Robert Dubac

By Alex Teitz

Robert Dubac is the one-man star of The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron, an off-Broadway show about men, women and relationships. FEMMUSIC felt it only appropriate to interview Dubac. In the show Dubac plays many roles from a chauvinist pig, to the romantic, and the 123 year-old bachelor. The show began at The Vogue Theater in Denver in 1995 and returns to Denver for a six-show run from Nov. 22-26.

For more information on the show, The Male Intellect

FEMMUSIC: What made you want to write The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?

RD: The reason was the backlash of the feminist and equality movement. There were a lot of guys who were getting a bad rap that shouldn’t. The problem that you have is, there’s always those idiots out there who ruin it for the rest of us. You go to a party and there’s one guy who’s obnoxious, or go to a bar and there’s always the guy who exploits women. And when women meet that one guy they kind of lop all of us into that one group so they’re very weary and leery of any men. It was kind of message to say, “Ladies there is some hope. There are guys out here who aren’t that negative.” It was to give a better understanding of that.

FEMMUSIC: What is the biggest challenge for you, as an actor, doing all the roles in The Male Intellect?

RD: It changes because something that’s usually a little abnormal. I mean normally as an actor, at least I never have done one type of a show for so long. So, at this point, at least not from a technical standpoint, there aren’t a lot of challenges because it’s so much a part of me. I mean I don’t have one character that’s more difficult than the other, or I don’t have to make one part of the show work that’s not going to work because I’ve done it so long. I’ve been doing it for now for five years.

In the beginning obviously the challenges were learning the show, and becoming absorbed and having to be this multi-schizophrenic individual onstage. Now it’s more where I can put my attention and concentration on the audience and we all sort of go through this romp together.

FEMMUSIC: What is the biggest mistake made in most relationships?

RD: The biggest? Oh boy….Well on a serious note I think sometimes men don’t cherish women, and women don’t respect men.

FEMMUSIC: What has been the most extreme reaction you’ve had from the show?

RD: Extreme? (laugh) Well I’ve had couples get married because they’ve seen the show and I’ve had couples get divorced ‘cause they’ve seen the show. Hopefully it’s not the same couple over the next year. (laughing) I’ve had a guy have a heart attack he was laughing so hard, but thank God it wasn’t fatal.

FEMMUSIC: Are men trained in a relationship?

RD: I think they’re untrained which is probably the biggest problem. That’s the whole thing about the show we’re trained by this false ideal. We’re taught by an older generation whose game plan really doesn’t work in the present day situation. Not only are we not trained; we’re not given the encouragement to go out and train ourselves and to seek the proper truth.

FEMMUSIC: And the truth being?

RD: The truth being? That’s what you come to the show for. The truth is to try to flush this arrogant male superiority out of the way of thinking that’s kind of dominated the world. If you want to think like a Neanderthal, then fine, then go live up in the woods and get rid of your electricity, and get rid of all the modern conveniences and get your little acre of land and I guess force people to live within your little realm like you did in the caveman days, but that’s hardly the way we live nowadays.

FEMMUSIC: What lesson should people attempt to walk away from the show with?

RD: (Laugh) Hope and laughter. No matter how serious and no matter how frustrating it gets just remember there are always two points of view. There’s always going to be…there’s always going to be something to laugh at.