Quotes / Dear Evan Hansen

Musical

Act One

"Dear Evan Hansen: Today is going to be an amazing day, and here’s why. Because today, all you have to do is just be yourself. But also confident. That's important. And interesting. Easy to talk to. Approachable. But mostly be yourself. That's the big- that’s number one. Be yourself. Be true to yourself. Also, though, don't worry about whether your hands are going to get sweaty for no reason and you can't make it stop no matter what you do, because they're not going to get sweaty, so I don’t know why you’re bringing it up, because it’s not going to happen, because you’re just, all you have to do is be yourself. I'm not even going to worry about it, though, because seriously it's not like- it's not going to be like that one time you had the perfect chance to introduce yourself to Zoe Murphy at the jazz band concert last year, when you waited afterward to talk to her and tell her how good she was, and you were going to pretend to be super casual like you didn't even know her name, like she would introduce herself and you'd be like, "Wait, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. Chloe, you said your name was Chloe?" And then she'd be like, "No, it's Zoe, I said Zoe." And then you'd be like, "Oh, see, I thought you said Chloe because I don't even I'm very busy with other stuff right now is the thing." But then you didn't you didn't even end up saying anything to her anyway, because you were scared your hands were sweaty- which they weren't that sweaty until you started worrying that they were sweaty, which made them sweaty, so you put them under the hand dryer in the bathroom, but then they were still sweaty, they were just very warm now, as well."

— Evan Hansen begins this musical by attempting and failing to write a self-improvement letter.

"Dear Evan Hansen: It turns out, this wasn't an amazing day after all. This isn't going to be an amazing week or an amazing year. Because... Why would it be? Oh, I know. Because there's Zoe. And all my hope is pinned on Zoe. Who I don't even know and who doesn't know me. But maybe if I did. Maybe if I could just talk to her, then maybe... maybe nothing would be different at all. I wish that everything was different. I wish that I was a part of... something. I wish that anything I said... mattered, to anyone. I mean, face it: would anybody even notice if I disappeared tomorrow? Sincerely, your best and most dearest friend, me."

— Evan Hansen's first self-improvement letter, kicking off the main plot.

"If Connor meant something to you, please re-tweet. Or private message me if you just want to talk. At times like these, we could all use a friend."

— Alana Beck

♫ 'Cause all it takes is a little re- in- ven- tion!
It's easy to change if you give it your a- ten-tion!
All you gotta do, is just believe you can be who you wanna be,
Sincerely, me! ♫

— Chorus of "Sincerely, Me".

Zoe: Why did he say that? In his note? "Because there’s Zoe. And all my hope is pinned on Zoe. Who I don't even know and she doesn't know me". Why would he write that? What does that even mean?
Evan: Oh. Um... Well, I guess - I'm not sure if this is definitely it- but he was always… He always thought that, maybe if you guys were closer-
Zoe: We weren’t close. At all.
Evan: No, exactly. And he used to always say that he wished that he was. He wanted to be.
Zoe: So you and Connor, you guys would talk about me?
Evan: Sometimes. I mean, if he brought it up. I never brought it up. Obviously. Why would I have brought it up? He thought you were... awesome.
Zoe: He thought I was awesome... my brother...
Evan: Definitely.
Zoe: How?
Evan: Okay... um, okay... like.. um, like whenever you have a solo. In jazz band? You close your eyes and you get this-you probably don't even know you're doing this... But you get this half smile. Like you just heard the funniest thing in the world, but it's a secret and you can't tell anybody. But then, the way you smile, it's sort of like you're letting us in on the secret, um... too.

— Evan Hansen lies to Zoe Murphy about Connor.

Zoe: Everything you said in your speech. Everything you've done. You don't know how much... What you've given... All of us, everyone. My family. Me.
Evan: No, I... This is...
Zoe: You've given me my brother back.

— Zoe Murphy thanks Evan Hansen for honoring Connor's memory.

