This long-form feature was written for my Arts Journalism class. The assignment was to write a piece of 1200 words or more about an arts-related event or subject. I chose to write about a local theater production of “Fun Home.” I submitted the story on Oct. 12, 2018 and I received a grade of 100 percent.

The title “Fun Home” conveys a sense of lighthearted wholesomeness. An ode to the 60’s or 70’s when families would gather around the dinner table for a chicken roast before congregating in front of a small TV to watch “Happy Days.”

When it’s revealed that “Fun Home” is short for “Funeral Home,” however, it takes on a grave new meaning.

That shift is at the heart of “Fun Home,” a musical that bounces between light and dark themes to explore the life of one woman through three time periods. The show opens at Phoenix Theatre this week.

Phoenix Theatre Associate Artistic Director Robert Kolby Harper is directing the production. He said the show is “a redefinition of what musical theater can be.”

“Many musicals don’t deal with universal themes,” he said. “They’re thought of as pure entertainment: ‘Take me away, make me feel happy.’ This does the same thing, but it’s satisfying.”

“She views her character, even though she happens to be a lesbian, as a human being first. If we all viewed each other like that, we’d realize our differences are way less than you imagine, less than our similarities.”

Robert Kolby Harper,
Associate Artistic Director at Phoenix Theatre

A Living Story

The musical version of “Fun Home” is based on the life of a real (and living) cartoonist named Alison Bechdel, and it is adapted from a graphic novel memoir she published in 2009.

The story traces Bechdel’s life at three points: as a young child growing up in a dysfunctional family (that owns and runs a funeral home), as a college student exploring her own identity, and as an adult trying to tie all the pieces together through her art.

Two major themes emerge. The first is family, centered around Bechdel’s tumultuous relationship with her father. The second is sexuality, as Bechdel gradually comes to understand and embrace her identity as a lesbian woman.

Harper said the complex relationship between Bechdel and her father mirrors a universal experience.

“Many of us struggle with (the question), ‘Is my family and my upbringing dominating my choices?’” Harper said. “‘How can I move past that or through that? How can I honor who my parents were and not fulfill their legacy or prophecy?’”

He said he personally reached a point when his viewpoint shifted and everything fell into place.

“That moment when you realize your parent is a person — and you can actually see them as a human being and not just a person who drove you crazy — when you get to a mature state where you can do that, it’s freeing,” he said.

Becca Ayers, who plays adult Alison, agreed that the story deals with universal themes that speak to every audience member.

“It’s about family, and relationships, and reconciling relationships, and self-discovery,” she said. “Hopefully you’ll have something to identify with, and/or learn something.”

This is Ayers’ first time performing with Phoenix Theatre, and her first time visiting the state of Arizona. She flew here three weeks ago, when rehearsals began.

However, Ayers is no stranger to the role of Alison. Last fall she performed the role during a production of “Fun Home” at the Cadence Theatre Company in Virginia.

Finding the Right Alison

Ayers was brought on to the Phoenix Theatre production after lengthy discussions with the show’s producers.

Harper explained that he considered local performers, but ultimately went with Ayers because he felt that she had the best understanding of the character.

“When I got to know her sensibilities, what she thought about the story and Alison’s point of view, all that stuff, (I saw) she’d done quite a bit of research,” Harper said. “She views her character, even though she happens to be a lesbian, as a human being first. If we all viewed each other like that, we’d realize our differences are way less than you imagine, less than our similarities.”

Ayers said there are pros and cons to repeating a role in a new production.

“The lyrics come easier than they did before — I don’t have to worry about those,” she said.

Beyond the script and lyrics, though, Ayers said every production is different.

“I tried not to come in with preconceived ideas,” she said.

She relies on Harper to help construct and tweak her performance.

“He’s an amazing director, so he’s really given me a lot of new things to think about, in terms of what’s going on beat by beat,” she said. “Ultimately it is sort of more relying on him to say what kind of looks right, comes off right.”

The Role of an Older Woman
Ayers said that she was drawn to the show because “Fun Home” provides something that most other shows don’t: a nuanced, three-dimensional role for an older woman to play.

“I’d gotten to a point in my age group where my career had really slowed down, I think because of my age,” she said. “I definitely got to the point where I was playing ‘invisible moms’ that are just sort of there for utilitarian purposes and don’t have much fullness to them.”

She said that while culture is slowing changing to become more inclusive and diverse, “Fun Home” still leads the pack.

“(Alison) is one of the best characters for a person my age to play,” Ayers said. “Going back to doing anything else after this is probably going to be a challenge.”

Finding Representation in the Arts

Kaitlyn Russell, who plays Medium Alison, is a junior at ASU studying musical theater performance.

She said she had never heard of “Fun Home” before this production, but she fell in love with the show because it goes deeper than superficial song and dance numbers.

“A lot of people think of musicals as jazz hands, kitchy, or circus-like, (but) this dives below that and I really like that about this piece in general,” Russell said.

She added that the character of Alison transcends tropes or cliches to show a complex portrait of a real person.

“We rarely see lesbians lead in anything– lesbian representation is really hard to find,” she said. “What drew me to (Alison) is that she’s a voice that doesn’t get spoken very often. The way the show’s written is very beautiful, and it allows her to be very vulnerable.”

Russell said the complexity of the role has been a challenge and a gift.

“It’s a lot of work, and I wanted it to be truthful,” she said. “All my other roles have been really girly, ingenue leading ladies, so this has been kind of a fun adventure into the land of the tomboy.”

Audiences will be ‘more than happy’

Harper said audiences should come to the show if they want to experience art that goes beyond surface-level entertainment.

“I think it’s a unique musical that deals with real topics that people are facing today,” he said. “I know that actually is not a good selling point for many people — they want to come and just be happy. But you’ll be more than happy by the end of this. You’ll be moved.”

He said that as a director and artist, he constantly strives to go deeper and connect with the audience.

“Whatever art we are doing– it doesn’t matter if it’s theater or dance or whatever– the whole purpose of art is to be moved,” he said. “In that, you’ll be entertained.”

“Fun Home” will run at the Hormel Theatre from Oct. 10 – Dec. 2. Tickets range between $36 – $86 and are available on the Phoenix Theatre website.