Kanika Kumar
Directed by Stephen Chbosky, ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is a coming-of-age musical that focuses on a quiet teenager’s harrowing appropriation of a tragedy fueled by social anxiety and social media. The teen drama film is based on the eponymous award-winning Broadway musical by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Steven Levenson (‘Wonder’), who also serves as the screenwriter. Following the story of a recluse teen named Evan Hansen, the film explores the chaos that unfurls when Evan ends up using his peer Connor’s death to his advantage, to win the favor of his crush Zoe (Connor’s sister) and her family.
Exploring the intense loneliness and low self-esteem of those who find it hard to connect with friends and family, ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is a musical take on the highs and lows of mental health and teenagehood. If you’re taken by its realistic high school setting and are wondering where exactly the crew worked their magic, you’ve come to the right place!
Dear Evan Hansen Filming Locations
The musical drama never actually reveals the city it is set in. However, filming of the heartwarming movie predominantly took place in Georgia and California. Principal photography commenced on August 25, 2020, and concluded around December 15, 2020, Let’s take a closer look at some of the specific locations!
Fayetteville, Georgia
The scenes set in Westview High School were filmed at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School in Fayetteville, Georgia, close to the city of Atlanta. Using a real high school as the backdrop allows for realism and ease of movement, enabling the characters to convincingly portray their high school troubles. The sequence set in Ellison State Park was also shot in the city of Fayetteville.
Ellijay, Georgia
One of the significant settings of the film is the abandoned apple orchard that marks the site of Evan and Connor’s fabricated friendship. The orchard scenes were shot at B. J. Reece Orchards, a family-owned U-pick apple farm, in Ellijay — a city known as the Apple Capital of Georgia. Many of the outdoor scenes, especially the ones featuring the farm market, were also filmed in Ellijay, which is nestled in the North Georgia Mountains and is known for its beautiful and green outdoors.
Atlanta, Georgia
Filming took place at Blackhall Studios in Atlanta, Georgia as well, with rigorous COVID-19 restrictions in place. The production complex is precisely situated at 1415 Constitution Road in Atlanta. Georgia is known for being one of the biggest film-producing states in the world, particularly preferred by filmmakers for its tax incentives and even touching Hollywood as the ideal site for filming in recent years. The production facilities and pleasant climate of Georgia are favorable for year-round filming, and the state’s geographical diversity allows it to visually stand in for the other states in the country.
Los Angeles, California
The filming of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ also took place in the sprawling city of Los Angeles in Southern California, during the mid-point of the global pandemic in 2020. A few of the musical performances were recorded in a production studio in the City of Angels.
Read More: Is Dear Evan Hansen Based on a True Story?
