Photo FLASH: FUN HOME at the Armory

Portland Center Stage at The Armory's 30th anniversary season opens with the groundbreaking, Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home. Created by Jeanine Tesori (music) and Lisa Kron (book and lyrics) and based on the celebrated graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel, Fun Home will begin preview performances on September 16, open September 22, and run through October 22 on The Armory's U.S. Bank Main Stage. Artistic Director Chris Coleman will direct a cast lead by Allison Mickelson, Sara Masterson and Aida Valentine as the central character, Alison, at three different ages. Robert Mammana (previously at The Armory as Skye Masterson in Guys and Dolls and Father in Ragtime) and Faith Sandberg will play Alison's parents, Bruce and Helen Bechdel.

"The story is an emotional excavation of sorts," said Chris Coleman of Fun Home. "I think it's one of the smartest, freshest pieces of writing we've seen in the musical theater genre," he continued. "I had a chance to see the original incarnation at The Public Theater in New York and was just knocked out by how inventive the piece was. It manages to be charming and funny and heartbreaking and haunting all within the same 90 minutes." Portland Center Stage at The Armory is fortunate to be one of the very first regional theater companies to get the rights to produce its own version of the production, which will be presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Regular tickets for Fun Home start at $25 and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at www.pcs.org, 503.445.3700, or in-person from the box office (128 NW Eleventh Avenue, Portland, OR). Rush tickets are $20. Students and patrons who are 30 or younger can purchase $30 tickets in premium seating areas. $5 tickets are available for Oregon Trail Card holders through the Arts for All program. Regular tickets are 50% off for active duty or veteran military personnel and their immediate families. Discounts for groups of 10+. General performance times are Tuesday through Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m., and Thursday matinees at noon (special exclusions apply, see below). Fun Home is recommended for ages 16+; it contains adult situations, explicit language and sexual references. More information at www.pcs.org/funhome.

Check out photos of the production below:

Photo credit: Kate Szrom