The Firehouse Center for the Arts, the premier intimate performance on the North Shore, continues a strong theatrical season with their upcoming production of Fun Home. This production is the second in their 2022-23 and continues the tradition of presenting smaller, more thought-provoking productions in this February slot.
Based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel of the same name, Fun Home tells the story of Bechdel’s discovery of her own sexuality, her relationship with her closeted gay father, and her attempts to unlock the mysteries surrounding his life. The musical adaptation, with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron and music
by Jeanine Tesori, tells the story in a series of non-linear vignettes connected by narration provided by the
adult Alison character.
The show will run at the Firehouse Center from February 10 to 19. Tickets are $35 for members and $40 for non-members. For more information or to buy tickets, visit firehouse.org or visit the box office at 1 Market Square in Newburyport.
“The story of Fun Home is an important one for me,” says Maddie Roth, the director of Fun Home. “The
first time I read it, I saw myself in 19-year-old Alison discovering who she is. Stories like this are so
important to be told because not only is it a queer story, it’s a lesbian, queer story, and those aren’t told as often as they should be. I love seeing myself reflected in the art I do.”
Nominated for 12 Tony Awards in 2015 and winning five – including Best Musical and Best Book – Fun Home took nearly five years from conception to finding its home on Broadway. Throughout its development phase, Fun Home was critically acclaimed, receiving nominations for 9 Lucille Lortel Awards, 2 Obie Awards, and 8 Drama Desk Awards, among others.
Though not involved in the development process, Alison Bechdel says the musical version does an even better job than her book does of bringing out the “emotional heart” of the story. Fun Home ran on Broadway from April 19, 2015 through September 10, 2016, playing 583 performances before touring nationally and internationally.
“Fun Home is an important story to tell and we’re proud to present it here at the Firehouse,” says executive director John Moynihan.