We liked this musical at Wharton Center; we loved it at Peppermint Creek — back on stage with a vengeance at Central United Methodist downtown. Fun Home is an intimate, personal story that reaches out and wrenches hearts even more effectively when we can see the whites of their eyes — and sometimes the tears in them.
This dedicated cast waited through two years of COVID shutdown to bring this show to life and it is well worth waiting for, with fabulous voices and humor and heart. Cartoonist Alison Bechtel’s autobiographical graphic novel was transformed for the stage with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Lansing native Lisa Kron. And, yes, it is fun and entertaining as well as heart-wrenching.
Much of the fun comes from FUN-eral Parlor director's three delightful children: the talented Apollo Reed, Camryn Cardwell — and especially Lorena Krauss, as Young Alison, who proves she can sing and act with The Big Girls, as she teams up with Sally Hecksel as Medium Alison and Abigail Grill as Narrator Alison, bonding with the audience and inviting us into her memories.
Sally and Abigail bring wonderful voices and a natural sincerity to their shared identity. Matt Eldred brings his powerhouse voice and complex persona as their father. Mother Laura Croff breaks our hearts, caught in the middle. The versatile multi-character Brian Farnham and the sexy Megan Malusek as Joan round out this all-star cast.
Technical aspects are well managed. Alan Sloan leads a balanced four-piece band. James Brunk’s lighting design literally colors some songs and moods. Director Mary Job also designed the set, which requires multiple changes, all handled smoothly.
As Mary Job says in her note: "Great theatre is grounded in the specific. And, FUN HOME is a very specific play about a queer woman's coming to terms with her childhood, her coming out as a college student, and the death of her father, a charismatic, domineering, closeted gay man… But, a specific journey can also speak to the lived experience of many and FUN HOME succeeds because many of us, whatever our background and natures, have complicated relationships with our parents…” Check out her entire director’s note in the virtual program. http://www.peppermintcreek.org/uploads/7/9/9/6/7996213/fun_home_program.pdf
Fun Home runs through June12 at Central United Methodist Church, 215 N. Capitol Ave. It contains adult language, themes and content. Not recommended for those under the age of 13. It runs about 100 minutes with no intermission; masks required for audience. Tickets at:
http://www.peppermintcreek.org/fun-home-tickets.html