For Valentine’s Day, the producers of the Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen, offer this special rendition of the song “Only Us” from the hit show.
The blockbuster musical chronicles the journey of a socially-awkward high school student (Evan Hansen) who has trouble making friends.
In a twist of fate, the facts of a teen suicide get accidentally mixed up and he suddenly finds himself something of a hero, popular and spending time with his longtime crush. Except, it’s all based on an innocent falsehood that snowballs out of Evan’s control.
Evan eventually faces having to give up his newfound social status or live a lie.
At the 71st Tony Awards, Dear Evan Hansen took home six statues including Best Musical, and made a bona-fide star of its Tony Award winning leading man, Ben Platt.
While not a gay story, it’s certainly a theme LGBTs have gravitated to in terms of the character’s yearning for acceptance.
In the stage musical, “Only Us” is sung between Evan and his crush, Zoe.
In this Valentine’s Day version, we have two 'Evan Hansens' singing to each other. Taylor Trensch, who played the title role on Broadway, and the national tour ‘Evan,’ Ben Levi Ross.
For just a bit more Valentine's Day charm, the duo are a real life couple.
Sung by the two young men, the song shimmers in fresh and hopeful shades of gay.
I never thought there'd be someone like you who would want me
So I give you ten thousand reasons to not let me go
But if you really see me
If you like me for me and nothing else
Well, that's all that I've wanted for longer that you could possibly know
So it can be us
It can be us
And only us
And what came before won't count anymore or matter
We can try that
In fact, with two actors who played the same role, it could almost be interpreted as an ode of self-love.
And on Valentine’s Day, all love is celebrated – whether boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband or even the person in the mirror.
Most of the time, this writer is sharing some of the darker LGBTQ news of the day here on Instinct.
For a change, I wanted to share something totally smile-worthy.
Dear Evan Hansen is still running strong in New York City, London, Toronto and across the U.S. with its national touring company. Click here for more information about the show.
I just looked them up and
I just looked them up and they are dating in real life.
Yes…Â now i’m in tears…
Yes… now i'm in tears…