THEY CALL ME MISTER FRY was first performed January 2001 at the Lex Theater in Los Angeles California for a 4 month run. It is based on Jack Freiberger's (Mr. Fry) first year teaching in South Central Los Angeles. Since then, Jack has been performing the show on and off for the last 6 years, alternating between teaching full time and performing part time. He started running it again in Los Angeles in November 2007. It has been running in LA ever since. He was accepted to perform at the New York International Fringe Festival in August where he performed it to rave reviews. (theycallmemisterfry.com)THEY CALL ME MISTER FRY is the true life story of a first-year teacher, Jack Freiberger, in South Central Los Angeles , teaching a 5th grade class. They play powerfully represents the relationship between Mr. Fry and two challenging students. Packed with humor and drama, it's a coming of age story not only for the children, but for the teacher as well.
The performance chronicles Jack's (Mr. Fry's) journey from the interview process, through the journey of his first year, dealing with the challenges of family, a diverse student population, students distracted by the hurdles of contemporary urban life including poverty and gangs. Mr. Fry must contend with the struggles of administration and interdepartmental support in order to reach his own potential and thus reach his students.
2 comments:
I had the pleasure of seeing this show last Saturday in Sherman Oaks. Jack is a terrific performer with a great sense of storytelling. He recounts vividly his year of teaching in a South Central grade school, relaying not only his experiences but those of two of his students. He easily weaves in and out of present and past, and captivates the audience with how he was able to become a support system for a young boy and girl. I will say, having taught piano for seven years, that I don't like children, but after hearing Jack talk about his experiences, I thought maybe they're so bad after all. I will look forward to whenever Jack performs this show again.
I had the pleasure of seeing this show last Saturday in Sherman Oaks. Jack is a terrific performer with a great sense of storytelling. He recounts vividly his year of teaching in a South Central grade school, relaying not only his experiences but those of two of his students. He easily weaves in and out of present and past, and captivates the audience with how he was able to become a support system for a young boy and girl. I will say, having taught piano for seven years, that I don't like children, but after hearing Jack talk about his experiences, I thought maybe they're not so bad after all. I will look forward to whenever Jack performs this show again.
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