Son of late Du Quoin furniture store partner performs theatre at Amish resort in Indiana
A 77-year-old Du Quoin man who graduated from DTHS in 1954, grew up around his dad's furniture business, then worked as a professional singer for three years after graduating from SIU has found an after-life in a Northern Indiana Amish resort.
His name is Phillip Burke Fry, the son of the late Granville and Helen Fry. His father was a partner in the Duncan & Fry Furniture Co.
He toured the U. S. for three years after a full vocal scholarship at SIU Carbondale. He was the purchasing agent for the Turco Manufacturing Co. here in Du Quoin for eight years.
He became vice-president of two steel related companies in Chicago.
"I got involved again in 1981 performing in the Chicago area.," he says. "I was Scrooge at Wagon Wheel Theatre in Indiana for two months."
In retirement, he has been recast by the Amish Acres Resort in Nappanee, Ind. as Pa Pa Yoder in their 28th year of "Plain and Fancy" a musical, which will run May 28 through Oct. 18, 2014. He is also cast as the principal in the musical "Footloose" running from June 10 thru July 20, 2014. This will be his third appearance at Amish Acres.
Amish Acres is a resort in northern Indiana built around an Amish barn transformed into a theatre. There are two hotels, a restaurant and theatre on the grounds.
The Round Barn Theatre at Amish Acres is created from a 1911 round barn that was dismantled and resurrected at the historic farmstead to become a resident repertory professional theatre.
Over 100 Broadway musicals have been produced over the last 16 years.
The Round Barn Theatre is a full performing arts venue with its own scene shop and rehearsal space. It employs a full time technical staff including artistic director, stage manager, sound and wardrobe designers.
It is now the national home of the musical "Plain and Fancy" which Fry will perform in.
An Amish Acres tradition, Plain and Fancy, fills the proscenium Joseph Stein Stage each April through October. This gentle but spirited musical comedy brought the first national attention to the quaint customs, stern morals and picturesque dress of the Amish. Over 3,000 shows have been performed, and over 300,000 patrons have marveled at Amish Acres nationally recruited cast, The Round Barn Theatre is northern Indiana's only professional repertory musical theatre company. Actors audition from across the country live on Amish Acres farm and perform eight shows per week. You'll experience the difference between The Round Barn Theatre and touring companies, community, church, civic, summer stock, college and school productions.
"We have dubbed the resulting season "incredible" to describe the diversity of choices that make up the 2014 season," said executive producer Richard Pletcher
The farm's Cow Shed houses the costume shop, scenic shop and rehearsal stage. "Few people realize the extent of the theatre's operations behind the stage," said Pletcher, "It is a year round effort to bring our shows to life."
The Round Barn Theatre at Amish Acres is located at 1600 W. Market Street in Nappanee, Indiana. A complete performance schedule is available online at www.amishacres.com or by contacting the box office at 800-800-4942 Option 2.
Phillip, or Burke as he likes to be called, is one of three children born to Granville and Helen Fry. The others are Allen Dale and Laura Lee.
Granville Fry came to Du Quoin in December 1933 with an uncle, E.E. Craven, who opened the Du Quoin Furniture Co. on West Main Street. After 10 years he was drafted into World War II. He served in the Navy as a signalman in the Mediterranean and sailing convoy duty in the North Atlantic.
Because of bad health, Craven moved to Columbia, Mo. and sold the furniture store to Abner Duncan, owner of Dawson and Duncan Furniture Co. After World War II Granville Fry became associated with Mr. Duncan and bought half of the business in 1955. A new home of Duncan & Fry Furniture was built at 28 S. Washington Street, now the city hall and library.
Granville served on the volunteer fire department, was city treasurer and served as finance commissioner under Mayor Lloyd Pyle.
The family lived on East Park Street and attended the First Baptist Church where they were involved in all aspects of church life.
You can contact Burke Fry at burke08@sbcglobal.net.