Jill Sobule understands the pain of adolescence and all it can entail, especially that awkward transitory stage of 7th grade. For many at that age you are not certain of who you are, not comfortable in your own skin, and for Sobule and many other queer adolescents unsure how to navigate one’s own queerness with societal pressures.
She lays all of this out in her off-Broadway show, appropriately titled F*ck7thGrade. Sobule begins with stories of her 7th grade year, as she speaks of first crushes, her hatred of horses, the pressures of fitting in, and the impact of school bullying. Her band members, all of incredible caliber, double as characters from her life, while accompanying her through her life story and a career’s worth of amazing songs.
As she progresses through the show, she equates 7th grade to other transitory periods of her life. For instance the success of her song “I Kissed A Girl”, a career highlight and breakthrough for queer representation well before Katy Perry, became a lighting rod for her that demonstrates how, much like 7th grade, highs and lows often pair together. With “I Kissed A Girl” she wanted to say her truth in her music while also having to navigate the conservative music industry of the 90s. Ultimately when she was dropped from her label, she became disillusioned with the song and even the music she loved for a time.
As a fan of Sobule’s music I can thankfully say she did not let that ultimately stop her songwriting, and she’s continued to craft excellent, witty, empathetic tunes, though sadly without as much deserved attention. Fortunately though F*ck7thGrade, which has already had a couple successful runs, now feels like Sobule is getting to reclaim her breakout hit, share her story with an audience that understands and appreciate it, and show off how she’s still rocking 30+ years on.
F*ck7thGrade is presented by wild projectwild project. Wild project is a non profit producer and venue supporting the diverse independent theater, film, music, and visual arts of New York City.
