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Reawakening a showmance

Come to the Fun Home

Hello lovely musical theatre friend,

Ever forgotten how much you love a show? Like, if someone mentioned that show, you would logically remember it was good... But somehow the memory of discovering it has faded with time. Then it comes back into your life - and BAM. Your heart goes boom.

This happened to me last week. I made the trip to York to see my BFF Cat absolutely shine as Helen in Fun Home. Watching her bring such devastating heartbreak to those impossible family dynamics reminded me why this show feels so essential.

There's something about Fun Home that cuts through your defenses - it's a musical about the secrets families keep and the courage it takes to really see the people we love. Sitting in that intimate space (it was like we were INSIDE their home), I realised how rarely we get stories this honest about the complexity of understanding our parents as whole, flawed humans.

Whether you know what I'm talking about, or you have the utter joy of being able to discover Fun Home for the first time...

Welcome to Our House on Maple Avenue [cue tears]

If Musicals Chatter | A book club for cast albums

Next week: 28th September

Musical Book Club: Chatter about the show for about 30 minutes

Chosen Show:​
The Tony award-winning cast album of "Maybe Happy Ending" is a mere 61 minutes of delicate, futuristic, heartfelt storytelling. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music or Amazon Music.

Time: 8pm-8:30pm UK / 2pm-2:30pm CT

Date: Sunday, September 28th

I'll be sending out a Zoom link to those that signed up this week.

Into the Woods | Figuratively. Wander w/ fellow fans.

• Fun Home Keeps Finding New Homes Ten years after its Tony-winning Broadway run, Fun Home continues to resonate in intimate productions worldwide. If you haven't seen it, catch the student production by Columbia College Chicago April/May 2026, or the recently announced regional revival in Manchester, England, England in July/August 2026. Otherwise, a film adaptation is reportedly in the works at Amazon MGM Studios, with Jake Gyllenhaal as a producer.
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• History is Made At Night The musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel's 2006 graphic memoir made theatre history as the first Broadway musical to feature a lesbian protagonist, leaving a lasting impact on both audiences and the industry.​
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• From the same composer Discover more shows composed by Jeanine Tesori: Thoroughly Modern Millie, Caroline, or Change, Kimberly Akimbo and Shrek.

Anything you recommend? Reply or submit, we'd love to include it.

Musical Orgasm | Nominated by our community

Judy Kuhn's "Days and Days"

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Judy Kuhn (Pocahontas!) as Helen captures a lifetime of small compromises and quiet endurance. This song about the accumulation of daily moments in a difficult marriage is musical theatre at its most painfully beautiful.

Side by Side by Side | ᯤ Spotify collab playlists

Family Truths Songs about the complicated love, secrets, and understanding within families - shows that see our relatives as complete humans. Listen

I Have Been Changed... For Good | Subscriber stories

Which musical is significant in your life? Share it with us.

Show bingo | Add 'em up, Bobby!

We need a winner! Hit reply and tell me how many of these shows you've seen. Then next week I'll reveal the subscriber who has checked off the most shows from this list...

1. #SpringAwakening
2. #NextToNormal
3. #SixTheMusical
4. #DearEvanHansen
5. #MaybeHappyEnding
6. #CompanyMusical
7. #Heathers
8. #SweeneyTodd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
9. #ComeFromAway
10. #SweetCharity

Tell me you're a musical fan without telling me