The Search for the Right Bruce
Michael Cerveris’s Tony-winning portrayal of Bruce Bechdel, the charming, volatile, and closeted family patriarch, is now legendary. His performance was a tightrope walk of charisma and menace that anchored the show. But before Cerveris made the role
his own, other notable actors were part of the musical’s long development. During early workshops and presentations, accomplished stage actors Raúl Esparza and David Aaron Baker both played the part. The role required an actor who could capture Bruce's intellectualism, his repressed desires, and his sudden flashes of anger. While both Esparza and Baker are celebrated performers, the creative team ultimately landed on Cerveris, who had been part of the show since its run at the Public Theater and brought a specific, haunting energy that defined the character for its Broadway debut.
Finding Alison, Times Three
Casting Alison Bechdel was a unique challenge, as the role is split among three actors playing her at different life stages: Small Alison, Medium Alison, and the adult narrator. Beth Malone, who played the adult Alison, was with the show through its multiple workshops, but even her part evolved dramatically over time. The biggest casting shift came with Medium Alison, the college student discovering her sexuality. In the acclaimed off-Broadway production at The Public Theater, the role was originated by Alexandra Socha. Socha was known for more traditionally feminine roles and had to convince the casting directors she could embody the tomboyish, awkward energy of a young Alison Bechdel. However, before the show's run at the Public ended, Socha departed and was replaced by her understudy, Emily Skeggs. It was Skeggs who would continue with the role to Broadway, earning a Tony nomination for her breakout performance that perfectly captured the joy and uncertainty of self-discovery in the song "Changing My Major."
The Unseen Workshop Players
A musical's journey from page to stage often involves years of readings and workshops where actors help the creators find the show's voice. Fun Home was no different, having been developed at the Sundance Theatre Lab and The Public Theater's Public Lab. According to a 2011 staged reading cast list, only Judy Kuhn (who played mother Helen Bechdel) and Beth Malone (adult Alison) would continue with the production to its full off-Broadway and Broadway runs from that early incarnation. This means that for a time, a completely different combination of actors was speaking Lisa Kron’s words and singing Jeanine Tesori’s music. These developmental stages are crucial for writers and directors to understand what works, and the actors involved are instrumental, even if they don't move forward with the final production. Their contributions help shape the characters that audiences eventually see.
The Magic of Final Chemistry
Ultimately, the cast that opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre on Broadway in 2015 was a perfect storm of talent. The dynamic between Michael Cerveris's Bruce, Judy Kuhn's Helen, and the three Alisons—Beth Malone, Emily Skeggs, and the astonishing young Sydney Lucas—created a palpable sense of family history. The connections between them felt authentic and deeply moving, from the tense silences in "Welcome to Our House on Maple Avenue" to the heartbreaking missed connection in "Telephone Wire." It’s a testament to the instincts of director Sam Gold and the entire creative team. While it’s fascinating to imagine other actors in these roles, the success of Fun Home proves that casting isn't just about finding a great performer for each part, but about finding the right group of performers who can build a world together.
