I have been fortunate to acquire a fairly broad knowledge of the theatre world having attended performances at the Des Moines Civic Center over the past couple of years. I am by no means an expert, but for the most part when I head to the Civic Center, I know the basis of the show I’m about to see.
“Fun Home,” which is playing currently, was an unusual experience for me. While I had read the synopsis for the musical, I really had no idea what I was about to see. It’s a relatively new show, and it comes with the award power to make anyone sit up and listen. It won 2015 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book, Best Original Score, Best Direction and Best Leading Actor. With that impressive a list, a musical like this can hardly be ignored.
The show was told in a unique way. We see the main character, Alison, at three different points in her life. At times all three share the stage. The driving force of the show was a daughter’s desire to understand her father through memories of her youth.
But it was bigger than that for Alison. She was trying to understand a man she never truly knew. The 43-year-old Alison was an omnipresent character — she never left the stage. The story was told through her eyes as she remembered scenes from her childhood and from her first year at college. These seemed to be the most pivotal moments in her life, as she attempted to rebel against her brilliant but volatile father. In college, Alison finally discovers she was homosexual. This revelation brought forth a title wave of secrets about her father and his own struggle hiding his own sexuality.
The three Alisons were the heart, soul and life behind the entire work. Kate Shindle played older Alison, Abigail Corrigan played middle Alison and Alessandra Baldacchino played small Alison. All three have beautiful voices and worked together to share the story. The audience knew how the story ends, but you never quite knew how it would get there. These three actresses were integral in bringing the entire musical together. The show packed an emotional punch; and without these three, it would fall short.
The story was breathtaking, and the production was so inventive as it unfolded before you. It was a bold form of storytelling. Even though it was written mainly around the discovery of sexuality, the journey of discovery is universal and can be applied to everyone’s life in different ways. Everyone has their “ah-ha” moment. Whether it’s about your career, love, friends, family, etc., we all have at least one.
“Fun Home” tells a story that could be anyone’s. You need only to put yourself in Alison’s shoes and take a look back at your own life as she does. It’s centered on figuring out your own story. It was beautiful and honest, and I am so glad I was able to see it on stage.
“Fun Home” will be at the Civic Center through Sunday.
One Man Star Wars Trilogy
If you’re looking for some lighter material, check on the “One Man Star Wars Trilogy” at the Temple Theatre in Des Moines. Actor and comedian Charles Ross plays out the whole Star Wars trilogy on stage, and he plays all of the characters. It was 90 minutes of fun and a treat for a Star Wars fan such as myself. The show is in Des Moines through Sunday.
Contact Pam Rodgers
at prodgers@newtondailynews.com