musical musical adapted graphic memoir story concerns relationship gay father attempts unlock mysteries surrounding life broadway musical lesbian protagonist musical developed conference theatre lab opened broadway september positive reviews run extended times ran january production nominated winning including outstanding musical awards original broadway production began previews circle square theatre march opened april nominated won including cast album received nomination grammy award best musical theater album production set close september background development writer artist book memoir comics format published critical acclaim subject coming age particular emphasis relationship father coming lesbian complicated revelation bruce homosexual relationships including encounters males age consent months comes parents bruce killed oncoming truck evidence concludes committed suicide book adapted musical book lyrics music writing slate june thomas called play mainstream musical young lesbian adaptation developed course years august staged reading performed cast staged reading continued roles broadway production musical workshop theater lab july featuring following ran weeks public lab series october november april musical selections play performed event final workshop held musical development process entailed extensive changes said original workshop script doesn resemble current play early versions production structured drawings creators later removed element save image bruce young musical conclusion revisions continued preview period broadway production requiring actors perform new material night productions premiered broadway previews september opened officially october originally scheduled run november run extended times musical closed january production directed sets costumes lighting projections choreography response controversy legislature south_carolina attempted financially punish choosing original graphic novel reading selection incoming broadway cast presented concert songs musical house charleston south_carolina april musical director accompanied cast musical began previews broadway circle square theatre march official opening april gold directed broadway production team broadway production including cast reprised roles broadway actors playing john december months opening broadway began profit costs relatively low small cast orchestra production set close september previews regular performances year long national tour scheduled begin fall international production planned premiere manila philippines late helen plot summary works memoir present day successful middle aged cartoonist recalls time periods life childhood age small struggles father bruce obsessive demands begins identify sexuality second year college medium begins relationship comes closet lesbian remembers child demanding father play airplane bruce sorts box salvaged barn comes bruce tells family visitor local historical society coming ornate victorian home restored wife helen prepares house bruce demanding aesthetic standard welcome house maple avenue phone father journal entry medium expresses anxiety starting college bad small brothers john christian hide bruce talks pete mourning young man children perform imaginary advertisement funeral home come fun home medium outside door college meets joan confident young lesbian bruce invites house roy young man hired yard work bruce begins seduce roy library helen playing piano upstairs trying best ignore helen medium writes letter parents mention joan bruce orders dress wear jean jacket bruce tells girl dress children laugh leaves dress party dress medium tells joan written letter parents telling lesbian begins second guess beginning wonder joan kisses night excited joyful having sex joan changing major considers connection coming father death small assignment draw map places family lived takes drawing way thinks look realizes despite having traveled lived europe father place birth life work death placed small circle pennsylvania maps bruce offers ride beer boy later implied sexual intercourse medium writes parents asking response coming letter small watches family bruce switches small talks finds going psychiatrist bad good like expresses annoyance lied actual reason going arrested boy helen tells small psychiatrist help father attempts bruce starts vicious argument helen breaks possessions library books small family happy family singing television love remembers time bruce took brothers new_york_city stayed borrowed apartment long day small christian john settle sleeping bags small wakes catches bruce bruce sings daughter going paper leaves cruising medium angered letter bruce responding coming father small notices delivery woman feels ring keys medium calls home demand fuller response parents mother tells father sexual relationships men boys explores tensions family time watches heated argument parents medium returns home vacation joan tow helen confesses medium devastation spending life marriage joan bruce unexpectedly pleasant evening piano bruce asks like drive adult realizes gone joins father car breaking boundaries time drive bruce struggle express telephone wire bruce engaged new restoration project tries fails find way hold life steps truck killed edges world newly reconciled past remembers draws moment perfect balance playing airplane father past flying away characters original casts character portrayed actors year old play narrator reviews family early life year old medium student discovering sexuality year old small child struggling father expectations original casts follows november left broadway production replaced role medium plays broadway production october lucas replaced role small previously shared title role played role april underwent hip returned role songs recordings songs closely integrated script list songs provided program original cast album released opened remarkable feat broadway cast album musical opened broadway new portions recorded parts recorded especially feature role medium includes dialogue help listener follow story song party dress added song small place short removed broadway dialogue scene new_york replaced need coffee bruce short song added scene flair dramatic album released track list release reflects musical numbers broadway production follows comes opening small father appeared enjoy having children bruce helen welcome house maple avenue helen small christian john bruce roy bad medium good talk dad medium bruce pete small john christian come fun home john helen roy bruce small helen john thanks care package medium joan small bruce party dress small bruce medium changing major medium closet small maps read book bruce small love new_york small bruce bruce flair dramatic joan medium bruce ring keys small let introduce gay dad joan medium bruce small shortly married helen medium days days helen ready drive telephone wire great home edges world bruce flying away finale medium small critical reception broadway production opened october positive reviews new_york_times spoke musical emotional impact calling beautiful musical fun home isn coming story coming age story comes awareness fully know closest grown secrets children exists degree family finds shining clarity lights night praised writer composer work says book precise lyrics essential spine score best varied score date captures story haunting ambiguity later listed shows new_york_daily_news called musical beautiful said speaks family families torn secrets lies listed theater list los_angeles_times mildly critical elements impressed saying plenty new american musicals better think recent years touched tender ironic courageous vulnerability states weaknesses reason succeeds saying gets start takes unnecessary musical staged rough style accidental intentional succeeds despite flaws large measure ironically self aware searching sensibility honored musical isn afraid reveal awkward positive slate said moments pure joy musical shines felt clear musical best second format material editor chief described best musical year calling emotionally packed piece theatre joy heart sorrow uncomfortable reality reviewing cast album praised set lyrics called master musical styles matches tone mix sensitivity humor singled days days praise calling piece musical theatre writing lauded performances stunning finest performances calling assured child actors seen called best musical new_york stage far competition far best musical season new_york_times music critic praised score masterpiece noting vibrant songs varied kinds music number young middle rescue fantasy influenced songs rhythmic figures shifting rich harmonies come create integrated entity praised ensemble numbers calling complex transparent dramatic anticipating play broadway online magazine heralded focus individual experience lesbian calling daring relentless analysis homosexual identity new_york stage right awards nominations production nominated prize drama inspired winning including outstanding musical seven winning outstanding new broadway musical won critics predicted win pulitzer prize drama musical finalist pulitzer flick won award pulitzer committee called musical poignant musical adaptation graphic memoir production won circle award best musical year old won performance category youngest performer win original broadway production nominated winning including female writing team win tony award best original score won best book won gold won best direction lucas production original broadway production
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