Karen Olivo in FUN HOME

[ljay889]

Wow.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Karen-Olivo-to-Star-in-FUN-HOME-for-Forward-Theater-Company-20171029

Too bad it's so far, I am sure she'll have an interesting and different take on the role.

[dramamama611]

Oh how I'd love to see this!  I bet she'll be amazing..

 

Just saw the tour, and did't love it - but it may be the difference from the beautiful staging and intimacy of Circle in the Square.

[mullein]

1) so much for retirement 2) is she going to cut her hair?

[dramamama611]

Wow....I assumed she'd be playing Helen.....don't see her as Alyson at all.  till would want to see it, though.   (Yes, I assumed instead of reading.)

 

That would be a lot of hair to hide under a wig!

[Margo319]

Nothing was more perfect that seeing it at the Public.  Every single actor nodded at me, and some mouthed "thank you" as I stood up at the end.  It was such an intimate, incredible experience at that small theater.  Nothing can ever beat that for me.  

[Margo319]

You assumed she would be playing Helen???  Alison is in her 50's in the show.  Karen is 41 in real life.  Wow.  

[Valentina3]

I live in Madison and Forward Theater usually rents really small and intimate spaces. I hope they stick to that with this production, even though the temptation to blow it up will be understandable to make more money to fund rest of their season. At the very least, I hope they go with Capitol Theater and not the massive Overture Hall (if any powers to be are watching this thread).

[ahhrealmonsters]

Margo319 said: "You assumed she would be playing Helen??? Alison is in her 50's in the show. Karen is 41 in real life. Wow."

Alison is 43 in the show. "Now I'm the one who's 43..." Same age as Bruce when he died.

[Margo319]

That's right, I apologize for my mistake.  Still.....Helen?  Really?  That makes me laugh.

[Valentina3]

Margo319 said: "You assumed she would be playing Helen??? Alison is in her 50's in the show. Karen is 41 in real life. Wow."



Alison is actually 43. She even says it in the opening numbers.

Also, Helen is much younger in the show than we'd normally think since the whole thing is in flashback - we never see a 43 yr old woman's mother. They show her and Bruce age about ~12 years during the span of the show (I'm guessing). Based on that, I'd wager Helen's age is supposed to be anywhere between 30-45 during the actual show since I doubt she was much older than Bruce. If Bruce died at 43, she was around that age at the oldest we see her in the show.

[dramamama611]

It's never said how old the parents are  - except for the connection from Alyson currently to Dad at his suicide....which is 43 -- so why would Helen be much older?  We don't see her after this point, WITH Alyson as an adult......and there isn't always a huge stretch in the way one looks between 40 and 50.  She could TOTALLY play Helen, regardless of her actual age.

 

Lol....lots of us chiming in. 

[Margo319]

Already sorted out 5 minutes before you posted, Valentina.  You should have read that exchange.  Thanks!

[dramamama611]

And likely posted WHILE Valentina and I were typing. 

[Margo319]

It takes 5 minutes to type a response that short?  K.  Or, they didn't read the exchange.  Either way, it was handled and we can all move on.  Thanks!

[KJisgroovy]

Why is Margo always so defensive? It's just as easy to not respond as it is to read the exchange. Let it go, girl.

[TweetyPie2]

KJisgroovy said: "Why is Margo always so defensive? It's just as easy to not respond as it is to read the exchange. Let it go, girl."

Because she has to have the last word.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Margo, girl, pick your battles.

[Valentina3]

She has said the exact same thing about me before, lol. I don't mind because she reminds of my holier-than-thou pious high school friend who gets just as defensive about stupid stuff like this.

And yes it can take me longer than 5 minutes to type out a response because BWW simply doesn't work well on phone. Dramama and I posted our full thoughts at the same time with mine before their's. I hadn't read realmonster's response because it was posted before I had started typing out mine. Clam

[dramamama611]

I finally just blocked her, been toying with it for awhile.  I love how when someone else is wrong she drives it home and kicks the dead horse, but the second she is, everyone should drop it.

 

I know for me, it took time because as I was typing, I wanted to double check the age line in the lyrics.  I don't pretend to know everything off the top of my head.

[Call_me_jorge]

I find weird they are announcing this a whole year early. Sure she’s a notable name, but I got excited thinking it was this year, initially. I hope I can see it!!

[Valentina3]

^ fundraising. It's also their biggest season so far.

[adamgreer]

Regarding cutting her hair, I’m pretty sure I read an interview with Kate Shindle where she explained that the creative team (and likely Alison Bechdel) require the actress playing that role to cut her hair. Obviously, this is a regional production so it likely wouldn’t be subject to those rules, but it’s an interesting point nonetheless.

[SchuylWERKsister]

She’s Karen Olivo and they’re a regional theatre that was in financial trouble just a few years ago. Trust and believe that no one but Karen will have a say in what happens to her hair.

[mullein]

SchuylWERKsister said: "She’s Karen Olivo and they’re a regional theatre that was in financial trouble justa few years ago. Trust and believe that no one but her will have a say in what happens to her hair."

If we get a long-haired, classically feminine Alison Bechdel I imagine swarms of teenage Fun Home fans will go full Rafael Casal on her and the theatre.

[mullein]

double post