When comedian Kevin Fredericks, professionally known as KevOnStage, brought his “Grief Sucks: A One Man Show” to Butler University’s Shelton Auditorium on Oct. 10, the intimate, quaint venue perfectly suited the heavy yet healing context of the evening.
I attended the performance with my sister — a rare outing for us, but a deeply intentional one. We lost our older brother in 2023, and KevOnStage’s set was entirely focused on the sudden 2022 loss of his own older brother, Jason.
The universe seemed to be giving us a direct sign, and we were glad we listened.
For 16-and-over audiences, “Grief Sucks” abandons the traditional format of a standard stand-up comedy special. Instead, it explores the undeniable reality that grief just … is. Grief is sneaky. Grief is completely random, operating on no set timeline. But above all else, grief is love persevering. It is a highly unique thematic approach to a comedy set, and Fredericks executes it flawlessly.
Throughout the night, we laughed, we cried, we laughed some more and we cried some more. The performance operated as a brilliant outlet for trauma-informed community building, something I know all about thanks to my days at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center here in Indianapolis. It felt as if everyone in the auditorium could directly relate to the pain of losing someone — which, statistically, is an unfortunate universal truth. The adage that “comedy is therapy” was evident throughout this specific one-man show.
Logistically, however, getting to that healing experience required some navigation. Parking and finding the entrance to the Shelton Auditorium on Butler’s campus proved somewhat difficult. My sister and I roamed the grounds for about 10 minutes, running into several other groups of confused attendees. Even those utilizing rideshare services found themselves dropped off at confusing map points requiring a bit of a hike.
Additionally, the attendance felt a bit light, with a few hundred people scattered throughout the venue. We initially expected a packed house for a comedian of his caliber. However, this was likely due to competing campus events. Directly across campus, Clowes Memorial Hall was simultaneously hosting “DL + DL ‘Anything Goes’,” a massive comedy and conversation event featuring Don Lemon and D.L. Hughley.
But once inside the Shelton Auditorium, the experience was seamless. The ticketing, concessions and ushering staff were incredibly kind and efficient, guiding us directly to our seats within seconds. The stage lighting was effectively fancy without being distracting, allowing Fredericks’ performance to remain the absolute focal point.
Overall, the show was exceptional. It was hilarious, deeply relatable and provided a radically different spin on the typical one-person comedy routine. Most importantly, it was a rejuvenating and healing experience.
I am certain KevOnStage felt exactly how my sister and I felt walking out of the auditorium that night: Our brother was there in spirit, laughing just as hysterically at the set as the rest of the audience.
Contact multimedia & senior sports reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multimedia and senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Before joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate at the MLK Center in Indianapolis and as a senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver. He is also a business owner.
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