Threaded Order Chronological Order
| re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 07:32 pm EDT 10/02/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? - broadwaybacker 06:30 pm EDT 10/02/21 | |
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| Maybe I'm the one who missed something, but did anyone say that the show and the movie don't have the same title? Maybe this person wasn't really aware of the show, or just didn't choose to comment on the title until the movie was made. | |
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| re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? | |
| Posted by: broadwaybacker 09:41 pm EDT 10/02/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? - Michael_Portantiere 07:32 pm EDT 10/02/21 | |
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| My point was that if the so-called "problem" with DEH started with the name, the "problem" would have manifested itself long before the film, one would have thought. | |
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| re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 11:01 am EDT 10/03/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? - broadwaybacker 09:41 pm EDT 10/02/21 | |
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| Yes, and my point is that the so-called "problem" -- which definitely is a problem, in my opinion -- of course was manifest from the beginning, from the time that title was affixed to the stage musical. It's just that no one seemed to notice, or if they did notice, no one seemed to be bothered by it. P.S. I write this as someone who is a big fan of the show AND the film overall. | |
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| re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 12:35 pm EDT 10/03/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? - Michael_Portantiere 11:01 am EDT 10/03/21 | |
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| Perhaps they should have stuck to the original working title - "The PPL Project" (Pasek, Paul, Levenson). That's what it was when I played for some college auditions for a Boston reading of it early on. :-) | |
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| re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? | |
| Posted by: mikem 12:46 pm EDT 10/03/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? - Chromolume 12:35 pm EDT 10/03/21 | |
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| From a practical viewpoint, I think the opening of the letter is problematic from the bookwriter's perspective. Connor's family has to know it's Evan Hansen and not some other Evan, so his last name has to be in there, even though no teenager would ever write that last name when addressing a friend. Or they could have given the protagonist a unique first name, but that brings up other issues. So it doesn't make sense, but there is a lot that's artificial about a stage musical anyway, so it isn't that bothersome. But a film may need to be more "real." | |
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| re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 08:06 pm EDT 10/03/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? - mikem 12:46 pm EDT 10/03/21 | |
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| "Connor's family has to know it's Evan Hansen and not some other Evan, so his last name has to be in there, even though no teenager would ever write that last name when addressing a friend. Or they could have given the protagonist a unique first name, but that brings up other issues." I've thought of that, but it seems to me that this problem could have been easily solved. First of all, I would say that Evan is an uncommon enough name that the Murphys could have arrived at Evan Hansen as the recipient through process of elimination, and then their idea that he was the recipient would have been pretty much confirmed by Connor's huge signature on Evan's cast. Or, if that strains credibility, then, as you suggested, Evan could have been given an even more unusual first name, or a nickname, that would have avoided the issue of his last name having been included in the salutation. What other issues do you think would have been brought up by giving Evan a unique first name? |
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| re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 08:23 pm EDT 10/03/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? - Michael_Portantiere 08:06 pm EDT 10/03/21 | |
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| Perhaps his name could have been Trashelle? :-) | |
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| re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? | |
| Posted by: mikem 09:24 pm EDT 10/03/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Richard Roper on DEH: the problem starts with the title.--REALLY?? - Chromolume 08:23 pm EDT 10/03/21 | |
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| I think if Evan has a unique first name, it raises questions about why he has such an unusual name and how that has affected him. Heidi having given him an unusual name might cause an audience member to read something into that about the choice she made, whether his unusual name adds to his social anxiety/isolation, stuff like that. Also, he's supposed to be an "Everyman" kind of kid. If they are intent on using "Dear So-and-so" as the title, an unusual name may make it harder to market the show without having to explain his name all the time. I think there's a difference between the title being, "Dear Evan," and being, "Dear Evan Hansen." The latter is a better title in my opinion. You are right that it's fairly solvable in that he could be the only Evan in his grade, so when they first have him come to the principal's office, they aren't sure but the "CONNOR" on the cast seals the deal. I forgot about the cast. |
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