Ulises Toirac is a popular Cuban actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director of theater and television. He is the creator of characters from traditional Cuban humor, such as Juan Marchante (Chivichana), Matute, and Yudmila, among many others.
Ulises Toirac Abelenda was born on June 29, 1963. He graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering from the José Antonio Echeverría Technological University of Havana (CUJAE) in 1986. However, his professional career has been in the cultural sector.
He began performing as an amateur artist in high school. In 1981, he formed a theater group for which he wrote the comedic play "Colón en el Onceno Festival." With this company, he also produced the first staging of the theatrical adaptation of a story by Onelio Jorge Cardoso titled "Un Brindis por el Zonzo."
At CUJAE, Ulises joined the amateur theater scene. He first became part of an experimental group led by Augusto Cañozares, with which he participated in the play Ópera X. He later joined the Carlos Pous theater group.
After these experiences, Ulises, along with several friends, founded the First National University Humor Festival. He took this opportunity to invite Alejandro García Villalón (Virulo) to close the event with the National Show Ensemble. This was a turning point in Toirac's life, leading him to pursue acting, especially in the field of humor.
After completing his university studies, he founded the group Onondivepa with a group of friends. They staged the play "Despedida de duelo del compañero Benito" and participated in summer shows alongside established artistic groups and Cuban comedians, such as La Seña del Humor and the National Ensemble of Shows.
In 1988, Ulises joined the cast of the Programa de Ramón on Radio Ciudad de La Habana, where he acted, wrote scripts, and became familiar with radio production. A year later, he began working on the youth magazine aired by Radio Progreso, called Juventud 2000. At this station, he also wrote, directed, and starred in the humorous magazine Contalco.
His breakthrough in television came with Doble Filo, a show where he portrayed the character Pupi, a young and talkative barber. In 1993, he became part of the cast of Sabadazo, the television show that ultimately propelled him to fame.
In Sabadazo, a television program hosted by Carlos Otero, Ulises portrayed more than fifteen characters, among which Matute and Yudmila stood out.
Despite being a time of success, Ulises has stated in several interviews that it was a contradictory period, as it marked the beginning of an era characterized by the trivialization of jokes and the simplification of humor in Cuba.
This gave him the necessary momentum to venture into solo performances. He excelled at weaving together different themes, attitudes, and talents. His first solo show was "Con Las Tiras del Pellejo" (1995), followed by "El Flaco" (1996).
In 1999, he made his comeback to television with his own show, where he invited young comedians from across the country to participate: "And what are you laughing at?"
In 2002, he began his most ambitious project, ¿Jura Decir La Verdad?. It was a television show that paid tribute to La Tremenda Corte, an internationally renowned Cuban comedy program created by Castor Vispo and featuring Leopoldo Fernández and Aníbal de Mar.
"Do you swear to tell the truth?" Toirac portrayed Chivichana, a descendant of Trespatines. The show ran for five seasons and remained on air until 2009. Some of the scripts were adapted for the theater, achieving great success.
Ulises Toirac has performed on international stages. In 2011, he toured the United States. In Florida, he showcased his solo show "Cuentos, Canciones y otras IDEAteces" at the Miami Dade County Auditorium.
Ulises Toirac is a member of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. Throughout his artistic career, he has received significant awards that affirm his popularity in Cuba, as well as honors such as the Order for National Culture (2004).
Movies in which he has participated as an actor:
- Alicia in Wonderland (1992)
- Tropical Dream (1993)
- Adorable Lies (1993)
- Pata Negra (1999)
- A King in Havana (2004)
- Chivichana The Movie (2005)
