PhotosPHOTO EXCLUSIVE: A Two-Show Day at the Public Theater's Fun Home With Joel PerezSpend a day with Joel Perez, who plays a number of characters in the new Jeanine Tesori-Lisa Kron musical Fun Home. He takes readers through his morning routine and offers a backstage look at the Public Theater.
By
Matthew Blank
October 31, 2013
Hello Playbill.com readers," says Perez. "I'm so excited to share with you what a typical day is like for me when I'm working on Fun Home. I've been involved with the show since we did a workshop at the Sundance Theater Lab in 2012. It's been so great to be a part of the development of such a beautiful and special piece of theater. It's my first time working at The Public!"
"It's such an inspiring place to work! I've been a part of some pretty special projects, but this is my first big show in New York! Hope you enjoy it!"
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PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: A Two-Show Day at the Public Theater's Fun Home With Joel Perez
PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: A Two-Show Day at the Public Theater's Fun Home With Joel Perez
Spend a day with Joel Perez, who plays a number of characters in the new Jeanine Tesori-Lisa Kron musical Fun Home. He takes readers through his morning routine and offers a backstage look at the Public Theater. Read the Playbill.com story.
40 PHOTOS
Hey Playbill.com! Welcome to a day in my life! Working on Fun Home for the last year and half has been such a wonderful experience and I'm excited to share a little of that with you!
Joel Perez
My morning starts with some Bustelo in my favorite mug (Shout out to all fellow Tufts Jumbos out there!)
Joel Perez
My characters in Fun Home live in the 70's, so I've gotta do a little morning mutton chop maintenance.
Joel Perez
It's Saturday, so I take a stroll down the street to the Prospect Park farmer's market in Brooklyn...
Joel Perez
...to drop off my compost for the week! (PSA: Be sure to compost! It's so easy to do and if more people continue to do it, it could lead to city-wide door-to-door collection.)
Joel Perez
Bought some fresh apples.
Joel Perez
A little reading on my subway ride to the theater.
Joel Perez
My favorite part of living in Brooklyn is getting to see this when I go to work every day!
Joel Perez
I got off the train and stumbled upon a street fair on Astor Place.
Joel Perez
My nose lead me to this stand that was selling Latin food.
Joel Perez
I couldn't resist a chicken empanada.
Joel Perez
Turn the corner and BOOM... The Public Theater.
Joel Perez
This beautiful lobby greets you as you walk in.
Joel Perez
Micala and Ann-Marie talk about sound.
Joel Perez
Erin mixes up some prop Sherry for our two shows today. It's really made of a mix of herbal tea and decaf tea.
Joel Perez
The beautiful Lisa Dawn Cave is our excellent stage manager!
Joel Perez
Our incredible composer, Jeanine Tesori, visits us before the matinee.
Joel Perez
Our very talented kids warm up with musical director Chris Fenwick.
Joel Perez
Sydney Lucas and Beth Malone get into character.
Joel Perez
Our preshow games of Catchphrase can get pretty intense.
I swear I told the ladies to just be candid and then this happened.
Joel Perez
Costume #1: Roy
Joel Perez
View of Alison's drawing table from stage right.
Joel Perez
Costume #2: Pete
Joel Perez
Costume #4: Mark
Joel Perez
Costume #5: Bobby Jeremy. This is, by far, the best costume I've ever worn.
Joel Perez
Griffin joins Sydney for some pretty harmonies.
Joel Perez
Jeanine Tesori leads a talkback after our matinee with a group of undergrads from NYU.
Joel Perez
Roberta and I get some tasty Thai at East Village Thai.
Joel Perez
Let's get ready for the 2nd show!
Joel Perez
Michael and I share a dressing room with the wonderful men of Elevator Repair Service. They were in the last weekend of performances for their show, Arguendo.
Joel Perez
Our stage management team has fun while doing presets for our second show! Erin, Johnny, Sara, and Ellen!
Joel Perez
The view from the stage just before the audience starts coming in!
Joel Perez
Michael REALLY wanted to give me a shave before the evening show. Don't worry, I survived.
Joel Perez
These things are the best!
Joel Perez
Rachel puts the finishing touches on Michael's hair.
Joel Perez
Let's do it show #2!
Joel Perez
Alexandra looks pleased after a great two-show day!
Joel Perez
I ran into our playwright, Lisa Kron, in the lobby after she finished performing in a production of The Good Person of Szechwan in the Martinson Theater upstairs. This woman is so insanely talented.
Joel Perez
Thanks so much for joining me today! Hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into what life is like at the Fun Home!
Fun Home — the new musical by Tony nominees Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron that is based on the darkly comic, coming-of-age graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel — officially opened Off-Broadway Oct. 22 at the Public Theater.
Directed by Sam Gold (The Realistic Joneses, Seminar), Fun Home began previews Sept. 30 and recently extended its run through Dec. 1. Tesori is the Tony-nominated composer of Caroline, or Change; Shrek; Violet; and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Kron, a Tony nominee for Well, also penned In the Wake and 2.5 Minute Ride. She also appears in the Foundry production of Good Person of Szechwan at the Public this fall.
Fun Home features Beth Malone (Alison), Sydney Lucas (Small Alison) and Alexandra Socha (Medium Alison) as author-narrator Bechdel at various stages of her life. It also stars Tony Award winner Michael Cerveris as her father, Bruce Bechdel, and Tony nominee Judy Kuhn as her mother, Helen Bechdel.
Completing the cast are Griffin Birney (Christian Bechdel), Roberta Colindrez (Joan), Noah Hinsdale (John Bechdel) and Joel Perez (Roy).
Fun Home is described as "a fresh, daring new musical based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Alison Bechdel. When her father dies unexpectedly, graphic novelist Alison dives deep into her past to tell the story of the volatile, brilliant, one-of-a-kind man whose temperament and secrets defined her family and her life. Moving between past and present, Alison relives her unique childhood playing at the family’s Bechdel Funeral Home, her growing understanding of her own sexuality and the looming, unanswerable questions about her father's hidden desires."
Fun Home has scenic and costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Kai Harada, projection design by Jim Findlay and Jeff Sugg, wig design by Paul Huntley, music direction by Chris Fenwick and choreography by Danny Mefford.
For further information phone (212) 967-7555, or visit PublicTheater. The Public Theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street in Manhattan.
