Fun Home
Awards and Recognition
- WINNER of Ovation Award Best Musical (Intimate Theatre)
- WINNER 4 OCTG Awards
- Critic's Choice L.A. Times
- OCTG Recommended
Reviewer Quotes
“ Expertly builds the family's mini-dramas toward their powerful resolution ”
Los Angeles Times
“ Go! Highly entertaining... compelling and life-affirming ”
Orange County Register
“ Orange County musical theater at its most powerful and transformative ”
StageSceneLA
EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND THRU MARCH 8th!
On the Cripe Stage…
We kick off our 22nd Anniversary Season with one of the most celebrated and groundbreaking musicals in the last decade. Enjoyed by play and musical lovers alike, Fun Home brings forward aspects of our society that do not often take center stage! Alison’s volatile and brilliant father has just died unexpectedly, sparking an achingly beautiful journey of self-discovery and her own journey as an LGBTQ writer, artist, and woman. Join us for this refreshingly honest, wholly original, and intimately emotional musical about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes that won just about every major New York award during its time on and off Broadway.
Recommendation: Ages 13 and up. Contains adult language and subject material.
WINNER of Ovation AwardProduction of a Musical – Intimate Theater
WINNER of 4 OC Theatre Guild AwardsOustanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Marya Mazor), Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical (Ron Hastings), Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical (Madelyn Velazquez-Heywood)
Nominated for 4 additional Ovation AwardsDirection of a Musical (Marya Mazor), Lead Actor in a Musical (Ron Hastings), Featured Actress in a Musical (Holly Reichert), and Featured Actress in a Musical (Madelyn Velazquez-Heywood)
Nominated for 7 additional OC Theatre Guild AwardsOutstanding Music Direction (Lex Leigh), Outstanding Choreography (Hazel Clarke), Outstanding Ensemble (Ashlee Espinosa, Madelyn Velazquez-Heywood, Holly Reichert, Ron Hastings, Jennifer Richardson, Reese Hewitt, Allie Patow, Matt Bolden, and Ketino Christopher), Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical (Ashlee Espinosa), Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical (Holly Reichert), Outstanding Lighting Design (Andrea Heilman), and Outstanding Sound Design (Ryan Brodkin)
L.A. TIMES CRITIC’S CHOICE
OVATION RECOMMENDED
OCTG RECOMMENDED
STAGESCENE LA Top Ten for 2020
“Chance Theater’s FUN HOME is Orange County musical theater at its most powerful and transformative”
StageSceneLA“TERRIFIC”, “compelling and life-affirming”
OC Register“This one-of-a-kind show comes to life brilliantly”
JordanRYoung.com“I can’t recommend this production highly enough.”
People’s WorldAn “objet d’art not to miss”
The Show Report“FUN HOME Shines at the Chance Theater”
Geek Girl Authority“An OUT-standing Musical!” and “powerful theater”
Buck-ing Trends“tear-jerking and spellbinding”
Orange Curtain Review“utterly moving and achingly heartfelt”
Broadway World““Come to the Fun Home” without delay!”
Table to Stage
Executive Producers
The Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar
Associate Producers Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield
Season Producers
Bette & Wylie Aitken
Associate Season Producer Laurie Smits Staude
- Save $10 by attending Previews.
- Save $5 by attending Weekdays. Limited availability.
- Seniors, Students, Educators and Military save $4 per ticket.
- 2-for-1 Tix on Thu, Feb 13 at 7:30pm... Use online code "FH1913". Limited availability.
- $25 Rush Tix available thirty minutes prior to the performance. Cash only. Subject to availability.
- 40% off for Groups of 10 or more.
Following the 3pm performance on Saturday, February 22nd...
Jennifer Terry Professor and Chair of Gender & Sexuality Studies at UC Irvine
Professor Terry's books include An American Obsession: Science, Medicine, and Homosexuality in Modern Society (University of Chicago Press 1999) and Deviant Bodies: Critical Perspectives on Difference in Science and Popular Culture (Indiana University Press 1995). She has written on queer historiography, reproductive politics, the history of sexual science, and love of objects. She teaches Fun Home in her courses on Queer History Making and Queer Lives and Knowledges. Buy TicketsFollowing the 8pm performance on Saturday, February 22nd...
Liz Owen
Director of Communications for PFLAG National Liz Owen received her B.S. from the School of Speech at Northwestern University, where she majored in Theatre and Communications. Upon graduation, Liz served as the Managing Director of Chicago's Jeff Award-winning Lookingglass Theatre Company, then returned to New York to complete her post-graduate work at New Actors Workshop, where her teachers included film and theatre director Mike Nichols and Second City founder Paul Sills. After graduation, she headed back to Chicago. There she helped co-found--and spent three years as the Executive Director of--FilmBureau, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting, promoting, and unifying the Chicago film community. She also served as the Chicago scout for Next Wave Films, the Independent Film Channel's finishing funds company. Upon relocating to Los Angeles from Chicago, she turned her attention full time to film production, eventually finding a creative home in film publicity at Paramount Pictures. After an extended family leave to stay home with her newborn twins, Liz left Paramount to instead work as an independent communications and PR consultant, working primarily with entertainment and nonprofit clients. One of those clients was the indie LGBTQ+ family film, TRU LOVED, for which she served as the publicist, from production all the way through the film's national release. She developed partnerships for the film with numerous national LGBTQ+ organizations; among them was PFLAG National. In January 2011, Liz jumped on the opportunity to join the organization as Director of Communications. Liz enjoys theatre, music, travel, and spending time with her 14-year-old twins, Molly and Sam. Buy TicketsVenue Bette Aitken theater arts Center
- Full-Service Bar
- Free Parking
- Conveniently Located
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At a Glance
- Approximate Running Time:
- 1 hour, 40 minutes with no intermissions
- Special Notes:
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- Post-show discussion after each performance
- Join us for Opening Night as a Platinum Member
- "Salon" on Sun, Feb 9 at 2pm... Arrive early for a hosted discussion with the artists.
