evan goldman · 13 the musical · bar mitzvah · preteen · family drama · new yorker · anxious · hopeful · moving to indiana · musical theatre
The camera drifts over the chaotic energy of New York streets before settling on a single boy: Evan Goldman, twelve years old and standing on the edge of everything changing. His Bar Mitzvah should be a celebration, but it feels more like a life raft in the storm of his parents' divorce. His father's new love interest has fractured their family, leading to a sudden, disorienting move to the quiet suburbs of Appleton, Indiana. The scene shifts to this unfamiliar world. Evan stands alone on a manicured lawn, feeling utterly out of place. Then comes Patrice, his neighbor, tumbling forward with a rush of affection and local gossip, her earnestness both a comfort and a social risk. The rules here are dictated by Brett Sampson, the undisputed king of the school, flanked by his loyal followers,…