by Susan Jeremy

It is almost time for the Rogue Festival again–it will be taking place March 1-9 in the Tower District of Fresno. This is the first of several Rogue Performer Preview articles we will be posting between now and then, and we will also have a more general Rogue Festival article coming soon! We will also be posting several show reviews once the festival begins!

You will be able to see ALL of our Rogue Festival coverage in our special Rogue category and you can find more Rogue Festival information on our Rogue event page over on KRL News! There you will find press releases and extra info! You can also go to the Rogue Festival website for more info and to purchase tickets.

Have you ever been fired? Imagine getting fired from your first job ever. That’s what happened to me when I was 16. I was working at Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips, a fast-food chain in New York, all the way from London. When I got hired, my mother told me to ask them if they had a pension. Apparently, she thought I’d have that job for a long time. It lasted three weeks. The exact reason why I was fired is a blur. The indignation that I felt at such an impressionable age would last for years to come. Little did I know that I would be fired from a series of jobs to follow for the next two decades.

Why would I write a show about this and relive the humiliation? Because comedy stems from misery. The more misery I experience and write about, the funnier I am. When I set out to write the show, I didn’t realize that I had been let go from most of my jobs. It was a bit jarring. But It validated that I really am an artist.

The best part about performing this show is that I get to finally respond to the bosses who fired me. I say what’s on my mind, something I did not do each time that I was fired. Because I also play all the characters, I can really get in there with who I thought they were as people, bosses, and supervisors. I had one supervisor that walked like he was dancing, always stopping in a ballet-like pose. Another boss smoked as she told me I was incompetent as a clown. When you’re fired from being a clown, there is nowhere to go but stand-up comedy. That’s where I ended up – touring the country in comedy clubs. After many years on the road, I realized that I needed a more fulfilling career. I accidentally became a teacher. I never set out to be one, the profession just found me. In New York, anyone with a BA and without a police record can be a substitute teacher. That’s how I started. I still teach today more than 20 years later.

Comedy has never left me. After a long hiatus, I started doing stand-up again. My seventh-grade student found me on TikTok and asked me if I was a comedian. At first, I was embarrassed, but then I answered, “Yesterday, I was a comedian, today I’m your teacher, so you better do your work.”

WHERE- Vista Theater
296 N. Vishon Ave.

Showtimes:
Friday March 1st – 8:30 Thursday March 7th – 7:00
Saturday March 2- 9:30 Saturday March 9th – 12:30 PM
Sunday March 3rd- 3:30

If you love theatre, be sure to check out Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast, which features mysteries read by local actors. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and also on podbean.

Check out more theatre reviews & other local entertainment articles in our Arts & Entertainment section. You can also find more theatre coming up on KRL’s Local Theatre event page.