Review: Wasatch Theatre Company's FUN HOME is Strikingly Impactful

Wasatch Theatre Company's FUN HOME, currently playing in the black box theatre at the Mid-Valley Performing Arts in Taylorsville, is an artistically and emotionally impactful piece.

FUN HOME (score by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by Lisa Kron), which won five Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2015, is based on the 2006 autobiographical graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. It is a non-linear telling of key moments in her life that impacted her self-discovery as a lesbian woman, unravelling her close yet puzzling relationship with her father, whom she discovered kept his own secrets.

Liz Whittaker, Caitlin Rose, and Vivien Nix Browning all excel as Alison at different stages of her life. Each of the three gives a vivacious, heartfelt performance, and they mesh together brilliantly.

Other bright spots in the cast are Ian Webb as Roy/Mark/Pete/etc. and Tessa Irish-Minewiser as Joan, who act subtly and expressively.

Alison's parents are played with care and strength by JD Ramey as Bruce and Lindsay Spring Browning as Helen, with Chantelle Moses and Ren Kendust (double cast with Comet Higley) as her siblings John and Christian, respectively.

The lovely live band is conducted by music director Stephanie Sabin and features JT Kaufman at the keyboard, Oswaldo Chirinos Nava on the cello and electric bass, and Sam Jessing on percussion.

The reviewed opening performance was uneven and had some technical gaffes, but nothing that ultimately detracted from the enjoyment of the show.

Director Kacey Spadafora, who also designed the set and projections, crafted a very strong creative concept that was threaded through the staging and production design. The scenes and songs are presented within various frames fashioned by rope LED lights embedded in the stage floor. Paired nicely with the lighting design by Jack Dingman, they not only have a very striking impact, sprinkling variety throughout the visuals of the show, but they have symbolic subtext, as well, creating a meaningful audience experience.

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