Steven Levenson

"Steven Levenson's passionate and provoking If I Forget is a family play... Irritable and animated, the Fischers come vibrantly alive in this young playwright's funny, bruising, searching voice." --Alexis Soloski, New York Times In the final months before 9/11, liberal Jewish studies professor Michael Fischer has reunited with his two sisters to celebrate their father's 75th birthday. Each deeply invested in their own version of family history, the siblings clash over everything from Michael's controversial scholarly work to the mounting pressures of caring for an ailing parent. As destructive secrets and long-held resentments bubble to the surface, the three negotiate--with biting humor and razor-sharp insight--how much of the past they're willing to sacrifice for a chance at a new beginning. If I Forget tells a powerful tale of a family and a culture at odds with itself.

From the show's creators comes the groundbreaking, bestselling novel inspired by the hit Broadway show Dear Evan Hansen and soon to be a major motion picture Dear Evan Hansen, Today's going to be an amazing day and here's why... When a letter that was never meant to be seen by anyone draws high school senior Evan Hansen into a family's griefover the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell, that the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend. Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore- even to the girl of his dreams. And Connor Murphy's parents, with their beautiful home on the other side of town, have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son from his closest friend.As Evan gets pulled deeper into their swirl of anger, regret, and confusion, he knows that what he's doing can't be right, but if he's helping people, how wrong can it be? No longer tangled in his once-incapacitating anxiety, this new Evan has a purpose. And a website. He's confident. He's a viral phenomenon. Every day is amazing. Until everything is in danger of unraveling and he comes face to face with his greatest obstacle: himself. A simple lie leads to complicated truths in this big-hearted coming-of-age story of grief, authenticity and the struggle to belong in an age of instant connectivity and profound isolation.

*Read the book before you see the film, out September 2021!* Dear Evan Hansen, Today's going to be an amazing day and here's why...When a letter that was never meant to be seen draws high school senior Evan Hansen into the Murphy family's grief over the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell. That the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend.Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore. And Connor's wealthy parents have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son from his 'closest friend'.As Evan gets pulled deeper into their family, he knows that what he's doing may not be right, but if he's helping people, how wrong can it be?No longer tangled in his once-incapacitating anxiety, this new Evan has a purpose.He's confident. He's a viral phenomenon. Every day is amazing. But when everything is in danger of unravelling, he comes face to face with his greatest obstacle: himself.A simple lie leads to complicated truths in this big-hearted coming-of-age story of grief, authenticity and the struggle to belong in an age of instant connectivity and profound isolation.__________ Praise for Dear Evan Hansen:'Even in book form, Evan Hansen's story sings. Required reading, especially for anyone who's ever needed to be found' - Becky Albertalli, author of Love Simon'Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel is a terrific reinvention of an already brilliant piece of art.' -Jodi Picoult, author of My Sister's Keeper'Today's going to be an amazing day, and here's why: because you're holding this book.' - David Arnold, author of Mosquitoland'The writers of Dear Evan Hansen have given fans a rare gift' - Teen Vogue'Yep, the hit musical will make you cry just as much in book form' - Entertainment Weekly

The New York Times called it "a superb new musical with great art and humor." New York magazines lauded it as a "musical gem with the kind of surprising songs only found in the best musical theater." The Washington Post called it "musical storytelling of the highest caliber, a work whose captivatingly generous spirit is matched by its exemplary intelligence and fearless embrace of deep feeling." But Dear Evan Hansen isn't just a darling of the critics. The emotional masterpiece is resonating across generations, where at the heart of the show is a universal message about our desire to connect more deeply in a world dominated by impersonal digital interactions. The Dear Evan Hansen musical follows the story of Evan Hansen, an anxiety-ridden teenager who gets caught up in a line that he never meant to tell and, as a result, finally begins to feel like he fits in. The show deals with universal themes of family, alienation, bullying, mental health, addiction and belonging, while also starting a much-needed conversation about what it means to be growing up in America in the digital age. The book-produced by Melcher Media, the team behind Hamilton, Wicked, Rent, and many more-will tell you the story of the musical from its conception nearly a decade ago to the Broadway stage. From developing the idea to writing the show, composing, casting, and rehearsals, DEAR EVAN HANSEN will appeal to fans far and wide will offer them the opportunity to continuously revisit the show, and for those who haven't seen the musical, reading the book will make them feel like they have. Filled with interviews with the cast and crew, original behind-the-scenes photography, a deeper look into Evan's fictional world and the visual world of the show, unreleased lyrics, and of course the libretto, as well as reflections on the creators own formative memories from their adolescence as it relates to the show's themes, and important examinations of how we present ourselves online and mental health, DEAR EVAN HANSEN will be a beautifully produced, thoughtful, and uplifting book.

