Delivered in a vulgar wrapping, the intentions of Ryan Levis’ stand-up comedy and sex education are inherently good.
The Victoria-based and Saanich-raised stage actor, a Shakespearean thespian of all things, is launching the second coming of Dick Loss Prevention, a live show he’s taking on national tour with 23 stops across the country this fall.
It kicks off Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Intrepid Theatre Club.
“It’s a full night of comedy sex education,” Levis says. “It’s a night of dick jokes.”
With that said, it can be hard for some to understand his message.
“I’m taking applied theatre, getting on stage, making jokes and talking about masculinity’s reform, mental health and emotional health,” Levis said.
It’s a prime time for his message, too, in the wake of escalating racial tensions in the U.S. trickling into other areas.
“With Donald Trump right now there’s a huge challenge to get through this white supremacist hyper masculinity so it’s a pretty exciting time to work,” Levis says.
On stage, Levis uses language that many men are used to. With that, he hopes he can better connect with them. The end goal is to improve men’s profound inward looking, to create a more compassionate loving type of masculinity, and for men to better articulate their emotional landscape (or, as many are loathe to do, communicate their feelings).
“I’m a big believer a supportive peer culture is important for well-being, [and this can help] in unlearning our prejudices and biases,”
If he can get through to just one male in the audience, Levis has done his job.
The 2011 University of Victoria grad won a business award for his entrepreneurial models on co-operative housing. In 2014-15 he crowd funded $7,000 to publish his first book (be ready) Dick Loss Prevention Vol 1: Make Sure Your Dick Doesn’t Fall Off Before You Die Drunk And Alone. (Again, don’t be swayed, as that book engaged men with a goal of reducing domestic violence.)
He’s since acted as an artist in residency at Vancouver Island University, where he created and hosted workshops, with more coming.
“There’s an urgent need to talk about masculinity, in residence life and beyond.”
His next book is on the way, Dick Loss Prevention 2: Past loves, Great F####, and the Heavy Flow.
Admittedly, booksellers aren’t initially keen on the book titles.
“Once the book sells, then booksellers will buy it,” he says. “Come to my show and you’ll go home with a bag of tricks, not just dick jokes.”
Tickets to Saturday’s show at Intrepid Theatre, are available at myshowpass.com. Show starts at 8 p.m.
