Bob Birdnow’s Remarkable Tale of Human Survival

It’s summer and FIT is back – and I don’t mean having a fit from this heat, but instead the Festival of Independent Theatres held annually at the Bath House Cultural Center on White Rock Lake. In their 13th year, FIT hosts local Dallas theatre companies for four long weekends of short plays approximately an hour or less so festival goers can experience a “two for one” of sorts, seeing innovative, seldom seen or original works – this year they have three world premieres. FIT productions are usually simplistic in setting, etc. and I believe that’s why audiences come back year after year – to be closer to the works and see plays reduced to their essence – the words.

This season’s opener started off with a bang in the form of a one-act titled Bob Birdnow’s Remarkable Tale of Human Survival and the Transcendence of Self (playing through August 4). Hold on, don&#82...

On opening weekend of the monthlong fest, the buzzworthiest offering was Second Thought Theatre’s premiere of the one-man show Bob Birdnow’s Remarkable Tale of Human Survival and the Transcendence of Self by Dallas writer Eric Steele.

Veteran Dallas actor Barry Nash plays the title character, a corporate motivational speaker in Iowa. With the houselights still up, he takes the stage and starts his speech, which opens with some corny joking around and a little biographical background of how he became a pilot flying cancer patients to chemo treatments in his two-engine prop plane.The story Bob eventually gets around to concerns how he lost a limb in a tragic event that forced him to find his “best self.” This is not an Oprah-like revelation. It’s a fascinating tale of survival and triumph that will reorder your personal priority list of petty complaints.

Nash gives a tour de force performance of this taut, well-paced script (directed by Lee T...

Second Thought Theater Presents
In Association with Aviation Cinemas

“Bob Birdnow’s Remarkable Tale of Human Survival and the Transcendence of Self”
At the Hollywood Fringe Festival

DALLAS (April 19, 2013) – Second Thought Theatre and Aviation Cinemas announced today that “Bob Birdnow’s Remarkable Tale of Human Survival and the Transcendence of Self” will appear at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, June 13 – 30. STT produced the world premiere of the play by Eric Steele, starring Barry Nash and directed by Lee Trull at the 2011 Festival of Independent Theatres (FIT) in Dallas, Texas.

“I wrote this piece during a time of isolation while I was traveling around the country on business,” said Steele. “It’s been an incredible journey sharing this play with the Dallas community. I’m excited to continue sharing the story with a brand new audience at the Hollywo...