Title
Fun Home
Theatre
AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas, TX
Synopsis
Fun Home is a musical adapted by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori from Alison Bechdel‘s 2006 graphic memoir of the same name. The story concerns Bechdel’s discovery of her own sexuality, her relationship with her gay father, and her attempts to unlock the mysteries surrounding his life. It is the first Broadway musical with a lesbian protagonist. The musical was developed through several readings and performances, including at the Ojai Playwrights Conference in 2009 and at the Sundance Theatre Lab and The Public Theater‘s Public Lab in 2012. It opened Off-Broadway at the Public Theater in September 2013 to positive reviews. Its run was extended several times, until January 2014. The Public Theater production of Fun Home was nominated for nine Lucille Lortel Awards (winning three, including Outstanding Musical), two Obie Awards and eight Drama Desk Awards, among others. The original Broadway production began previews at the Circle in the Square Theatre in March 2015 and opened in April 2015. It was nominated for twelve Tony Awards, winning five, including Best Musical, and its cast album received a nomination for the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. The production closed on September 10, 2016, and a national tour began in October 2016 that is booked until August 2017.
Cast
Alison – Kate Shindle (Former Miss America!)
Small Alison – Carly Gold
Bruce – Robert Petkoff
Medium Alison – Abby Corrigan
Helen – Susan Moniz
Christian – Luke Barbato Smith
John – Henry Boshart
Joan – Victoria Janicki
Roy/Mark/Pete/Bobby/Jeremy – Robert Hager
Songs
It All Comes Back (Opening)
Welcome to our House on Maple Avenue
Not Too Bad
Come to the Fun Home
Helen’s Etude
Party Dress
Changing my Major
Maps
Raincoat of Love
Ring of Keys
Days and Days
Telephone Wire
Edges of the World
Flying Away
Final Thoughts
Go see this show. It’s amazing. The music is really catchy and powerful. I listened to the album two times all the way through to prep for the show so that it’d be familiar and I’m so glad that I did. The story line breaks your heart – for several reasons, but the main being that for so long, so many people had to hide who they were. They couldn’t be who they were meant to be, and because of that, other people’s lives suffered. I can see now why this show was nominated for 12 Tony Awards and won 5, including Best New Musical. The three actresses who played Alison were so good – vocals and acting. Well done.