PLAYWRIGHTS FEST: DUBAC STARS IN “FREE RANGE THINKING”

06 Jul PLAYWRIGHTS FEST: DUBAC STARS IN “FREE RANGE THINKING”

In 1996, a young comedian came to town to perform at the Sheridan Opera House. On opening night, the house was a perfectly respectable two-thirds full. Within 24 hours, however, after the buzz hit the street: writer and actor Bob Dubac (and his one-man show, “Male Intellect: An Oxymoron”) became the talk of the town.

The love affair between Dubac and Telluride got even hotter. (That first appearance was, appropriately enough, around Valentine’s Day.) Dubac and his wife Lauren, also an actor and writer, wound up buying property on Wilson Mesa – although Bob Dubac is almost never in residence. He’s been too busy being successful, touring the world and knocking ’em dead with his one-man shows that explore social mores, the complexity of the human experience, and politics with his unparalleled wit and razor-sharp humor.

“Male Intellect” literally became an international franchise, having been translated into a dozen languages, with clones performing nonstop in countries from Germany to Israel. (Dubac, who started out life as a professional magician, never did find a way to be in more than one place at the same time.) Other solo shows followed: “Sex, Politics… and Other Headaches” and now “Free Range Thinking.”

Bob Dubac returns to town to perform “Free Range Thinking,” a work-in-process about hypocrisy in politics, religion, media, even bottled water.

“My new play trucks in issues of truth versus illusion, fact versus fiction. Is it a blank stare – or is it Botox?,” said Dubac.

(Could easily be both.)

For Dubac, if it’s makes the headlines, it’s fair game. Asked what he thinks is really funny, his answer: “the truth.”

“Truth is a conduit. You plug in something real and true and the light comes on. People do sometimes laugh at things that are not true, but that requires a suspension of disbelief.”

The following are some examples of “the truth,” extracted from an interview with Denver Post theatre critic John Moore:

Sarah Palin? “English is her second language.”
Mel Gibson? “He certainly got Michael Richards off the hook.”
Glenn Beck? “A great defender of F-r-e-e-d-u-m-b of Speech.”
Was 9/11 an inside job?: “I can’t comment, or they’ll kill me.”

AND, in this election year:

Q: What’s your take on Obama’s presidency so far?
A: Health care and stem-cell research will be his downfall. Not only will it keep old Republicans alive longer, it will fix the mentally challenged ones, as well.

The Huffington Post weighs in about Dubac’s hard-hitting comedy:

“Chock full of wonderful laughter, joyful surprises and unexpected applause-breaking moments. A master.”

“Free Range Thinking” takes place Tuesday, July 10, and is part of Jennie Franks’ week-long Telluride Playwrights Festival, Monday, July 9 – Sunday, July 15. The Festival includes staged readings of new works, heavily political and archly funny, hence them 2012 theme: “Theatre Politcos: Speak Up.”

Other than the PlaySLAM Monday night, which is at The Steaming Bean and 8:30 p.m., all events take place at the historic Sheridan Opera House. Other than “April is Dead in Paris,” which is a breakfast reading at 10 a.m. Sunday, all other readings are scheduled for 8 p.m.

The following is a schedule of events:

Monday       PlaySLAM, The Steaming Bean

Tuesday       FREE RANGE THINKING, Robert Dubac’s one man comedy show,  SOH

Wednesday   IMPROV for all, SOH

Thursday     Russian Theatre & Politics,  discussion at noon with Yury Urnov,  SOH

Friday           CHEZ RIKERS, Main Stage Reading, SOH

Saturday      VODKA,F***ING, TELEVISION, Morning Reading, Telluride Gallery
THE GLEAM, Main Stage Reading, SOH

Sunday         APRIL IS DEAD IN PARIS, Morning Reading, SOH
SWINGSET/MOON, Main Stage Reading, SOH

Festival passes are now on sale for $40 for all events. Patron passes are also available for $150. The passes are transferable and can be bought through “http://www.playwrightsfestival.org” www.playwrightsfestival.org. or  “http://www.sheridanoperahouse.org” www.sheridanoperahouse.org (for regular passes only).

For a preview of “Free Range Thinking,” watch Dubac in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTIzS1rvDRs