Many UAHS students joined the rest of Columbus by attending “Dear Evan Hansen” or seeing Tyler, the Creator. If you missed it, two columnists review some of the weekends’ events.
Dear Evan Hansen: Sept. 17 – Sept. 22
By Hallie Underwood ’20
When Dear Evan Hansen came to the Ohio Theatre on a national tour Sept. 17-22, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get tickets. My best friend surprised me with them for my birthday and I went home and cried because I was so overwhelmed with emotion. The music of Dear Evan Hansen means so much to me. The story of Dear Evan Hansen means so much to me. Conor Murphy, Zoe Murphy, three parents, a sarcastic family friend, a high-achieving peer and Evan Hansen, all overcoming their own battles and looking for their place in the world.
The cast of Dear Evan Hansen that I saw was, in a word, phenomenal. Even from the balcony, I could see the real chemistry between the characters, especially the relationships between the teenagers in the musical and their parents. As a teenager, I feel it portrayed a realistic dynamic that added a lot to the overall message that everyone will be found. I was especially impressed by Christopher Anthony, who played Evan Hansen, and felt honored to be able to see his opening night in Columbus.
I laughed, I cried, I fought every urge to sing along. It was a beautiful homage to growing up, feeling alone, finding community and finding your voice. At the end of the night, after joining the entire audience in a standing ovation and pointing out the beautiful details of the Ohio Theatre, I felt loved. That’s the wonderful thing about theatre like this. You always feel like you have gained so much at the end.
Mental health awareness is so important to me. Art is so important to me. I am so amazed by Dear Evan Hansen and its ability to do both so beautifully.
Tyler the Creator: Sept. 22
By Grace Call ’20
Igor, Flower Boy, the Creator. Tyler Okonma, a.k.a Tyler the Creator, visited Columbus Sept. 22 for a Sunday a little less quiet than normal. Introduced first by Goldlink and Jaden Smith, the concert made for a high energy night full of dancing in the pit at EXPRESS LIVE! Prior to the concert, Tyler could be spotted riding his bike around the city. Sophomore Sydney Moore, an avid Tyler fan, reportedly spotted him at Starbucks a few hours before attending the show.
I was lucky enough to secure tickets early on before prices rose and eventually sold out. I remember waiting for them to go live on Ticketmaster while sitting in the LC towards the end of one of my summer capstone session. Flash forward to this past weekend, I attended with a couple of friends and arrived about halfway through Jaden Smith’s set. Tyler came on a bit after 9:00 p.m., and the crowd surged forwards towards the stage. Not long after that, he began to perform and fans subsequently started to throw themselves around (in the best way). I don’t think I’ve ever been sweatier in my life. Out of all the many concerts I’ve attended, that one made it up there with some of the most intense pits I’ve been in. There were moments where I was so compressed against other fans that I was incapable of drawing in a breath. But it was so worth it. Tyler’s charming and humorous demeanor was so realistic. And his voice. Holy &*^%#. He played a perfect mix of songs from his latest album along with throwbacks we didn’t know we needed. Overall, Tyler hit all the markers that make a great show. Every drop of sweat and penny spent was worth it.