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| Becca Ayers and Rusty Ferracane Photo by Reg Madison Photography |
Click here for more information on this production that runs through December 2nd.
"A dysfunctional family with secrets and the budding sexuality and self-discovery of a teenage girl who would later on, in her early 40s, struggle to find a way to piece together the facts about her past makes for the emotionally rich and rewarding musical Fun Home. Based on Alison Bechdel's 2006 autobiographical graphic memoir "Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic," this show won five 2015 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Phoenix Theatre's production is superb, with an excellent cast and spotless direction and is presented in their intimate Hormel Theatre which proves a perfect setting to provide an up close and emotional connection to these characters and this story that is full of much heartbreak and pain but also joy and hope....has a universality to it that expands it way beyond a story only about characters who are struggling with their sexuality. ...Director Robert Kolby Harper's staging masterfully connects the time periods of the musical together in a swift and seamless fashion with expert use of the beautiful and mostly transparent set design from Douglas Clarke. ..As the older Alison, Becca Ayers' inquisitive nature and sense of urgency works incredibly well to portray this woman who is attempting to discover facts and insight by observing moments in her past...Rusty Ferracane is equally as good as Bruce, a man who wants everything to be perfect and polished on the outside, including the way he is perceived, but underneath, the pain and the truth start to chip away at the cracks just as the adult Alison is beginning to piece together the memories of her past to find the truth about herself, her father and her family. ...Olivia Fearey is exquisite and full of charm as Young Alison. ..As Medium Alison, Kaitlyn Russell's exuberant performance of "Changing My Major" perfectly captures the joy of one's first sexual experience...As Alison's mother Helen, Elyse Wolf creates a nuanced portrayal of this stern, neglected and suffering woman. ..an excellent production of this highly accessible work about coming of age while also coming to grips with the events and truths of your painful past. It's a show about painful memories but also one about hope, love and understanding." -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)
"...Because of Hormel’s setting, what may have caused audiences in large auditoriums to question exactly what it was they were watching is here never an issue. The intimate staging of Robert Kolby Harper’s direction is always clear. Despite the jumps, the fantasies, and the cross-over through time boundaries, there’s never a moment when you’re unsure as to where you are in the narrative..." -David Appleford, Valley Screen and Stage (click here to read the complete review)
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