Fred Pitts’
Aren’t You…?
Back by Popular Demand!
In Person at The Marsh Berkeley Mainstage
Written & Performed by Fred Pitts
Directed by ShawnJ West
Developed with David Ford
Online ticket sales close 2 hours before each performance,
and additional tickets may be available for purchase at the door.
February 10 – March 9, 2024
Saturdays at 8pm
March 9
Benefit Performance for The Marsh!
Ticket Information
Tickets: $25 – $35 General Seating sliding scale | $50 and $100 Reserved Seating
Benefit performance for The Marsh on March 9 | Tickets starting at $0
Online ticket sales close 2 hours before each performance,
and additional tickets may be available for purchase at the door.
70 minutes | No Intermission | All Ages
Please do not bring infants to the show
Content Advisories
Please read our
Health, Safety and COVID-19 Information
Our commitment to our patrons
About the Show
Several years ago, Fred found himself on a mission to explore every California Mission. What started out as a ‘geek’s road trip’ became an examination of his fellow tourists and Mission personnel. Some were experts on the Catholic Church, a few experts on Native American history, and others are experts on…everything else. Yet, they all seem to have one thing in common: they are all experts on which famous black person Fred resembles.
– Patrick Klein, Artistic Director, Palo Alto Player.
Trailer
Reviews
While humorous, Aren’t You…? is also a timely examination of both conscious racism and unconscious bias.
~Metro Silicon Valley
“Aren’t You …?” will always be a timely, important show, offering surprises, factoids, and existential awareness.
~Theatrius
Audience Feedback
Aren’t You…? was an OUTSTANDING performance by Fred Pitts. A great way to start the new season.
Wonderfully written and very talented. Broadway worthy. Keep up the great quality theater.
We really enjoyed Aren’t You?? last night …. It felt so good to see live entertainment after so many months! It was entertaining AND educational!!
The closing live performance was everything I was hoping for—and so much more! A fabulous history lesson that was so warmly enhanced by Fred Pitts’ personality and empathy. It’s definitely worth a repeat look on demand!
Aren’t You…? was wonderful! Great story and great presentation. Mr. Pitts’ recounting of his personal adventure was an entertaining and amusing way to address serious and concerning issue of our history and our present. And his descriptions of the missions where fascinating. I have lived in California since 1973; I may have visited one mission, but if so, I don’t remember anything about it. Now I’d really like to see the original missions that he described (…some day when I feel it’s safe to travel). Thanks so much for a wonderful production and for making it available as video on demand for those of us who feel the need to be extra cautious.
LOVED “AREN’T you…?” Funny and educational. I will be doing some mission exploration of my own in the near future! (Motivated by Fred). Well done and a very safe environment.
My wife and I both enjoyed the play, Aren’t You…? Entertaining blend of history, architecture, and humor.
Fred Pitts was absolutely amazing…write, actor, just everything.
We LOVED it! As someone who studied California Missions in 4th grade and has been obsessed by them ever since (despite their tragic history with the indigenous people), I was thrilled to see a show by someone who shared my interest—especially a person of color. Funny, thought-provoking, educational, a real winner.
About the Artistic Crew
Fred Pitts is a San Francisco-based actor. His Regional Theater credits include Shotgun Players, Altarena Playhouse, Pear Theater, Palo Alto Players, African-American Shakespeare Company, Custom Made Theatre, Contra Costa Civic Theater, Exit Theater, to name a few. A survivor of 25+ years as an doctor in Emergency Medicine and Workers Comp, he now works in the field of drug safety. This is Fred’s first solo piece.
ShawnJ West -California-based director and actor who relocated to the Bay Area in 2011 after 16 years in Seattle, WA. There he directed productions of the Seattle cult hit Sex In Seattle: Episodes 15, 16, 17 & 18 with SIS Productions; ReAct’s production of WELL; and the 2009 West Coast premiere of Illyria and The Seven Year Itch with Redwood Theatre. Some Bay Area directing credits include the world premiere of Interlude and regional premier of DOT at New Conservatory Theater Center, the African American Shakespeare Company’s production of Cinderella and assistant director on Macbeth, and A Soulful Christmas with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. Here’s to living life out loud!
David Ford has been collaborating on new and unusual theatre for three decades and has been associated with The Marsh for most of that time. The San Francisco press has variously called him the solo performer maven, the monologue maestro, the dean of solo performance, and the solo performer’s best friend. A week rarely goes by when residents of the Bay Area can not enjoy one of his productions. Collaborators include Geoff Hoyle, Brian Copeland, Charlie Varon, Echo Brown, Marilyn Pittman, Rebecca Fisher, Wayne Harris, Jill Vice, and Marga Gomez. David’s work has been seen regionally at the Public Theatre, Second Stage, St. Clement’s, Dixon’s Place, One Dream Theatre and Theatre for the New City (NY), Highways (LA) and Woolly Mammoth (Washington DC), most of the fringe festivals in North America, as well as at theaters around the Bay Area including The Berkeley Rep, the Magic Theatre and Marin Theatre Company. David’s directing has garnered several, Best of Fringe awards and a Goldie award.