Theater Review: 'Fun Home' at Brookfield Theatre

Review by Nancy Sasso Janis

“Fun Home,” the 2015 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, is being presented as the culmination of the 2023 season at Brookfield Theatre through Dec. 16. This musical is based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. The book and lyrics were written by Lisa Kron, with music by Jeanine Tesori.

The poignant and achingly honest musical is directed by Bennett Cognato and Rob Bassett, both making their directorial debuts, with Sarah Fay (Mary in Brookfield’s “[title of show]”) as musical director. The co-directors write that this show is “a portrayal of family, identity, love, discovery, and the beautiful chaos that defines life.” The pair set out to have their production resonate with audiences, and they definitely succeed in allowing us “to feel the heart and soul that so many have poured into this performance.”

The musical numbers include the telling “Welcome to our House on Maple Avenue” early in the performance, the kid’s funeral home commercial titled “Come to the Fun Home,” Small Alison’s “Ring of Keys,” the wrenching “Telephone Wire,” and finally the trio for “Flying Away.”

Janice Gabriel returns to this stage to give a very strong performance as the grown up cartoonist Alison Bechdel. She shows the appropriate emotion as she observes the action from behind her off-center stage drawing board. Gabriel is grateful to her high school students for their excitement about her playing what she calls a “life changing” role. “Always stand up for what you believe in and be YOU even when it isn’t easy,” she writes in her program bio.

Hanna Rapaglia, a Language Arts teacher in Westchester, covers the middle of the main character’s life as “Medium Alison” in her Brookfield debut. Rapaglia sings beautifully and nails the character as she comes out as a lesbian.

What a delight to see the very talented Harriet Luongo play “Small Alison” throughout the show. Luongo was the understudy for the role in “Fun Home” at TheaterWorks Hartford last year and was great in the title role of the Warner Theatre’s “Matilda.”

Tony Bosco-Schmidt returns to this stage to take on the role of Alison’s overbearing and tortured father Bruce. This is a thankless role, but this actor does well with his character’s disturbing arc as he battles his demons, all while singing really well. Denise Milmerstadt is very strong in the role of Bruce’s long-suffering wife and sings “Days and Days” with raw emotion and a wonderful singing voice. Milmerstadt is from Carmel, New York, and appeared as Alice in last summer’s “The Addams Family” and Alma in “The Music Man.”

Jack Hoyt (Billy in Sherman Player’s “On Golden Pond”) plays the role of Bechtel brother Christian and fifth grade student Sawyer Delaney makes his Brookfield debut as John. Erin Walsh makes the most of the role of Alison’s college crush Joan. Jason Sacco returns to this venue to cover many male supporting roles during performance.

The costumes designed by Meg Jones completely match the various characters. “Raincoat of Love” features dancers in purple dresses and white go-go boots. Michael Burnett choreographed the dancing and the lighting was designed by Stephen Cihanek.

The set design by Andrew Okell, who has designed more than 50 sets in Brookfield, is simple yet effective, with the house “suggested” overhead.

The members of the band sit across a section of the back of the stage and are conducted by Fay from behind the keyboard. The musicians make the score of familiar tunes sound glorious, never overpowering the singers. They clap along to one section of a musical number. Christian Peragine plays drums, Charles Casimiro plays the bass line, Em Squatrito performs on violin and viola, Isabella Palacpac plays cello and Kate Testani covers reeds. Joshua Rodis sounds great on guitar.

Sound design by Gary Blu made it easy to hear the performers throughout the show. Local theater artist Alicia Dempster is the stage manager that can be seen placing props on the stage.

The show is presented without an intermission and runs about 90 minutes. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets at BrookfieldTheatre.org.

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theater reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, and she posts well over 100 reviews each year. She became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle in 2016. Her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted in the Naugatuck Patch as well as the Patch sites closest to the venue. She is also a feature writer and theater reviewer for the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column IN THE WINGS and theater reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the paper.
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