Funnyman Bobby Collins plays the Quick Center for the Arts on April 2 | Press Releases

After you experience the pranks of April Fool's Day, the Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University has some serious comedy waiting for you when Bobby Collins brings his heartfelt humor and keen observations to the stage on Saturday, April 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40, $35. Bobby Collins is an Arts & Minds presentation.

Fans of comedian Collins are always anxious to hear his stories, and for good reason. The characters and situations are so familiar his large fan base knows them so well the audience often mouths the stories with him. His fans have seen him on TV for years and they are repeat audience members. Newer fans may have chuckled with him on satellite radio or have been exposed to the word of mouth that sells out his shows and there are those who know him only from his CDs so they enthusiastically scramble to see him live. And for those who are only vaguely familiar with Collins, they are in for a treat.

As a storyteller, Collins engages audiences with a hilarious blend of characterizations and spot on observations to which everyone can relate. Unlike many comedians, who rely solely upon the clever use of words and ideas to engage an audience, from the moment Collins hits the stage, he lassoes the crowd and pulls them ever closer to him while they cry from laugher. Even the hardcore, "I usually don't laugh at comedian" types, cannot help but surrender to his energy and visual antics targeted directly at tickling their funny bones. Collins holds up a mirror to each of us and helps us not to take ourselves so seriously.

Early in his career Bobby accepted the baton from Rosie O'Donnell when she left VH-1's "Stand Up Spotlight." With several cable comedy specials to his credit, Bobby has toured with Cher, Julio Iglesias (to whom Bobby offers competition only with the ladies, not as a singing sensation), Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett, to name only a few.

Topping Collins' first comedy CD "On the Inside," his second and third CDs "Out of Bounds" and "I Wanna Go Home" were submitted for Grammy consideration. With live stage performances, feature film roles and talk show appearances too numerous to mention, there is no excuse for anyone to leave the planet without having benefitted from exposure to Collins' brand of "Laughter as the Best Medicine."

Tickets are available at fairfield.edu/quick or by calling the Box Office at (203) 254-4010. The toll free number is 1-877-ARTS-396. Special offers and discounts are available through the Quick Center's e-mail list. Join, by contacting boxoffice@quickcenter.com . Become a fan of the Quick Center for the Arts on Facebook and keep up-to-date with the latest performance news, plus special offers and discounts. Find the Quick Center at www.facebook.com/FairfieldQuickCenter.

Directions: Fairfield University is located off I-95, exit 22 at 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. Access to the Quick Center for the Arts is through the Barlow Road gate at 200 Barlow Road. Special note: From Oct. 4, 2010 through June 30, 2012, the southern end of North Benson Road (Rt. 135) will be closed to traffic on nights and weekends. Round Hill Road intersects with Barlow and provides access to the Quick Center for the Arts.