Ed Anser Brings His One Man Show To Tibbits.
Friday April 28, 7 time Emmy award winner Ed Asner comes to Tibbits with his informative yet comedic one man show about a common medical issue faced by older men.
A Man and His Prostate is the brain child of writer and long time collaborator of Asner’s, Ed Weinberger. The idea for the show came to Weinberger after he himself recovered from a prostate attack he suffered while on vacation in Italy.
Centering on Asner’s character, every bit the stereotypical vacationing grandfather in his Hawaiian shirt, cargo shorts, and baseball cap, the audience hears how he collapsed in Italy’s City of Lilies, in front of the Academia Gallery. Asner’s character finds himself a patient in a hospital full of doctors and staff who don’t speak English and is left with no choice but to pantomime his symptoms. This proves to be exceedingly difficult, especially when it comes to things like conveying his increased frequency of urination during the night. The informative portion of the show comes in the form of large diagrams of the male reproductive anatomy projected on screen behind Asner. These diagrams not only serve as an educational tool but also help emphasize the awkward and rather uncomfortable situations a man must endure when this traitorous gland decides to lash out. While funny and irreverent the show closes with a very sincere message in the form of prostate cancer statistics and a tribute to famous men who were taken all too early by the disease.
Sponsored by the Community Health Center of Branch County, “A Man and His Prostate” promises to be side splittingly funny while at the same time intimately informative concerning the issues men face with this pesky organ.
Active in television and film since 1961, Ed Asner has appeared in dozens of productions including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou Grant the TV series, and ROOTS. He has since gone on to do substantial voice acting for animation, as in Disney Pixar’s UP, when he lent his voice to lead character, Carl Fredricksen.
Ed Weinberger’s credits include The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Dean Martin Show, and writing for comedians like Richard Pryor. In addition to his extensive resume Weinberger has won a Peabody Award, three Golden Globes, and nine Emmy Awards. He has also received the Writers Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award.
Tickets for A Man and His Prostate are $45 for Adults, $40 for Tibbits members and $30 for upper balcony. Limited tickets are also available for a special meet and greet reception with Mr. Asner following the performance. This reception includes hors d’oevres and an opportunity for photos and autographs with the Emmy Award winning actor. Tickets for the meet and greet are $90 apiece.
All tickets can be purchased online at Tibbits.org or by calling 517-278-6029. All performances are held at the historic Tibbits Opera House, 14 S Hanchett Street, in Coldwater.