Fun Home in Orlando

[barbraboy19902]

Posted: 7/6/16 at 7:50am

I just read the news about the benefit show that's going to happen in Orlando! I'm so excited!! I never got to see it on Broadway, and it's closing before I make it back. This is awesome news! How do "concert" versions of musicals normally work?

[TerrenceIsTheMann]

Posted: 7/6/16 at 8:34am

I am going too, and I am SUPER excited. It's such a great move by the entire FH team, really classy tbh. I think it will be in a Les Mis concert style, but a little bit more laid back. Probably a bit more conversational. 

[TerrenceIsTheMann]

Posted: 7/6/16 at 8:35am

also, heres the link:http://www.playbill.com/article/cast-of-fun-home-will-perform-benefit-concert-of-tony-winning-musical-in-orlando

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 7/6/16 at 8:39am

Would it be the same thing as the concert they put on in Charleston a few years ago?

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 7/6/16 at 8:46am

What don't people understand about a staged concert? 

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/6/16 at 9:20am

I plan on attending as well, though tickets don't go on sale for another 42 minutes.  They appear to be using the Queue It software for this event, which makes me think they're expecting a lot of traffic. 

[tcawam]

Posted: 7/6/16 at 10:45am

Just got my tickets! Looking forward to this so much! It's such an amazing thing of everyone involved with the show to be doing.

[barbraboy19902]

Posted: 7/6/16 at 8:12pm

Liza's Headband said: "What don't people understand about a staged concert? 

 

"

I've never been to a concert of this nature so I just don't know what to expect. 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/6/16 at 9:23pm

You've never seen photos or video of a musical in concert?

[thedrybandit]

Posted: 7/6/16 at 10:12pm

barbraboy19902 said: "Liza's Headband said: "What don't people understand about a staged concert?"

I've never been to a concert of this nature so I just don't know what to expect."

It depends on how much they want to stage it. It could be anything from the cast just on stage singing in front of stationary mics to the director doing a loose recreation (minus the trap doors and most props/scenic pieces) of the Broadway staging.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/7/16 at 12:31am

The format of these things can vary wildly. I've seen musicals in concert that were performed in mufti, with the cast standing in front of stationary mics, and then I've also seen concerts that were essentially full blown productions minus choreography. 

[TerrenceIsTheMann]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 8:42am

I'm going tonight, so I'll report here later to let all the NYC folk how it went. Sounds like there is gonna be a Q&A after the performance. 

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/24/16 at 9:03am

I'll be in the audience as well. 

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/25/16 at 8:57am

Fantastic evening tonight. Very enthusiastic and grateful audience that greeted the cast with a standing ovation (our way of saying thank you for doing this) the moment they walked onstage. Lisa Kron spoke briefly before the event started, and during the concert she read the relevant stage directions that were needed given the concert format. 

There was no staging- the cast (in costume) sat in chairs and would walk up to one of the stationary mics when they needed to speak or sing. Malone tried to incorporate as much of the moving around that she does in the show as she could. All of the performances hold up extremely well, for the most part. Kuhn, especially, is just heartbreaking as Helen. Malone seems to have gotten better since December when I saw the show in New York. My only quibble might have been Cerveris, whose mannered performance, so effective in the close confines of the Circle in the Square, gets a little lost in this much larger house. But that's a minor detail. He sounded fantastic. 

After the show there was a Q&A, which a LOT of people stayed for. Joining the cast was Kron (again), Sam Gold, and Jeanine Tesori. Some questions were very good, others were rather self-indulgent, but that's the way these things go. Joel Perez was highly entertaining during the Q&A when he revealed one of the things he does backstage is rewrite the show's songs in different musical styles. Another amusing moment was when the cast was asked how they "come down" from performing such an emotional piece every night. Without a moment's hesitation, Cerveris answered, "alcohol." This prompted a highly amusing reaction from the youngest child (I can't remember his name and there were no playbills given out) to say "even me" and then he mimed drinking a martini. He also had a beautiful response when asked what the show has taught him. He said (and I'm paraphrasing) that it taught him that there are all different kinds of love and it really doesn't matter who you love and that no one can tell you your love is wrong.

Some woman foolishly asked Kuhn why her character has no reaction to finding out her husband was gay (despite the fact that the show includes an entire song and scene about her reaction). Kuhn, bless her, handled it very graciously, pivoting instead to an explanation of why Helen doesn't leave Bruce.  We also learned a nice piece of information (that was new to me anyway) about the real-life Helen Bechdel. After Bruce's death, she went on with her life and eventually met and had a long relationship with another man (who she never married).  However, when she died 3 years ago, she requested to be buried next to Bruce.

