Mandi Elkins Hutchins as adult Alison and Jordan Price as Bruce with Jenrose Fitzgerald's illustrations in Pandora Productions' "Fun Home."Courtesy Jenrose Fitzgerald. Courtesy Pandora Productions.
When Pandora Productions premiered the Tony Award-winning musical “Fun Home,” four high school students set out to cover different aspects as part of Arts Angle Vantage. The coverage was part of the program’s most recent workshop with Angel Cathey, a duPont Manual High School sophomore, and Louisville Male High School students including junior On’Dria Gibson, senior Megan Mendez and sophomore Jewel Shaw.
“Fun Home,” based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir of the same name, recounts her relationship with her father and growing up in a restored Victorian home that also included a funeral home her father runs.
Arts Bureau Edge and the participants are grateful to Pandora Productions’ Producing Artistic Director Michael Drury and the cast and crew for their time for interviews. Participants also are grateful for insights gained into Pandora Productions’ work and the local theater scene through a panel discussion with leaders during a workshop including Drury; Amy Attaway, Kentucky Shakespeare Associate Artistic Director; Idris Goodwin, StageOne Family Theatre Producing Artistic Director; and Charlie Sexton, Commonwealth Theatre Artistic Director.
Read their work in LEO Weekly, our media partner on this project.
Or read their work here.
Much thanks to Melissa Chipman who helped guide the participants in the twice-weekly sessions over six weeks and to UofL for hosting the workshop. Special thanks to Keith Stone and Scott Recker of LEO, who practice the values of collaborative journalism and bring you the community these young reporters’ work.
— Elizabeth Kramer, founder, Arts Bureau Edge