Review Fix chats with playwright Doug DuBrin who discusses his production at the Midtown International Theatre Festival, “Intestinal Pulchritude: A Gut-Cleansing Love Tale in One Act.†Breaking down the inspiration for the performance, as well as his goals for the future, DuBrin lets us know exactly why we should check out the production.
For more information on the production and the MITF, click here.
Review Fix: What was the inspiration for this production?
Doug DuBrin: As this is a sci-fi/cyborg, existentialist drama of sorts, I was inspired by my own passion for the genre. I also have taught a class titled “Drones, Clones, and Dystopia in American Literature,” which helped stoke the fire a bit.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
DuBrin: It greatly depends on the work. This one allowed me to play android for a bit and conceptualize what it might be like to have circuitry instead of capillaries.
Review Fix: What makes you different from other playwrights?
DuBrin: I once answered this question a bit snarkily about being born on another planet, so I apologize for being evasive; perhaps I do, though, raise absurdity to a deity status in a way that many do not (Beckett, of course, was the king).
Review Fix: What makes this production special?
DuBrin: This is my first play of this genre being produced, and I am curious to see how it translates to stage. As we know, sci-fi is usually the stuff of narrative fiction and film.
Review Fix: How is your cast unique?
DuBrin: Well, it’s a cast of two, and one is an android who aspires to upgrade his psyche. The other is his maker and guardian. That dynamic, of course, presents terrific challenges for any actor. Both characters are dynamic, exposed, and complex.
Review Fix: How does it feel to be a part of this festival?
DuBrin: I have now done several shows with the MITF, and I learn something new every time. In the past year, I have also worked with three excellent directors. for this show, I am fortunate to have Constantine Tariloff on board.
Review Fix: What are your goals for the production?
DuBrin: Primarily, to see if it can be developed into a full-length work. The director (Constantine Tariloff) and I will assess its viability throughout the production.
Review Fix: Who do you think will enjoy it the most?
DuBrin: Those who enjoy the sci-if/fantasy genre as well as anyone who appreciates stories exploring existential concepts and what it is to be human.
Review Fix: What’s next?
DuBrin: I have two other shows in this summer’s MITF: a full-length, The Dead for Breakfast, and an entry in the short-play lab: Would I Slug a Nun? Beyond that: My family, my teaching job, and more writing.
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