On September 5, GMG Productions rolled out the blue carpet for the gala night of Dear Evan Hansen at The Theatre at Solaire, marking the Manila debut of the UK touring cast. Ellis Kirk stepped into the titular role, with Sonny Monaghan as alternate.

The decision to bring the show to Manila was straightforward — the people wanted it. GMG Executive Producer Sam Sewell shared that their programming is shaped by audience surveys. With the chatter at the lobby before the show began, the city’s excitement was undeniable.

Dear Evan Hansen has become a touchstone of the musical theatre genre since its premiere in 2016, winning four Tony Awards, an Olivier, and a Grammy. But prestige alone doesn’t explain its endurance. Its narrative—a teenager spinning a lie into online virality—should read as bleak, yet the production offsets the gravity with humor. That balance leaned hard on Tom Dickerson’s Jared Kleinman, who kept the show buoyant as comic relief and chaos engine. “My happiness is based on whether the audience laughs,” he said at a press conference. By that measure, Manila delivered.

What makes the show resonate isn’t just the score or the accolades, but the mirror it holds up to its audience. Its portrayal of the weight of existence, the desire to disappear, and the fumbling attempts at connection in the age of social media are lived experiences for many.

Part of that connection is demographic. Sewell noted that Filipino theatergoers skew 10 to 12 years younger than their Western counterparts. With a youthful cast and storyline, the closeness in age makes the themes hit harder.

Rebecca McKinnis’ turn as Heidi Hansen drew some of the night’s loudest applause, while Kirk, as Evan, landed a standing ovation. His take on Evan embraced awkwardness without slipping into caricature, his vocals inevitably inviting comparisons to Ben Platt, the original Broadway Evan. Whether that proves a blessing or a burden is for the audience to decide.

Dear Evan Hansen runs until October 5 at The Theatre at Solaire, with tickets available
via Ticketworld.com.ph.

Special thanks to GMG Productions