PPHS theatre teacher to star in Lafayette production of “Tuesdays with Morrie Read more: EvangelineToday.com - PPHS theatre teacher to star in Lafayette production of Tuesdays with Morrie

Ville Platte resident Travis Fontenot will be starring in Acting Unlimited's production of "Tuesdays With Morrie" in Lafayette this weekend. Fontenot is the theatre teacher at Pine Prairie High School, where he founded the theatre program. He is also involved with Troupe d'Évangéline and the Opelousas Little Theatre. 

"Tuesdays With Morrie," the poignant tale of a college professor, Morrie, dying of ALS, and his former student, Mitch, with whom he reunites just before the end, comes to life on Theatre 810's stage. Adapted by Mitch Albom and Jeffrey Hatcher, the two-man show will feature Vincent P. Barras (Morrie), who just finished a week run of this show at the Eunice Players' Theatre in Eunice, and Travis Fontenot (Mitch).

Based on the best-selling book by Mitch Albom, “Tuesdays with Morrie” explores numerous topics, including love, aging, family and death. A beloved Sociology professor at Brandeis University for 30 years, Morrie Schwartz touched the lives of thousands of students, one of whom became sports journalist Mitch Albom. Upon discovering that he has ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, Schwartz begins sharing the life lessons he learned through nearly eight decades of living through the television medium via Nightline with Ted Koppel. Living a hectic life in a fast-paced world, Mitch Albom accidentally catches the TV program on his old professor and decides to fly to Boston to see him. What began as a one-shot visit turned into once-a-week, every week Tuesday journey that became the basis of a book, a play and an Emmy-winning TV movie with Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria. 

The New York Magazine called the play "Unforgettable! No matter how well you tell the story, the play makes it more vivid, more shattering, more humorous," and the Journal News said, "The evening has an aura of celebration. Just what the doctor ordered, you are likely to be moved." 

Theatre 810 is located at 810 Jefferson St. in Downtown Lafayette. For reservations, call 484-0172 and leave a message. Tickets are $10, and the show will run the following times: Friday, October 4th, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, October 5th, at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, October 6th, at 3