Jack Turner

About Jack Turner

PLAYWRIGHT AND LYRICIST JACK TURNER grew up on a small island outside of Sitka, Alaska. He knew he was gay from a very early age, but felt isolated, not knowing even a single other person who was gay. This is an experience shared by many who grow up in small towns across America.

Jack did well in school, but searched for positive gay role models. There were none in the flesh, but on television there was the delightful Paul Lynde on The Hollywood Squares and the charming Charles Nelson Riley on The Match Game. They may not have been out of the closet at the time, but it was pretty obvious to Jack that they were gay and he idolized them.

Escaping to the big city by joining the U.S. Navy two weeks after he turned eighteen, Jack served his country proudly. This was before the days of "Don't ask, don't tell," so he had to hide his sexuality while at work. After twenty years of service, Jack retired as a Chief Electronics Technician (E-7) and decided to stay in San Diego.

He devoted himself to the hard sciences – electronics in the Navy and computers in civilian life –but in his heart Jack loved music, theater, and musicals. In his spare time, he collaborated with a wonderful musician, Faith Page, and together they created their first musical, "Wisteria."

Looking for his next project, Jack thought back to his life growing up gay, and how many young people like him grow up depressed and isolated. Some even contemplate suicide, unable to deal with the shame, isolation, bullying, and ridicule.

Wanting to put his talents to work in a way that addresses this problem, Jack decided to create something that would provide what he never had in his youth: a musical that deals with the unique experience of growing up gay. He wanted to write something that would provide positive role models that appeal to young gay adults. He wanted to make an out-of-the-box attempt to help address the epidemic that is suicide among people 10-23, especially for young gay adults.

Thus, the musical "Lube: A Modern Love Story" was born. The show depicts the unique experience of growing up gay: the bullying, prejudice, and religious persecution. But it also deals with friendship, changing attitudes, and acceptance – especially what is sometime that hardest of all, self-acceptance.

There are many great show tunes in this musical, music that you'll want to sing along with. To paraphrase Tim Jerome, LUBE "shines light" into the lives of young gay people. It tries to "recognize good" and show it everyone, the bullies and the bullied, so that the violence, intolerance, and prejudice might be put aside, at least for some small number of those who might be contemplating self-harm. It just might help them live another day, help them live day to day, so they can hang around long enough to grow into positive, happy, and productive adults.

As Queen Angel sings in a climactic scene in Lube, "Just love yourself; the rest will fall in place."