Genesius Theatre presents the emotional powerhouse “Fun Home”, the Tony-winning musical based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir. The innovative musical follows Bechdel at three stages in her life as she grows and grapples with her uniquely dysfunctional family, her sexuality and her father’s secrets. The book and lyrics are by Lisa Kron, most notably a performer and playwright who wrote Well, 2.5 Minute Ride, and The Ver**zon Pla. The music is by Jeanine Tesori who has written music for such diverse shows as Thoroughly Modern Millie, Violet, and Shrek the Musical.
Fun Home is the true story of Alison Bechdel and her family, who all hail from the small town of Beechcreek, PA, Clinton County, which is in the mid-northern part of the state. When Alison’s father dies unexpectedly, graphic novelist Alison dives deep into her past to tell the story of the volatile, brilliant, one-of-a-kind man whose temperament and secrets defined her family and her life. Moving between past and present, Alison relives her unique childhood playing at the family’s Bechdel Funeral Home, her growing understanding of her own sexuality, and the looming, unanswerable questions about her father’s hidden desires.
Fun Home is a refreshingly honest, reluctantly funny, wholly original musical about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes. Bechdel’s story is relived by three different Alison’s, the child, the teen and the adult, as they work their way through the development of her dysfunctional family life and, most importantly, the complex relationship with her father.
The 90-minute musical is based on the 2006 book, of the same title by Bechdel, the renowned gay cartoonist who lives in Bolton, Vermont. The show premiered Off-Broadway at the Public Theater in 2013 and transferred to Broadway’s Circle in the Square Theatre in 2015. Winner of five Tony Awards, Fun Home ran for a year and a half on Broadway before touring the country.
The Genesius production is directed by Genesius Artistic Director, L J Fecho, music directed by Jennifer Parker Scott, choreographed by Rosanna Pereira, with a set design by Spencer Moss Fecho, light design by Zack Spadaccia & Spencer Moss Fecho, costume design by Dara Hunes, hair/makeup design by, Carmen Painter of Tina’s Salon and Say Spa, sound design by Albert Garcia of Eko Entertainment, LLC. The set is constructed by Jeffrey Jones, Mike Maiers and Betty Gerstner, with scenic art by Marjory Ewald, Kaitlyn Reber and Jessica Reber. The show is stage managed by our teen stage manager, Andrea Keck.
The Genesius production features Christopher Sperat, as the father, Bruce Bechdel and Amy Hudak, as older Alison Bechdel, Mamie Covell is medium Alison and Chloe Marturano is small Alison, Dara Himes portrays the wife and mother Helen Bechdel, Rosanna Pereira is Alison’s first love, Joan, Alexander Hammel and Harrison Brumbaugh are Alison’s two younger brothers, Christian and John, and Bo Irwin plays several roles as a utility set of characters including, Roy, Mark, Joan, Pete and Bobby Jeremy.
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