That also meant composing a song to be of a piece with the pre-existing Tony winning score.
She was drawn to the role of Alana because of her own experiences with academia and mental health.
“I related to Alana, hardcore,” she tells EW.
Amandla Stenberg in ‘Dear Evan Hansen.'.Erika Doss/Universal Pictures
“It just goes to show you never know what’s going on with people,” she adds.
“So many of us are dealing with mental health challenges in a different way.
The intention is to make people feel less alone.”
It was Paul who first found the refrain.
As a musician, she was used to a quieter, more internal approach to singing.
“I have a tendency to sing really close to the mic,” she explains.
“Theater singing is external, and I really got the song in my body.
It’s hard to cry and sing at the same time.
A version of this story appears in the September issue ofEntertainment Weekly,available to order here.
