Duke Freshman Brian Grasso Refers To Alison Bechdel's FUN HOME As Pornographic

As reported yesterday in BroadwayWorld, a controversy began at Duke University after incoming Freshman Brian Grasso posted on the school's Class of 2019 Facebook page that he refuses to read the assigned graphic memoir, Fun Home, "because of the graphic visual depictions of sexuality."

Alison Bechdel's Fun Home is the source the 2015 Tony Award winning Best Musical, with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron and music by Jeanine Tesori.

Though many students replied in support of reading the autobiographical story of her sexual awakening and her relationship with her closeted father, others supported his stance, saying they too would skip the assignment.

This afternoon, The Washington Post published an article by Grasso where he goes into detail about his refusal to read the assignment.

"The book includes cartoon drawings of a woman masturbating and multiple women engaging in oral sex," he writes.

"(I)n the Bible, Jesus forbids his followers from exposing themselves to anything pornographic. 'But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart,' he says in Matthew 5:28-29. 'If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away.' This theme is reiterated by Paul who warns, 'flee from sexual immorality.'

Click here for the full article.

With music by Tony Award-winner Jeanine Tesori, a book and lyrics by Tony Award-winner Lisa Kronand direction by Tony Award-winner Sam Gold, FUN HOME opened to rave reviews at the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street) on Sunday, April 19, 2015, and won five 2015 Tony Awards.

Featuring a cast led by 2015 Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris, as well as 2015 Tony Award nominees Judy Kuhn,Beth Malone, Sydney Lucas and Emily Skeggs, Fun Home also featuresRoberta Colindrez, Zell Steele Morrow, Joel Perez, Oscar Williams, Lauren Patten, Gabriella Pizzolo,Marrick Smith, Jim Stanek, and Nicole Van Giesen.

FUNHOME introduces us to Alison at three different ages, revealing memories of her uniquely dysfunctional family - her mother, brothers and volatile, brilliant, enigmatic father - that connect with her in surprising new ways. This intimate and emotional theatrical experience is performed entirely in the round, bringing audiences closer to Alison's story than ever before. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, FUN HOME is a refreshingly honest, wholly original musical about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes.

PHOTO: Walter McBride