In this new podcast, you meet some family members who live in the Fun Home! Fun Home is shorthand for funeral home but that’s just the setting for a family who face relationship challenges and lots of personal growth. We meet Alison (a character based on the playwright Alison Bechdel and her graphic novel) which shows us her life as a young girl, college age student and 40+ year old professional artist.

Written at a time when lesbian characters were rarely, if ever, the focus of the story, we see Alison work through her life’s coming of age and coming out development, and she’s not the only one with some life recognition to do!

Joining in the conversation is Alanna Chavez who plays adult Alison, Z Mowry who makes their Porchlight debut playing Middle Alison, and Porchlight regular Neala Barron(previously seen in “Sunday in the Park with George in Concert,” and “Cabaret”) as Helen the matriarch of the family. An engaging discussion about the deep issues reflected in this work with music by Jeanine Tesori (Shrek the Musical, Caroline or Change) and book/lyrics by Lisa Kron. Amazing talents present another fabulous Porchlight Musical.

The show runs through March 2nd at Porchlight Music Theatre housed in the Ruth Page Center for the Arts at 1016 N. Dearborn. Tickets can be purchased at: www.PorchlishtMusicTheatre.org

Paul’s Review:

Review: Fun Home at Porchlight Music Theatre

****/4

 You’ll want to come out for Fun House!

 The story, a true one based on a graphic novel, is that of Alison, a 43 year old graphic artist and cartoonist played so very warmly here by Alanna Chavez. In the Pulitzer Prize finalist for drama, Fun Home, she uses her cartooning talent to draw out her life to understand where she’s been and to get it to make sense. Sometimes hindsight doesn’t come with clear eyes.

 Erasing and modifying her cartoons as she gains perspective, Alison remembers back with the assistance of two of her younger selves, one as a young child (Tessa Mae Pundsack alternating with Meena Sood) and the other as her college student self (masterfully portrayed by Z Mowry) who has the true realization of her sexual identity and the family challenges it brings with it. Adult Alison literally watches and looks over her younger selves as she works to understand her complicated past to get a grasp on her current life. The subtitle of the book by Alison Bechdel on which the show is based is “A family tragicomic,” and that description tells you what you will experience in the show’s 100 minutes (no intermission). First premiering at the Public Theater in 2013, the musical has aged well…there are not, after all,  many coming of age stories about a cartoonist lesbian in the playbook.

 Propelling the story are the fabulous book and lyrics (by Lisa Kron) and the widely varied music of Jeanine Tesori  (Shrek, Caroline or Change among her other works). From a Fun Home commercial performed by the young kids to a Brady Bunch family style musical number and a few stand out moments including Mom Helen’s (Neala Barron) blockbuster performance. Overall, Alison’s to-be girlfriend Joan (Dakota Hughes) has moments that steal the show with their deeply thoughtful expressions and interpretation of the role.

 Heartwarming, captivating and touching….the impact of the show is large….most likely your personal struggles in and from childhood are different from Alison’s, but you will likely find a resemblance, you’ll identify.  One way or another you will see yourself on stage…..and in that spirit, Welcome Home!