Puttin' on the ritz at 90

Puttin' on the ritz at 90. Wilfred Fradenburgh, 90, gets ready backstage for his performance in the Westway United Church’s Spring Fling. He’s performed in the show each of the 72 years it’s been in existence. File photo/GRAHAM PAINE

The spry 90-year-old Royal York Road and Queensway area resident has performed with the charity show without fail since he was just a lad of 18. When asked what keeps bringing him back for more at a recent rehearsal at West Way United Church in Etobicoke, he pauses, breaks out in a giant grin, then responds: "This way I always get a front seat."

Born in 1920 near Yonge and Davenport, Fradenburgh grew up with a love of music - but unfortunately, not everyone appreciated his voice as much as he did.

"I always enjoyed singing. When I was a boy of just 10, I had an aunt who lived in the University and Queen area who had a player piano. Whenever we went to visit, I'd get in there with the pedals going and sing away. Bing Crosby songs were best, Sinatra was good, but that little Italian boy Perry Como was my favourite," he recalled, chuckling to himself. "My mom and aunt would have to sit out on the stoop while I sang, to assure people no one was dying inside."

Luckily for his future audiences, Fradenburgh had another eight years to hone his vocal stylings before his big stage debut with the Beaver Bible Class' inaugural performance. In the interim, he finished with school and went to work as a delivery boy for a local drug store. That's when he met his future mentor in Jimmy Wilson, a postman and founder of the Beavers, who met every Sunday at Westmoreland United Church.

"Jimmy taught us teens a lot. Most of the guys were out of work, so he'd come meet us after he finished delivering the mail and watch us play baseball and help us get jobs," said the retired Canada Packers motor mechanic. "He was more dedicated to us class of guys, I think, than he was to his own children sometimes. He was really dedicated."

That dedication extended beyond Bible study and towards community outreach. And in 1938, the idea for an annual charity show was hatched.

That first production - part-play, part-minstrel show - Fradenburgh remembered, was pulled off after only 25 minutes of practice. "I wouldn't pay a quarter to see such a show these days," he chuckled, "but we did our best, and we did a little bit of everything."

And they caused a raucous doing so, too. The boys' rehearsals were "so noisy," he said, that the Westmoreland parish priest told them to take their act elsewhere. Luckily, one of their fathers was a local reeve at the time, and the show went on - but at a series of neighbourhood halls and schools instead of the church.

But even more memorable, he laughed, was one of the initiatives he undertook himself to try to raise money for the war effort - a raffle.

"All the news coverage about the war at that time was coming out of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), which was our initials for the Beaver Bible Class, too," he said, explaining that when the raffle tickets were printed, they came out reading BBC rather than their class' full name.

"When Jimmy found out he said we could be arrested," Fradenburgh said with a laugh, swearing it wasn't an intentional ploy to sell more tickets on his part. "But we sure did sell them quick after that."

Over the last 72 years, of course, the show has moved and grown with the Bible Class itself. Westmoreland United closed in 1987, and the class moved to High Park United for a time, before settling at West Way United, where it now makes its home.

This weekend marks the beginning of the Beaver Bible Classes' 72nd annual musical and sketch revue - a two-hour show, which was nearly a year in the making, featuring music from Fiddler on the Roof and Hello Dolly, as well as sketch comedy routines.

Since January of this year, like every other year, Fradenburgh has come out to the church every Monday and Thursday to rehearse his parts. It's that kind of example, commended performance chair Murray Morton, that serves as inspiration to the 38-strong chorus.

"It's quite an asset to have someone like Wilf involved," he said. "He doesn't do as much of the heavy lifting as he used to, but he's paid his dues. To our newer cast members, he's certainly inspiring."

Going back as far as anyone can remember, in fact, he hasn't missed a single practice session - ever.

"I rehearse a lot," he smiled. "I need it."

EVENT INFORMATION

The Beaver Bible Class of Westway United Church celebrates Spring Fling 2010, their 72nd Annual Musical and Sketch Revue, with five performances this month:

Saturday, March 13 at 1:30 and 7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 17 at 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 20 at 1:30 and 7 p.m.

All performances take place at Martingrove Collegiate Institute, 50 Winterton Dr. (southeast corner of Eglinton and Martin Grove). Tickets are $18 for adults and $5 for children. Group discounts are available. For tickets, call 416-241-7007