Delaware’s New Light Theatre is set to present its latest show.
The nonprofit theatre’s latest production is Fun Home - cartoonist Alison Bechdel’s autobiography and the source for the Tony Award-winning musical, adapted for the stage by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron.
The show reflects on Bechdel’s unusual childhood, setting the story in the family’s funeral parlor - referred to as the “fun home”. Themes of sexual orientation and gender identity are explored as Bechdel struggles to make sense of her relationships and memories.
And since New Light’s mission includes connecting thematically with a cause for each production to help raise awareness and support, Artistic Director Lena Mucchetti it made sense to team up NAMI Delaware and its work on mental health for Fun Home.
“Not only is Alison struggling with her identity in Fun Home, but her father is struggling with his in a way that impacts his mental health.”
Actor Eli Lynn is playing Alison Bechdel, and they trust the writer’s material for guidance.
“I don’t think of it as a biopic per se, that I’m trying to do a spot on of Alison Bechdel, but rather to mine all the text of the story that she and the writers of this story have given us - which is universal therein.”
Actor Anna Faye Leiberman plays Medium Alison - the lead character in her college years.
“She has never felt this way before - everything is new - the world is kind of opening up for her, and Alison, looking back, is tying that potential opening of the world to her father’s closing of the world.”
Fun Home runs March 8-17 at OperaDelaware Studios in Wilmington.
There are 8 shows during that run - including Sunday matinees March 10th and 17th.
Delaware Public Media' s arts coverage is made possible, in part, by support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
