A lot goes into putting on a Broadway show, from the performances and sound engineering to stage management and lighting. There’s so much happening onstage, that often, theatregoers miss the smaller details—like the props.
We went backstage at the Music Box Theatre for an up-close look at the props used in the Tony-winning Dear Evan Hansen, and spoke to props supervisor for the the show Buist Bickley.
Read: The Origin Story of Evan Hansen's Iconic (Arm) Cast
Bickley gave us a run-down on how the props were selected and what steps are taken to maintain them over a long run. Whether it's collaborating with the scenic or set designers to create a cohesive look, or making sure the materials are all flame retardant, every last detail is specifically curated for aesthetic and practical purposes.
“Dear Evan Hansen was done at Arena Stage and then Second Stage before coming to Broadway, so my job was less about really creating the show, and more about polishing it for the Music Box and getting it ready to survive a Broadway run,“ says Bickley.
Flip through the gallery below to see the props up close, how they are stored backstage, and how they were chosen and created for the show:
After opening on Broadway in December 2016, Dear Evan Hansen became an instant hit. The show won six 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
The original musical features a score by the Tony-winning songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dogfight, A Christmas Story), a book by Tony Award winner Steven Levenson (Masters of Sex), choreography by Danny Mefford (Fun Home), and direction by multiple Tony nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal, If/Then).
