Dear Evan Hansen: High School Version (PG-13) is a poignant and timely musical that explores what it means to feel alone, to struggle and to seek connection in a noisy world. The story follows Evan Hansen, a socially anxious teen, whose entanglement in a lie following a classmate’s suicide unexpectedly transforms him and his community.

This production includes references to:

• Mental health challenges (depression, anxiety, panic attacks)
• Suicidal ideation and death by suicide (no depictions on stage)
• Substance use and recovery
• Parental absence and family dysfunction
• Bullying and school violence
• Sexual references
• Strong language

While the story contains serious and emotional themes, it ultimately emphasizes:

• Empathy 
• Healing
• Connection
• You are not alone

SUPPORT & RESOURCES

Our production is guided by the Tosa West Mental Health and Student Services team. Support will be available throughout the production process, including:

• Confidential check-ins
• Opt-out opportunities
• Private support when needed

If you need support outside of normal school hours, please visit the Tosa Health & Wellness Website, where you can:

• Access our Virtual Calming Room to reset and recharge.
• Schedule appointments with Student Services staff.
• Explore community connections and resources available through West High School.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out right away: call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – help is available 24/7.

• Text HOME to 741741 to connect with the Crisis Text Line.
• Call 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

You are not alone – support is always available.

A Message from Tosa West Theatre: “Dear Evan Hansen” – A Story That Matters

This fall, Tosa West will be the first high school in the nation to produce Dear Evan Hansen: High School Version (PG-13) in partnership with Music Theatre International. We’re honored to present this deeply human and important story - a moment that celebrates not only our talented students and thriving theatre program, but also our commitment to conversations that matter.

Mental health struggles are a reality for our teens today, and it’s a subject too important to ignore. As we bring Dear Evan Hansen to the stage, we do so with care and purpose. This production serves as a powerful platform to support mental health awareness, suicide prevention and stigma reduction within our school and community.

Our students are stepping into roles that go beyond entertainment - they may empower someone to ask for help, offer support or feel less alone. We are proud of their courage and compassion in taking on this work, and we stand beside them.

At Tosa West, we are more than a school - we are a community that chooses to:

• Be the change we wish to see in the world.
• Open the door to tough conversations - with safety, empathy and care.
• Support every student’s mental wellness, every step of the way.

Throughout this process, we’ll highlight mental health resources through our student services department, trusted staff and local community partnerships. These supports will be visible and accessible leading up to and throughout the show’s production. If you need help outside of normal school hours, please visit the Tosa Health & Wellness Website, where you can:

• Access our Virtual Calming Room to reset and recharge.
• Schedule appointments with Student Services staff.
• Explore community connections and resources available through West High School.

We invite you to join us - not just as an audience, but as a community - in engaging thoughtfully and supportively in this important moment. Together, we can lift up voices, foster healing and create a school culture where no one feels alone.

Let’s raise the curtain - on excellence, on empathy and on conversations that can save lives.

With pride,                                                                                                                                                          

The Tosa West Theatre Team