A new edition of the hugely successful musical by Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, published alongside its West End premiere and featuring exclusive content. A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he's always wanted: a chance to belong. Both deeply personal and profoundly contemporary, Dear Evan Hansen is a groundbreaking musical about truth, fiction, and the price we're willing to pay for the possibility to connect. The production opened in Washington DC in 2015, off-Broadway in 2016, and on Broadway later that year, before winning six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score, and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. This official West End edition is published alongside the production's transfer to London's Noël Coward Theatre in 2019. It features the complete book and lyrics of the show, plus exclusive bonus content and colour photographs of the West End production. 'Dear Evan Hansen lodges in your head long after you've seen it or heard it or read it. It feels like a pure expression from young writers at a crossroad of coming to terms with who they are and what they want to say about the world' James Lapine, from his Foreword

Älykäs, hauska ja traaginen romaani valheesta ja sen seurauksistaYksinkertainen valhe johtaa monimutkaisten totuuksien vyyhtiin hykerryttävässä tarinassa ajastamme, jolloin ollaan pakonomaisesti esillä ja toisaalta jäädään kipeästi syrjään.Kun Evan Hansenin kirje päätyy perheelle, joka suree kuollutta poikaansa, Evan saa elämänsä tilaisuuden: hänelle tarjoutuu mahdollisuus kuulua johonkin. Evanin on vain teeskenneltävä, että hän oli ongelmallisen Connor Murphyn salainen paras ystävä.Yhtäkkiä Evan ei ole enää näkymätön - edes unelmiensa tytölle.Connorin vanhemmat kutsuvat hänet elämäänsä kuullakseen lisää pojastaan. Mitä syvemmälle vanhempien tuskan syövereihin Evan uppoaa, hän tajuaa, ettei ole oikealla polulla, mutta jos hänen valheensa auttavat surevia omaisia, mitä haittaa niistä voi olla?Entinen Evan oli lamaantunut, uuden Evanin elämässä on tarkoitus. Jokainen päivä on mahtava! Kunnes kaikki valheet alkavat purkautua ja Evanin on kohdattava elämänsä isoin este: itsensä.Val Emmich on kirjailija, laulaja-lauluntekijä ja näyttelijä. Hänen toinen romaaninsa Dear Evan Hansen perustuu Broadway-menestysmusikaaliin, ja hän kirjoitti sen yhdessä tuotantoryhmän jäsenten Steven Levensonin, Benj Pasekin ja Justin Paulin kanssa. Lue lisää: valemmich.com

From the show's creators comes the groundbreaking, bestselling novel inspired by the hit Broadway show Dear Evan Hansen.Dear Evan Hansen, Today's going to be an amazing day and here's why... When a letter that was never meant to be seen by anyone draws high school senior Evan Hansen into a family's griefover the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell, that the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend. Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore--even to the girl of his dreams. And Connor Murphy's parents, with their beautiful home on the other side of town, have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son from his closest friend.As Evan gets pulled deeper into their swirl of anger, regret, and confusion, he knows that what he's doing can't be right, but if he's helping people, how wrong can it be? No longer tangled in his once-incapacitating anxiety, this new Evan has a purpose. And a website. He's confident. He's a viral phenomenon. Every day is amazing. Until everything is in danger of unraveling and he comes face to face with his greatest obstacle: himself. A simple lie leads to complicated truths in this big-hearted coming-of-age story of grief, authenticity and the struggle to belong in an age of instant connectivity and profound isolation.

From the show's creators comes the groundbreaking, bestselling novel inspired by the hit Broadway show Dear Evan Hansen and soon to be a major motion picture Dear Evan Hansen, Today's going to be an amazing day and here's why... When a letter that was never meant to be seen by anyone draws high school senior Evan Hansen into a family's griefover the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell, that the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend. Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore- even to the girl of his dreams. And Connor Murphy's parents, with their beautiful home on the other side of town, have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son from his closest friend.As Evan gets pulled deeper into their swirl of anger, regret, and confusion, he knows that what he's doing can't be right, but if he's helping people, how wrong can it be? No longer tangled in his once-incapacitating anxiety, this new Evan has a purpose. And a website. He's confident. He's a viral phenomenon. Every day is amazing. Until everything is in danger of unraveling and he comes face to face with his greatest obstacle: himself. A simple lie leads to complicated truths in this big-hearted coming-of-age story of grief, authenticity and the struggle to belong in an age of instant connectivity and profound isolation.

Winner of the 2017 Tony Award for Best Musical "Dear Evan Hansen lodges in your head long after you've seen it or heard it or read it. It feels like a pure expression from young writers at a crossroad of coming to terms with who they are and what they want to say about the world. Its honesty and truths haunt and ultimately open us up to ask the same question, no matter what our age or crossroad: What are the lies we tell ourselves?" -James Lapine (from the Foreword) A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed could be his. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he's always wanted: a chance to belong. Deeply personal and profoundly universal, Dear Evan Hansen is a groundbreaking American musical about truth, fiction, and the price we're willing to pay for the possibility to connect. *This publication includes the book and lyrics to the musical, as well as a foreword by James Lapine. Please note that it does not include the musical score.* Steven Levenson is the book writer for Dear Evan Hansen. His plays include If I Forget, The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin, Core Values, The Language of Trees, and Seven Minutes in Heaven. A graduate of Brown University, he served for three seasons as a writer and producer on Showtime's Master of Sex. Benj Pasek & Justin Paul are the song-writing team behind Dear Evan Hansen. Previous musicals include A Christmas Story: The Musical, Dogfight, James and the Giant Peach, and Edges. Their film projects include La La Land (for which they won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "City of Stars," with composer Justin Hurwitz), Trolls, Snow White, and The Greatest Showman. Their television credits include The Flash, Smash, and Johnny and the Sprites. Both are graduates of the University of Michigan Musical Theatre Program and members of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.