Dear Evan Hansen will continue its partnership with ArtsConnection, NYC’s leading arts-in-education organization, for a second year, due to the funding of producer and owner of San Francisco’s Curran Theatre, Carole Shorenstein Hays.
The ongoing initiative, named ART2ART – DEAR EVAN HANSEN, has brought hundreds of NYC public high school students to see the Tony-winning musical.
Before attending a performance at the Music Box Theatre, students participate in a workshop held by representatives from the cast and creative team, during which they explore the themes within the show. Following the performance, students express their response to the show by creating original works of visual art. Upon completion, the students join the Dear Evan Hansen company for a celebration at Sardi’s, where their art is on display for the occasion.
The works are also included in a curated online gallery, and select pieces are displayed throughout the Music Box. To watch a video highlighting the ART2ART experience, click here.
Students throughout New York City are eligible to apply to participate in ART2ART. From its applicant pool, 50 students will be chosen to participate in each session. This program will be offered four times during the 2018–2019 season.
“The art that is created by these New York City students over the past year has been relevant, authentic, filled with passion and quite frankly, gorgeous and a real, in-depth look at what this musical means to young people,” producer Stacey Mindich said in a statement. “I’m grateful to ArtsConnection for this amazing program and to Carole Shorenstein Hays for recognizing the importance of it and funding it.”
Read: THE ORIGIN STORY OF EVAN HANSEN'S ICONIC (ARM)CAST
“When we reopened the Curran a couple years back, one of the very first things we committed to was making sure local students were afforded consistent access to our programming,” Shorenstein Hays added. “This is as much a part of our mission as putting on great shows. Providing the same kind of access here in New York is not only hugely exciting, it’s also absolutely vital to the fabric of our artistic and educational communities.”
