Hinman Production Community will present “Fun Home,” an incredibly relatable yet startlingly morbid comedy musical, from Nov. 20 to Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. in the Hinman Commons.

“Fun Home” is the musical retelling of the bestselling graphic novel “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic,” the memoir of lesbian cartoonist Alison Bechdel. Originally published in 2006, the graphic novel centers on a complex coming-of-age story shrouded in the startling reality of queer people in the ’60s and ’70s. The story dives into Alison Bechdel’s relationship with her closeted gay father and the ways that she desperately prays they are different, coupled with the ways they are ultimately the same.

The HPC is a student-run drama company originally established in 1979 that has been producing shows ever since. With a combination of cast and crew, students come together to share a love for theater, which translates across this production. Avery Stadler, who plays the eldest version of Bechdel and is a freshman majoring in biochemistry, highlighted the welcoming community she found within the HPC.

“Everyone here is really, really sweet,” Stadler said. “It’s a really, really great production team. Everybody’s super professional but also able to have fun. I would highly recommend auditioning to anybody who has any interest in musical theater for our next upcoming season.”

The production heavily relies on the relationship between the audience and cast to build rapport. HPC took this challenge in stride as Elio Heller, the production’s director and a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, said that the company was uniquely qualified to put on this production because of the musical’s history of being performed in smaller, intimate environments.

The heart of this musical lies within queer narratives and how childhood naivety can be crushed in retrospect. In the frame narrative told by Alison Bechdel, we see her life from childhood to middle age as she uncovers the truth not only about herself but also her father. Through its staging, HPC embraced these narratives as Heller emphasized what they hope audiences take away from Bechdel’s story.

“One of the big themes in the show is about two gay people who grew up in different generations, and how the state of society they grew up in affected them,” Heller said. “So I hope that when audiences see the show, they can look back and appreciate how far the LGBTQ+ movement has come and continue fighting for LGBTQ rights.”

Perhaps the most mysterious figure in the play is Bruce Bechdel, the closeted father with a long list of faults. Bechdel provides insight into a man whose story provides a showcase of a bygone era.

Andrew Schiller, who plays Bruce and is a junior double-majoring in English and philosophy, politics and law, explained how his character tackles a troubling reality through flaws that provide a cautionary tale.

“Somebody watching this show now, they might not understand, but this character knew that he was gay decades before Stonewall, before the movement really got traction,” Schiller said. “I think I am representing a generation of gay people, and the three actors who play my daughter are displaying another generation of gay people. And we, as these actors and other members of this production, are a third generation of gay people. I think this is really about progression.”

Referring to the Stonewall riots, an uprising that began on June 28, 1969 between LGBTQ+ protestors and police officers, the six-day stand-off shaped much of the modern LGBTQ+ movement. However, progress is often not linear and the HPC wants to highlight the importance of keeping this progress moving forward.

Tamar Hyman-Fessler, a sophomore double-majoring in English and art and design, portrayed Helen Bechdel, Allison’s mother and Bruce’s wife who suffers under his pressure to embody a picture-perfect family. She shared the importance of self-expression in this production.

“It’s important nowadays for that message, especially with legislation that’s going on surrounding the LGBTQ community, just the message to live authentically and to be who you are is always better than bottling it up,” Hyman-Fessler said.

Editor’s Note: Acadia Bost, who plays Allison’s brother John, is a news intern for Pipe Dream. They had no part in the writing or editing of this article.