His potted biography as it appeared last year in a theater program reads: "Paul Lucas has been eight years in Tokyo, doing all this 'drama stuff.' A Seattle native, and consequently a Starbuck's addict, Paul has been 'doing' Tokyo's Starbuck's a lot lately to learn his lines. Once in a while his portable phone rings . . . usually with failed audition notices, but once in a while he does manage to snag the odd acting job."

The bio defines his characteristic flippancy. Paul is never without a quip. The bio makes no mention, though, of the commercials, videos and computer game voices he produces. They amount to a volume and a range. It plays down the number of "odd acting jobs" he manages to snag. He is, in fact, prolific in professional appearances, and still has energy and enthusiasm to give willingly to community theater. "It must have something to do with the fun of it all," he said.

He recalls his first role in theater. "I was about 7 or 8 years old, and had been cast in 'The Wizard of Oz.' It was my big break and I had to play two parts, a Munchkin and a flying monkey," he said. "As a rambunctious little kid, I liked performing so much that I organized a neighborhood circus. I gathered up all my friends and gave them specific circus acts to carry out. Then I invited the adults to come and watch, if they paid 10 cents each. That's when I learned that one could actually earn a living acting."