- Babes in arms and children under four are not permitted.
- Subscribers! WINE TASTING on Fri, Feb. 14.
- Subscribers! BEER TASTING on Fri, Feb. 21.
- 40% off for groups of 10 or more.
Was virtually Flawless – from the acting to music to sound to lighting. Exceeded my expectations. I saw the show a couple of weeks ago off Goldstar and was so impressed. I was glad the run was extended that I wanted to pay full price and brought friends.
The production was amazing. I’m so glad I went!
The play was surprisingly moving– caught me off guard!– and beautifully staged.
This play was so good that the only problem is that I didn’t want it to end!
It was a perfect production, top to bottom!
I loved the play and the experience.
a mesmerizing performance. acting, singing, production and music were over the top wonderful. Kudos and thanks for all that you do. You made an amazing commitment to theater many years ago and you have really flourished.
I came expecting a good show – and to enjoy the show in an intimate venue. One of my former students is in your cast – Small Alison (Holly Reichert). I was unprepared for just how fabulous this show would be in this setting. We were pulled into the story – everything was so close. Wonderful performances, staging, music ensemble. This show will live with me for a long time to come. Very well done!
This was a very high quality production with excellent actors/singers. I really enjoyed the Q&A after the show as well. If I lived in the area, I would definitely have a subscription here.
The performance of Fun Home was fantastic!
We think highly of Chance, and the challenging plays they choose to share with the community, this is what theater was designed to accomplish
The performers were excellent. The people that accompanied me thought it was great too.
It was above and beyond anything I had imagined. Fantastic show!
I would like to congratulate the entire Chance Theater team for accomplishing a Broadway-quality production of Fun Home. Thank you for telling Alison Bechdel’s story with care, thought, and full audience immersion. The creative set design really puts you in the middle of Alison’s world. Integrating artistic elements of the original Fun Home graphic novel into the set demonstrates next-level creative thinking, courtesy of Chance Theater. The Alley-style seating creates a greater intimate connection between the characters and the audience, more than most other scripted theatrical productions I have personally experienced. Each member of the cast embodies their character with ease and emotion. I think Alison Bechdel would be proud. Thank you.
The Chance production of “Fun Home” is moving and thought provoking. The staging is effective and the acting is superb.
The show was well done. My daughter has seen it a couple of times in NY where she went for school, and so I was familiar with the movie and plot. It was emotional to see the lyrics acted out. Bravo
Acting was excellent! The father was exceptional!
Thank you for such a great experience. I had never seen Fun Home and was so pleasantly surprised by the quality of show, performers, the uniqueness of the theatre and was just impressed all around! Not to mention, there’s actual leg room in your theatre and I was so comfortable in my seat! We will be back for sure!
I really enjoyed this show. The set and story line were perfectly done.
Overall I had a very positive first experience at the Chance theater watching fun home! Would love to go see another musical or play there and I also loved the Q&A after the show.
This was our first play at the Chance. We were duly impressed! The play was absolutely outstanding, far surpassing our expectations. The quality of the cast along with the music and stage set was truly remarkable. We will be back. Fun Home was amazing.
Excellent/very enjoyable, could not be better!
I am a platinum recording artist, musical theater artist and playwright, currently touring with my new musical, Finding Venus. I was deeply moved by your presentation of Fun Home, so I posted this review on Facebook:
Here’s a Shout-Out to the fantastic cast and crew of the upcoming run of Fun Home, the Tony Awarded Broadway Musical, premiering this coming weekend at Chance Theatre in Anaheim.
I had the great privilege of attending a preview performance last night and can confess that I was moved to tears, laughter and deep contemplation. Stripped of the multi million dollar production bells, whistles and smoothness I witnessed when I saw this musical on Broadway two years ago, I was struck by how much more powerful this felt. I was touched by the bare naked beauty of the pure talent and sincere delivery of each and every one of the performers.
Holly Reichert, who portrayed small Alison, stood out in her incredible vocal delivery and ability to hold our attention by her uncanny mastery of emotional presence for such a young age.
Ashlee Espinosa, as Alison Bechdel, directed our focus as she told and observed her own story, letting it unfold from her drawing board and come to life around her. I was struck by the emotional delivery of her body language, as she held a gentle, yet incredibly powerful space of perspective and understanding.
Jennifer Richardson moved me to tears, in her portrayal of Alison’s mom, Helen Bechdel. Through a body language displaying years and years of suppressed passion, longing and despair and with a voice ranging from careful whispers to the full spectre and power of a woman’s rage, she powerfully mirrored generations of moms stuck between abusive husbands and children who need them.
Ron Hastings, as Bruce Bechdel, Alison’s dad, completely convinced me of his narcissism and self made prison of pride and prejudice, as he beautifully vocalised the tragic destiny of a sensitive gay man, trying to maneuver his life and family in a homophobic culture.
My hat goes off to the entire cast, which also include
Madelyn Velazquez-Heywood as Medium Alison, Reese Hewitt as Christian Bechdel, Christopher Patow as John Bechdel, Matt Bolden as Roy, Mark, Pete, Bobby and Jeremy and Ketino Christopher as Joan.
It was fantastic.
It couldn’t have been improved. It was my first time experiencing a live performance of Fun Home and the cast and crew did it justice. All three actresses portraying Alison throughout her life were absolutely amazing and cohesive. There was no doubt I was watching three actors who were in sync with their character’s development and knew the best way to showcase Alison Bechdel’s life. Each actress was a force to be reckoned with. The set design was absolute perfection. I’ll be back again to watch it again without a doubt.