Misha Fristensky, Zany #1, in the Tour Production of The Taming of the Shrew
Fristensky as Zany #1
Michael (Misha) Fristensky plays multiple roles in The Taming of the Shrew: Tranio, Grumio and Zany #1. He was born in Switzerland, spent a majority of his childhood in Colorado and now calls New York City home. He studied Musical Theatre and Sociology at the University of Northern Colorado.
What are you looking forward to the most about this tour; why did you want to become involved? What do you hope to learn?
I am looking forward to the challenging aspect of having to perform a show multiple times and keeping the material fresh and making it seem as if we’re doing it for the first time in every town. Going on a tour has always been a goal of mine because of the chance to travel and really become immersed in a show. I am thrilled to be surrounded by such a talented cast and creative team because each day I learn something new about my craft that makes me that much more excited to be a part of this great art-form.
What do you hope to contribute or give to young audiences during this tour?
During the tour, I hope to spark a flame that will continue to grow and burn bright in the young audiences. Each of us has a special moment as to why we decided to pursue this career path, and I hope that we have the pleasure of making that moment happen for some of the audience members.
Why do you think live theatre is important?
With the technology and devices of today, I think people are losing sight of what makes being a human being so great. Our everyday interaction with one another and the memories and experiences we gain from those are second to none. I think it is great that we have the ability to share that with one another with the click of a button, but in doing so, we can forget how important it is to look at someone in their eyes, listen, and genuinely respond.
Live theatre gives us that hour and half where we ask people to forget about all the distractions of the day, and get lost in a story that has the ability to reconnect us to that sensation of being able to feel something as a result from live human interaction. I believe it’s magical and has the possibility to change lives.
The tour departs in late January, visiting three states and forty+ venues. You can learn more about the tour at
