UK audiences eagerly awaiting the West End debut of the multi award-winning Dear Evan Hansen will be able to take home a novel inspired the show when it is published here in October.
Written by Val Emmich, Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel will be released in hardback and eBook versions in October at the same time as it is published in the US in children’s imprint form by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Working closely with the show’s creators Steven Levenson (book) and Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Emmich’s novel expands on the themes grief, community and loneliness explored in the hit show.
Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel will be singer/songwriter and actor Emmich’s second novel following on from his critically acclaimed debut The Reminders.
Dear Evan Hansen opened on Broadway in 2016, winning rave reviews and collecting six Tony Awards. Rumours of an imminent West End transfer have been circulating for months but specific dates and the venue have yet to be confirmed and it now looks unlikely to be until 2019 at the earliest.
Announcing the deal, Penguin Random House’s MD Francesca Dow said: “Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel is an extraordinary novel and we at Penguin Random House recognised it as an instant bestseller and a classic for our times as soon as we read it.
“Everyone has an Evan Hansen in their life, but it is rare and important to see him so honestly and warmly represented. The story works beautifully as a novel in its own right, and we feel very privileged to introduce Evan to a UK audience. This is a phenomenon with real heart at its core, and we cannot wait to publish this wonderful book.”
Editorial director Holly Harris who acquired the UK and Commonwealth rights to the book added: “We are completely in love with Evan at Penguin Random House. It is an incredible story and Val Emmich has brought it to life with humour and affection in this fabulous novel. It’s a must-read for people of all ages, that truly changes your view of the world.”
Angela Thomas
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