Fun Home On Tour

Tony Award Winning Musical Tours Las Vegas and Los Angeles

by Russ White
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The hit Broadway Musical Fun Home kicks off the 2017 leg of its national tour starting in Las Vegas. Based on Alison Bechdel's memoirs, the story recalls her early childhood with her father and her coming out in college. Bechdel struggles with the association of her coming out and her father's death. It is the first Broadway musical with a lesbian protagonist. The original Broadway production was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, winning five, including Best Musical.

QLife caught up with cast member Robert Hager for an interview days before the opening at The Smith Center in Las Vegas.

QLife: Hi Robert, welcome to Las Vegas. Tell us a little about Fun Home.

Robert: The story is centered around Alison Bechdel and a journey through her past at two different stages in her life. The story starts with childhood Alison at around 8 or 9 years old and the relationship with her father Bruce at that time. The second state takes place in college and her coming out story. Her father was a closeted homosexual. After Alison comes out to her parents, her father kills himself by stepping in front of a truck.

QLife: You are cast as multiple characters in the show. Whare these different roles?

Robert: My characters fill out a little of each story in the flashbacks that she has. "Roy" has a relationship with her father Bruce. "Pete" is a mourner at the funeral home looking for a casket for his mother how just died. You get to see the different personalities of Bruce through mi characters. I also play "Mark" who is a junior in high school who is offered a ride home by Bruce. Bruce offers him a malt beverage and gets arrested. Finally, I play "Bobby Jeremy" who brings joy to Alison in this really fun, and happy number called Raincoat of Love. 

QLife: How did you get involved with the show?

Robert: I saw the original Broadway show about 6 months into the run. I thought it was a great show. Then my agent got me an audition so I went back and saw it and focused on Joel Perez who played the role I play on Broadway and I fell in love with the role immediately. I did two auditions, and they went great, and I got the offer about three months before our first rehearsal, so I had a good relaxing summer before traveling the country for a year and a half.

QLife: How did you get your start in theater?

Robert: I'm from Mexico City. I started theater there. I was 13 when I did my first professional gig in the international tour of the Radio City Christmas Show with the Rockettes They came to Mexico, and I auditioned just for fun–and got it! Right after I graduated high school, I got Spring Awakening, and that was my first big show. From there I kept going. I did Bye Bye Birdie with John Stamos and Gina Gershon.

QLife: When did the tour start? 

Robert: We officially opened in October. It's crazy to think we've already finished 3 months. 

QLife: Have you been to The Smith Center in Las Vegas before?

Robert: No. The last time I was in Las Vegas was around 2008. I saw The Phantom of the Opera. But one of our orchestra members is from Vegas, so he's going to be giving us a nice tour.  

QLife: What are you looking forward to most about being in Vegas?

Robert: Well, I'm renting a house instead of company housing which is usually a hotel near the theater. I decided I wanted to "live in Vegas" and see what it's like. I'm sharing it with my understudyAnthony Fortino. Obviously, we'll do The Strip, but I wanted to get a sense of the urban lifestyle of Vegas.

QLife: Where are you off to after Las Vegas?

Robert: We're in Denver for two weeks, then San Francisco and LA. Then it's a busy spring and summer. 

QLife: Have you been on tour before? 

Robert: I did Spring Awakening on Broadway and joined the last 3 months of the tour, so I was mostly in the South East by then. That was fun. The difference here is I'm originating the tour. That's a cool fun thing to do. 

QLife: Where has been your favorite place to perform so far?

Robert: I have to say Chicago. I had never been, and it was beautiful. It reminded me a little bit of New York, but cleaner. That's what is exciting about touring, though. You get to see new theaters, old theaters. In Detroit we saw late 60's/early 70's architecture. I love getting out and meeting people. 

Tour Schedule
Las Vegas The Smith Center Jan 3-8
Los Angeles Ahmanson Theater Feb 21-Apr 1
Additional cities and dates available at funhomebroadway.com