Act Two

Jared: Hey, I bet Zoe’s happy your cast is gone.
Evan: I guess.
Jared: I mean, talk about killing the mood, right? Having to see your brother's name written on your boyfriend’s arm every time you’re in the middle of-
Evan: Hey, just calm down, please? Zoe and I are not- we’re not... telling people about, you know, us.
Jared: Don't even worry about it, bro. The only thing that you should be worrying about right now is building that orchard for Connor. Because, if there was one thing about Connor - the guy loved trees. Or, no, wait, you love trees. That's weird. Isn't that weird? Guess I shouldn’t tell anyone about that either, don’t you think?

— Jared Kleinman talking about Evan Hansen's cast being gone.

Zoe: I'm not breaking up with you.
Evan: Oh. Well. Okay. Thank you.
Zoe: Don't mention it.
Evan: That's really great news.
Zoe: It's just, The Connor Project, I mean, it's great. But maybe we don't have to talk about my brother all the time. Maybe we could...talk about other things?
Evan: I just thought maybe you'd want to know.
Zoe: No, I know you did, but it's just... my entire life, everything has always been about Connor. And right now, I just want... I need something that’s just for me. If this is going to be a...relationship, I don't want it to be about my brother. Or the orchard. Or the emails. I just want... you.

— Zoe Murphy admits her love to Evan Hansen.

"We have a responsibility to our community, to show them everything, to tell them the truth."

— Alana Beck

Jared: You know, when you really stop and think about it, Connor being dead, that's pretty much the best thing that's ever happened to you, isn't it?
Evan: That's a horrible thing to say.
Jared: Well, but, no, think about it. If Connor hadn't died, no one would even know who you are. I mean, people at school actually talk to you now. You're almost... popular. Which is just... wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles.
Evan: I don't care about any of that. I don't care if people at school know who I am. All I wanted was to help the Mu-
Jared: Help the Murphys. Yeah. I know. You keep saying that.

— Jared Kleinman questioning Evan Hansen's motives about the lie.

♫ This was just a sad invention
It wasn't real, I know
But we were happy-
I guess I couldn't let that go
I guess I couldn't give that up
I guess I wanted to believe
'Cause if I just believe
Then I don't have to see what's really there.

No, I'd rather pretend I'm something better than
These broken parts
Pretend I'm something other than
This mess that I am
'Cause then I don't have to look at it
And no one gets to look at it
No, no one can really see...

Cause I've learned to slam on the brake
Before I even turn the key
Before I make the mistake
Before I lead with the WORST OF ME
I NEVER LET THEM SEE THE WORST OF ME!

'Cause what if everyone saw?
What if everyone knew?
Would they like what they saw?
Or would they hate it too?
Will I just keep on running away from what's true?

All I ever do is run
So how do I step in
Step into the sun?
Step into the sun... ♫

— Evan Hansen bitterly sings about his failures stemming from his social anxiety, "Words Fail".

"Dear Evan Hansen, today is going to be a good day. And here's why- because today, no matter what else, today at least...you're you. No hiding... no lying. Just...you. And that's...that’s enough. Maybe someday, everything that happened...Maybe it will all feel like a distant memory. Maybe someday no one will even remember about The Connor Project. Or me. Maybe someday, some other kid is going to be standing here, staring out at the trees, feeling so... alone, wondering if maybe the world might look different from all the way up there. Better. Maybe he’ll start climbing, one branch at a time, and he’ll keep going, even when it seems like he can’t find another foothold. Even when it feels... hopeless. Like everything is telling him to let go. This time... Maybe this time he won’t let go. He'll just...hold on and he’ll keep going. He’ll keep going 'til he sees the sun."

— Evan Hansen's second self-improvement letter, summarizing his Character Development.

Movie

Jared: Just so we're clear, I charge a minimum of two grand per email and that is a floor, not a ceiling.
Evan: Two thousand dollars?
Jared: Five hundred.
Evan: I didn't even ask for your help!
Jared: Two fifty, bottom line, take it or leave it.
Evan: I can give you twenty bucks.
Jared: Fine. But I'm not gonna act like I'm happy about it.