My favorite moment of the Q&A came when someone asked Roberta about how they keep doing the work and not feel too full of themselves. It was a dumb question, but Roberta made a comment about how they're all still here 15 months later and that they "didn't win some Tonys and say peace out". Again I'm paraphrasing but it was a bit of a dig at the Hamilton cast.

In all, a really great event that raised a good deal of money for the charity. I'm so glad and thankful the cast flew down on their day off to do this  

Updated On: 7/25/16 at 08:57 AM

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 7/25/16 at 10:56am

Thanks for the report adamgreer, it sounds like it was a great evening!

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 7/25/16 at 10:56am

Double post

Updated On: 7/25/16 at 10:56 AM

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 7/25/16 at 12:25pm

Sorry will repost later. 

Updated On: 7/25/16 at 12:25 PM

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 7/25/16 at 12:35pm

Sorry again.^^

Adamgreer said..."Another amusing moment was when the cast was asked how they "come down" from performing such an emotional piece every night. Without a moment's hesitation, Cerveris answered, "alcohol." This prompted a highly amusing reaction from the youngest child (I can't remember his name and there were no playbills given out) to say "even me" and then he mimed drinking a martini. He also had a beautiful response when asked what the show has taught him. He said (and I'm paraphrasing) that it taught him that there are all different kinds of love and it really doesn't matter who you love and that no one can tell you your love is wrong."

Am I correct to assume that that later quote should go to Zell Steele Morrow (the youngest child)..and not Michael. Just checking who the "he" was...

i would have loved to have seen this...the show and the Q & A.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/25/16 at 12:41pm

KathyNYC2 said: "Sorry again.^^

Adamgreer said..."Another amusing moment was when the cast was asked how they "come down" from performing such an emotional piece every night. Without a moment's hesitation, Cerveris answered, "alcohol." This prompted a highly amusing reaction from the youngest child (I can't remember his name and there were no playbills given out) to say "even me" and then he mimed drinking a martini. He also had a beautiful response when asked what the show has taught him. He said (and I'm paraphrasing) that it taught him that there are all different kinds of love and it really doesn't matter who you love and that no one can tell you your love is wrong."

Am I correct to assume that that later quote should go to Zell Steele Morrow (the youngest child)..and not Michael. Just checking who the "he" was...

i would have loved to have seen this...the show and the Q & A.

 

Yes. I've since looked up his name. The other kid's name was Cole. 

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 7/25/16 at 12:49pm

Yes Zell, Cole and Gabby are the kids (I've seen them all in NY). I was just a little confused when you said HE in a paragraph talking about Zell and Michael Cerveris. It sounded like a kid quote but just checking.

Glad you had a great night..

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 7/25/16 at 3:58pm

I thought the Q and A video was meant to be on Facebook but can't find anything, anyone?  The opening with Lisa's brief intro and the full first song was shown on FB on the FunHome page and I believe is still up for viewing. 

Updated On: 7/25/16 at 03:58 PM

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 7/25/16 at 4:18pm

I don't think this was ever supposed to be filmed. What was filmed and shared was the first number of the show and a number of "red carpet" interviews of the actors, composers, etc arriving for the concert.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/videoplay/Exclusive-Facebook-LIVE-Interviews-With-The-Cast-of-FUN-HOME-in-Orlando-20160725

I would have loved to see the curtain call and the Q & A filmed ...well actually i would have liked to see the entire show again.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 7/31/16 at 11:28am

A little late to the game here, but my partner and I were there too. We're recent transplants to the area from upstate NY and one of the last shows I saw before our move was "Fun Home," which holds a special place in my heart as I identify with it very closely (minus the suicide and lesbian cartoonist parts--although my daughter and I are like peas in a pod).

It was an extraordinary evening, maybe 150 or 200 seats shy of selling out (the place holds 2700). The biggest responses were to the kid's commercial, "Changing My Major" and "Days and Days," which rips my heart out every time I hear it. Judy Kuhn especially was visibly moved several times during the evening, wiping away tears.

I got in line for the Q&A but they cut it off I would assume right at the half-hour mark. I  probably would have gotten a little self-indulgent too but it mostly to be a series of thank yous. Thank you for coming, as it speaks volumes about you and the New York theatre community at large. Thank you for telling this story that hits so close to home. Thank you for bringing a piece of New York to Orlando, as other than family, NYC theatre is the thing I miss most now being 1,000 miles away from it.

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 7/31/16 at 11:28 AM

[indytallguy]

Posted: 8/5/16 at 10:32pm

These graceful words of Michael Cerveris in the NYT and the generosity of this cast have left me weeping.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 8/6/16 at 12:15am

Thanks for bringing the article to our attention...it was certainly worth the read and had me feel like I was almost there. Michael is just such a lovely man.