniel Pellegrini, whose mother has dubbed him the “real-life Evan Hansen.” Laura Pellegrini remembers a life- changing day earlier this year when 11-year-old Daniel, who has been diagnosed as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)/ ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), brought her his phone and simply said, “Does this help?” before walking away. On that phone? “Waving Through a Window.” “You have to speak ‘Daniel’ sometimes,” she says of her son’s occasionally literal and scriptive mode of speaking. “When he gave me the phone I knew that was his way of saying I was supposed to interpret the words, because this was him trying to say the words to me , that this is how he feels when he is trying to talk to his own friends and they shut him out, so it’s like he’s not even there. This song is so empowering for him.” The song meant so much to Daniel that he decided to sing it at his school talent show – in front of
and it encourages compassion.” The extensive study guide at DearEvanHansen.com provides in-depth interviews with the cast and creative team, as well as questions and activities that allow students to critically think through reading, writing, performing and artistic expression. It also places emphasis on social media and its effect on communication and self- perception. Professionals, such as Aliza Weinberger, the Audience Development Assistant at Mashable, weigh in on the topics covered, simultaneously prompting students to reflect on themselves. Weinberger writes: “The Internet is a complex place. Terrible things can happen there, like bullying, no privacy, and miscommunication. You can waste so much time scrolling through other people’s Instagram photos or swiping through Snapchat stories and imagining their lives are better than yours. But the Internet is also pretty amazing.” Students are directed to consider their online selves: Is the persona you project through social media the real you? Why or why not? Do you behave differently on different forms of social media? Additionally, the guide inspires teenagers to be “seen” through their art, their words and their voices, in similar fashion to the show itself. Mike Faist, the actor who plays suicidal teenager Connor, told Interview magazine, “the biggest thing between all of the young characters is that they don’t want people to see them, because if we allow ourselves to be seen, actually seen, and allow [ourselves] to be vulnerable, then we lose the game. Teens don’t want to let people know how they are actually feeling. That’s… where everyone feels marginalized and displaced a little bit.” YouTube has made it clear that schools are helping students to be seen and to find their voices – just check out any number of videos of concerts and graduations featuring Pasek and Paul’s score. Mindich remembers that early on, teachers and principals were calling regularly to get permission to use the music because they felt that “You Will Be Found” was an especially important song of hope and perfect for endings and beginnings at schools.
DANIEL PELLEGRINI WAS ASKED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE BEN PLATT FAN CLUB RECENTLY TO PARTICIPATE IN AVIDEO GIFT THEYWERE MAKING FOR BEN FOR HIS BIRTHDAY. IT IS A NUMBER OF HIS FANS HOLDING UP LYRICS TO “YOUWILL BE FOUND” AND THE ACCEPTANCE SPEECH HE GAVE AT THE TONY’S. THISWAS THE LINE DANIELWAS ASSIGNED, SO HE CREATED THE POSTER AND SENT IT IN.
“As early as a couple of years ago we started seeing photos on Instagram and Twitter of graduates with their caps decorated to say [“Waving Through a Window” lyrics] ‘Step out into the sun.” The artwork in the Music BoxTheatre is also a product of DEH ’s initiative to help teenagers find their voices. In 2016, Mindich started a program called Art2Art with the not-for-profit organization ArtsConnection, in which groups of fifty New York City public high school students are invited to attend DEH , and then create original works of art to express their responses to the music visually. The art extends all the way to the DEH casts’ dressing rooms, as well as to Mindich’s office. Many of the teenagers have never seen a Broadway show, nor do some of them even have art programs at their schools. Mindich recalls the talkback with the first group of students that participated in the program. “It was really powerful to hear them say, ‘you’ve made me feel less alone,’ and then to hear them tell their own stories.”
the very bullies who had been teasing him. “When I was being bullied, that song felt like the person singing it was almost like me, like the song was made for me,” he says. “When I realized that some of the people that bullied me were [at the talent show], I felt a little bit awkward.” Daniel remembers the big day well. “I was like, ‘What are they doing out there?’ But then I started treating them like any other audience, how I usually do, and then I did great. They congratulated me afterwards!” Mindich got word of Daniel’s story and invited him and his parents to take in DEH , followed by a meeting with the cast. “It was interesting for us to watch him watching the show, because it was like he was looking at himself,” says Laura. “He couldn’t take his eyes off of Ben the whole time.” Daniel and Laura saw a lot of Daniel in Ben’s Tony Award- winning performance, including many of his mannerisms, his lack of eye contact, and his over-talking. “I think Daniel has become much more aware of the people around him
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