TV: Kate Shindle Talks About The Power of FUN HOME Following Presidential Election

Following the announcement that Donald Trump had been elected President of the United States, much of the LGBTQ community and specifically the Broadway community took to social media to express disappointment and fear.

But for one Broadway touring company the results are especially poignant. Fun Home had a history-making 18-month run on Broadway, becoming the first Broadway show written by women to win the Best Musical Tony Award and the first Broadway musical with a lesbian protagonist. Within its first year, Fun Home had celebrated the Supreme Court's triumphant decision on marriage equality.

In light of the election results and some of the dangerous rhetoric preached by the victorious candidate, for the cast of Fun Home - the work they do each night on tour is more important than ever.

While the tour will be visiting a number of largely progressive liberal cities, the tour will also travel to a number of more conservative venues - bringing with them their message of love and acceptance in a time when the country is incredibly divided.

Kate Shindle, who currently playing Alison Bechdel in the touring company of Fun Home, spoke to BroadwayWorld about what bringing this show across the country means to her:

"Fun Home is a show that is about a lot of different things--family, acceptance, learning where you came from and how to deal with your own identity at different phases of adulthood. For me, the importance of traveling this story across our big, beautiful country cannot be overstated.

In my own opinion - and I am only speaking for myself here, not for the show and not for Actors' Equity - the outcome of last week's election, which shocked so many of us, was a symptom of a much larger problem. I hear friends saying "I suddenly feel like I don't even know our country," and my response to that is, "now that you mention it, you might not."

People are suffering. Their industries and jobs have vanished and their way of life is unrecognizable to them. Does that excuse hate speech or hate crimes? Absolutely not. But if we are to fix what's really gone awry in America, we're going to have to listen intently to each other.

I bought a car to drive this tour because I want to be immersed in America. And the messages of Fun Home, of not being forced to hide who you are, of striving to remain hopeful, of art as an outlet for pain, and of accepting those around you, seems more timely than ever.

I said on stage Wednesday night that we will not return to the world that killed Bruce Bechdel. We can't. And it will take all of us working together to make sure our progress is in a forward direction."

Kate Shindle has appeared on Broadway in Legally Blonde (Vivienne), Cabaret (Sally Bowles), Wonderland (Hatter), and Jekyll & Hyde. She is a longtime activist, author of "Being Miss America: Behind the Rhinestone Curtain" and President of Actors' Equity Association.

See Shindle's post-election curtain call speech and the transcript below.

"I think it would be kind of crazy, you know given what our show is about, not to acknowledge what's happening right now. And I think that we're all still sort of processing this. Last night did not go the way that a lot of us expected, and today Broadway Cares made a statement that I want to read to you. (It's not very long!)

"This morning, like every morning, Americans of every gender, ethnicity, religion, orientation, identity and economic status will turn to social service organizations across the country and The Actors Fund for a much-needed hand up and supportive shoulder.

And this morning, like every morning, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will be there with our entire community - those onstage, off stage and in the audience - to ensure the help they need is there.

We have never been more committed in our fight for those whose voices have been silenced or marginalized. We will not allow fear or hate to impede the progress we have made. Lives depend on that.

And this morning, like every morning - perhaps especially today - our work has never been more important. We must remember that what we do together continues to make a difference."

So that is what you are supporting if you donate tonight. We are a cast, and crew, and family of 40 people travelling all over the country this year - and we have gay people, and straight people, and people of different colors - and children and parents and Brothers and Sisters and the thing that I am struck by tonight is we are all one. And we are not going back and we hope that you will be one with us.

For tickets or more information about FUN HOME, visit funhomebroadway.com.