The cast of Fun Home at The Bushnell. Photo by Joan Marcus.
by Mark G. Auerbach
It seems that the Broadway musical has re-invented itself in the last couple of years. Instead of a barrage of tuners adapted from recent Hollywood hits or wrapped around the music of a particular composer or group, Broadway has looked to fresh sources–an American historical figure, a Canadian town’s experiences following 9/11, or a portrait of an angst-ridden teen searching for personal meaning on the web. Fun Home, the 2015 Tony Award-winning musical by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori, is incredibly original on many levels, and its first-class national tour is playing Hartford’s Bushnell through Sunday.
Kron and Tesori have based their musical on Fun Home, the memoir by comic book artist and author Alison Bechdel, best known for her long-running comic Dykes to Watch Out For. Bechdel showcased her own coming out story, and her conflicted relationship with her closeted father who committed suicide. In a revelatory musical self-portrait, Kron and Tesori discover Bechdel’s strength and family bonds. Fun Home may be the first musical with an out lesbian protagonist, but there’s no preaching–just a portrait of a father and daughter trying to find their sense of self in a difficult world.
Kate Shindle and Robert Petkoff in Fun Home at The Bushnell. Photo by Joan Marcus.
Kron tells Alison’s story from three timeframes: adult Alison, the narrator, played admirably by Kate Shindle; college-age Alison, well played by Abby Corrigan coming to terms with leaving home for college and coming out, and small Alison, played by Carly Gold, who senses that she’s different. Their conflicted father Bruce, given a remarkable performance by Robert Petkoff, is the town undertaker, a school teacher, collector of objets d’art and knick-knacks. He’s a very closeted man who sneaks out of the house for sexual encounters. Susan Moniz plays the mother, anguished by her husband’s behavior. Yet, each member of the Bechdel family, including Alison’s younger siblings, meander through Lisa Kron’s well-balanced script and find the right balance of angst and humor.
Sam Gold’s direction, a recreation of his work for the Broadway production, is superb. The design team, David Zinn and Ben Stanton, have ably repositioned Fun Home from it’s almost in-the-round staging on Broadway to the more traditional proscenium theatres on the road. The orchestra is onstage.
Kate Shindle in Fun Home at The Bushnell. Photo by Joan Marcus.
I found Fun Home to be innovative in concept, yet traditional in values. Everyone wants to be loved and accepted for who they are Kron, Tesori and company bring that message home in melodic terms. And, two items of note: Robert Petkoff may look familiar to audiences from his television and film work. He co-starred with Calista Flockhart in Mark Lamos’ production of Romeo and Juliet at Hartford Stage 20+ years ago. And, yes Kate Shindle is the former Miss America, who carved out a niche of fine performances on Broadway in Cabaret and Legally Blonde. She’s now the President of Actor’s Equity, a champion of the theatre community and an outspoken AIDS activist. Nice to see her perform.
The Bushnell’s Broadway series isn’t taking the summer off. The tour of Finding Neverland, a prequel of sorts to Peter Pan, is Hartford-bound on August 1-6.. The show, which originated at A.R.T. in Cambridge enroute to Broadway, now stars John Davidson as Captain Hook.
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The Bushnell presents Fun Home. Music by Jeanine Tesori. Book and Lyrics by Lisa Kron. Based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. Directed by Sam Gold. Choreography by Danny Mefford. Music direction by Micah Young. Scenic and costume design by David Zinn. Lighting design by Ben Stanton. Sound design by Kai Harada. Originally produced by The Public Theater. Through June 25, 2017 at The Bushnell, Hartford, CT. 860-987-5900 or www.bushnell.org.
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Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio. Mark produces and hosts ArtsBeat Radio on 89.5fm/WSKB Radio.
