The first summary heuristic that we completed in class was for a review written in The New York Times of Ben Platt’s leading role in the musical “Dear Evan Hansen.” This assignment was meant to help us dig deeper into our readings and examine the texts we were reading. This assignment made me really analyze the texts I read and try to see what the author was saying without saying it. I chose my summary heuristic on Joel Lovell’s review because it gave me a desire that I’ve never had before, to see a Broadway performance, which I attribute to Lovell’s talent of making his audience feel that they are experiencing the musical and his interactions with Mr. Platt, first hand.
“How a 23-Year-Old with Mild Anxiety and a Charmed Life Became the Lying, Sobbing, Lovesick Toast of Broadway,” written by Joel Lovell is about the actor, Ben Platt and his role in the musical “Dear Evan Hansen.” In his text, Lovell describes the strengths that the actor has in order to give an emotionally intense performance for 8 shows a week. Lovell’s text was published on May 10, 2017 on The New York Times website. This piece also appears in print in the New York edition. Lovell’s piece can be considered to be a biography because he is writing about the actor, Ben Platt who plays the lead role in the musical “Dear Evan Hansen. It can also be considered to be a review of him as an actor and his performance in the musical because in this text, Lovell goes into great detail to describe Platt’s performance and what it takes for him to perform as intensely as he does.
The audience that Lovell is targeting with his text are those interested in the arts, specifically those interested in large scale theater or musical productions. Those interested in this particular production that may want to know more details about the lead actor or his prospective on playing this role may also be an interested in the text. The timing of Lovell’s text is opportune because it was published approximately ten days after the 2017 Tony Award nominations came out. With the awards-ceremony still approximately a month away and the show receiving 9 nominations, there is still time for readers to go see the show before the Tony Awards.
The author illustrates what Ben Platt puts himself through in order to give a top-notch performance, every time. Lovell attempts to make his audience feel the toll that this role takes on Mr. Platt mentally, emotionally, and physically. He does this by explaining in depth, the actor’s routines to prepare for each performance along with the routines he follows to assist his recovery from each. He also details conversations that he has with those closest to him, such as his mother and co-stars and their concerns for his well-being and the awe they have for the amazing job he does in his role.
One of the key points that circulate in this text is the mental and emotional strength that it takes for Mr. Platt to perform this role as flawlessly as he does, and the reactions of those that witness it on a daily basis. In the following quote, Steven Levenson, one of the three creators of the show, appears to be in awe of Ben Platt and his performance. “I’ve never met an actor who has such emotional access,’ Mr. Levenson said. ‘Yet every night, as intense as the role is internally, he hits each moment exactly the same. He’s technically perfect, every time. I find it a mystery. He really is a unicorn.”
The actress that plays the role of Evan’s mother, Rachel Bay Jones, is also mystified by the actor’s ability to perform so intensely and passionately. “When I spoke with Ms. Jones, she said: ‘I don’t really know how he does it, especially at such a young age. We all have those parts of ourselves we don’t find attractive and don’t want to show thousands of people. It takes so much work to strip away our protections around those things. But he’s able to let his guard fall away so naturally, and just be.”
The strong commitment and dedication Platt has to his role along with to those that come to see the musical can be seen as he describes the “monkish” lifestyle that he leads while performing in “Dear Evan Hansen.” An example can be seen in this quote: “It won’t always be like this, ‘he added. (His contract is up in November.) ‘But I feel as long as I’m doing this role, everything I do has to be in the service of that. I don’t want there to be a single performance where people leave feeling like they didn’t get the best I could offer. If that means denying myself something, that’s O.K. I don’t think anything can be genuinely fulfilling or powerful if it’s not taking some kind of toll. For now, I’m definitely willing to let that toll be taken.”