— The negotiation of costs per email forgery.

"Does he, does he talk about when he disappeared for two days? But then, he called me and asked me to pick him up. He wanted to come home, but he wasn't ready to talk to you yet, so I took the bus all the way downtown to get him, and... guess what. All he really wanted was money. And... I gave it to him because I was twelve."

— Zoe Murphy recounts one of Connor Murphy's incidents.

Heidi: It says "Connor" on your cast.
Evan: Oh. No, no, yeah. Um...
Heidi: You said you didn't know him.
Evan: Sorry, I didn't. Um... it's in memory, so, like... y-you know, kids are like, um... they're writing his name on-on... lockers and stuff like that.
Heidi: Oh, um... that's lovely. You know, in memory.

— Attention is drawn to what's written on Evan Hansen's cast.

Zoe: What about your dad?
Evan: My dad? Um, he lives in Colorado, so... he left when I was seven.
Zoe: That sucks. Mine died when I was one, so... I sort of win.
Evan: Sorry.
Zoe: Thanks. It's fine. I-I don't even really remember him, to be honest. Connor did, though, a little.
Evan: That's terrible.
Zoe: (Sighs) Yeah. And then Larry showed up, fixed everything. For a while, at least. Yeah. Most people, with Connor, they just would've been like, 'See 'ya', but he's the only dad we ever really knew, so...

— Zoe Murphy and Evan Hansen talk about their paternal figures.

Alana: You want to help the Murphys? And all the other people who might need it, like people like Connor. Or... people like us.
Evan: People like us? Yes, right, because we have so much in common.
Alana: What?
Evan: Well, you're, like, the president of a m-million different groups at school, and you're like, part of every single activity and you're, you know, and I'm... um, I am not.
Alana: What do you take? Okay, I'll go first. I'm on Lexapro, ten milligrams.
Evan: Oh. Well, I'm-I'm on Zoloft. Uh, and Wellbutrin. And, um... Ativan as needed.
Alana: Depression? Anxiety?
Evan: Yeah.
Alana: Yeah, me too. Some days it's just like, um... it's like, um...
Evan: Impossible?
Alana: Yeah.

— Evan Hansen and Alana Beck discover that they're alike.

Alana: Were you ever actually friends with him?
Evan: What are you talking about?
Alana: Well, the thing about the emails, it's just that, like, you and Connor keep talking about climbing this tree together in June.
Evan: Mm-hmm?
Alana: We were in school in June. You didn't have a cast until September.
Evan: Well, uh, you know what? We probably just wrote down the wrong date or something.
[Evan walks away, but Alana follows him.]
Alana: It's not just the emails, Evan. You've missed, like, three meetings in a row. If I were his best friend, I would be doing everything I could to make sure his dream of rebuilding the orchard came true.
Evan: Okay. Look, it's terrible that people aren't giving as much money as we hoped they would. It is, but-but it's not like it's him. You know what I mean? It's-it's just... it's an orchard, Alana.
Alana: We have people watching us, hoping... praying that we can prove Connor wrong. And if the orchard is just an empty promise, all of these people will know that Connor was right. That no one cares. ...Did you lie to me? Did I lie to all these people?

— Alana Beck raises questions about Evan's story.

If you've ever felt alone like Connor, please consider making a donation. No amount is too small.
Connor will not be forgotten.

— Alana Beck's Instagram post containing Evan's self-improvement letter.

"I was never friends with Connor Murphy. I lied, repeatedly, to his family, to Alana, to all of you. I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I don't deserve it. But, um, please... Connor's family doesn't deserve your hatred. I do. I'm sorry."

— Evan Hansen confessing his lie online.

♫ Today... today... today.
It feels a little closer. ♫

— Evan Hansen, closing the movie in a reprise of "A Little Closer".