Discount tickets for Character Man for Wednesday night, March 12

CHARACTER MAN ALERT! ONE NIGHT ONLY DISCOUNT PRICE OF $20 FOR WED. MARCH 12!!!!

Due to a temporary SMARTTIX GLITCH, it was not possible to buy tickets for the 3/12 performance. The problem has been fixed, so PLEASE try again. And because this show has a great TALKBACK scheduled afterwards with Lee Roy Reams, Sondra Lee and Peter Filichia joining Jim Brochu to discuss the late, great character man David Burns, Urban Stages is offering a ONE NIGHT ONLY DISCOUNT PRICE OF $20!!! That's more than 40% off! The code is CM20 and is good for WED., MARCH 12 7PM only. If you are a fan of classic Broadway musicals, here's your chance to hear living legends share their memories. Plus see a great show that the NY Times calls "solidly satisfying"'. Hope to see some old and new friends there! For tickets: http://www.smarttix.com/show.a

spx?showcode=JIM17

Opening Night in New York.

Joan Copeland, Arthur Miller's sister.
She got to knew Marilyn very well.

It is fun to be a part of an opening night in New York. It's also a lot of work.

My job was to greet people in the lobby and take photos. (I like having a task during things like this.)

So different from The Last Session opening in London, where The Big Party is not done. (In fact, what I do remember was the rather dignified -- but fun! -- gathering in the small bar area, just cast and crew members and their families. Oh, but how excited we all were! Then Rob Harris and Darren Day said some very nice things about me. I said nice things about him (and the rest of the cast) and that was it. Quiet, Lovely. Dignified. Like a church service. It was memorable and meaningful.)

But there is also something to be said for a star-studded gala at Sardi's, where the music is playing and everyone is celebrating in party fashion. A perfect venue for a true Broadway "Character Man."

We were on the second floor of historic Sardi's, overlooking 44th street. Big Windows. Streets filled with people getting out of the other shows. An ocean of humanity out on the street. It's so alive!

But earlier, we were down on 30th street at the tiny theater. I was greeting people in the lobby.

Sondra Lee, a dancer for Jerome Robbins who played Tiger Lily in the original Mary Martin Peter Pan.
Legendary dancer and director Marge Champion.
Broadway star and TV game show celeb, Anita Gillette.

The show is just so beautiful. (People were crying out loud after laughing their butts off. Do you remember the comedienne, Marilyn Michaels? She was sitting down front in a folding chair and was so taken, she would exclaim out loud with laughter or sobs. It was great!)

And Broadway star (and Aussie) Tony Sheldon, legendary dancer and director/choreographer Marge Champion, and Sandra Lee, who has a great life story and was in the original Peter Pan with Mary Martin. 92 and 94, and smarter than you'll ever be in your life.

Tony Sheldon, Jim Brochu, Character Man Director Robert Bartley.

And Brian Stokes Mitchell, the most nicest human being on earth who is also the most talented. We love watching him on the old Pyramids with Dick Clark. He's so good at playing the game. That's one of the disappointments of the current Pyramid, aside from the fact that I thought the contestant on one show was the celebrity.

Jim is in tears listening to Brian Stokes Mitchell's praise.

But it was also a tribute to Robert Bartley, who directed a young team in a small space to Broadway level work and to Don Myers, who stage manages everyone like a family. They all put their whole hearts and soul and time and effort into it to get every moment just right.

Carl Haan, the musical director, was thrilled when he saw "Marian Colby," Jennifer Bassey from "All My Children."

Carl Haan, Jim Brochu, Jennifer Bassey.

Producer Peter Napolitano with members of the
creative crew plus friends. 

Also celebrating was the excellent young team who put their whole hearts into it, and many hours of hard labor, doing whatever needed to be done. No one makes any real money from a gig like this, so we all pitched in and the "Mickey and Judy Putting On A Show" aspect made it that much more joyful and emotionally fulfilling.

It's an honestly beautiful show and the production design is just enough. No one wanted to overwhelm the story or the performer, not that any object (or human) could upstage Jim Brochu.

There are lots more of these photos at Playbill.com, so enjoy!

The Times Review is in.

And it's a smash. In fact, it's downright lovely. Daniel Gold even gives us a quotable, "Solidly satisfying evening. Walks down memory lane are rarely so inclusive and entertaining." Which, for the Times, is like a stadium roaring.

Aside from the personal gratitude one feels for this -- we were on tenterhooks all week waiting for it to come out -- it will give the show a chance to find its audience, which is not easy in a big city, where there are thousands of entertainment options every single night. Where voices in small not-for-profit theaters get drowned out because of the high price of ad dollars.

For Frances Hill and Peter Napolitano, it's also a victory for their artistic vision. It was absolute luck that, just as they were needing a show and had heard of it, Jim and I were booked at the Metropolitan Room together.

It also means I can focus now on my concert, which is only a week away! I'm not even sure if we've sold any tickets. Hey, a week is a lifetime in New York. It's just like election season.

I went to Facebook and put out a call for anyone who'd like to be in the Bonus Round Choir. We have exactly 12 chairs. I suppose some people could sit on the floor, or bring their own folding chair. But that's what we have.

Reader, you can be in the Bonus Round Choir, too, in our continuing "make it up as we go along" series. Just go to this folder. If you can't make this one, do the next! What the choir sings is going to be entirely improvised on the spot, but there are some guides. So, if you know the music, then you can figure out when to sing. It will be different for every show. 

I have used this crowd-sourcing choir idea for New World Waking, so I know it work. 

Meanwhile, buy your tickets now! Every show is a different show.

March 12 in SF, Camarota/Manuel will sing New World Waking songs.

At Martuni's. March 12. 7pm to 8:45pm. 

Each month, Stephen Camarota and Dustin Manuel, two impossibly good looking and talented men, sing a program called "Songbook." This month the theme is Heroes and they intend to include selections from New World Waking.

Thanks, guys! Make a video!

Jim on TV's NY1 show, OnStage.

Snapshots After Character Man.

Donna McKechnie, Jim Brochu, Rick Stockwell, Pamela Myers.
Ira Denmark, Character Man Director Robert Bartley, Rick Stockwell, Richard Bell.

When Jim called Donna McKechnie, legendary Broadway performer, to come to the tiny Urban Stages to see the dress rehearsal of "Character Man" last night -- the first time we'd see the show up on its feet -- it reminded me that she had once invited him to a tiny little stage to see an experimental musical she was working on called "A Chorus Line." He hadn't even heard of it before going through that door. He just remembered crying for a hour afterward.

"Character Man" is not designed to be that intense a show, but it does have a poignant moment that brings most people to tears and, like "A Chorus Line," it's a true story of the theater.  

Also present, because she was in town from her home in Cincinnati, was Pam Myers, who Jim did a show with -- was it Oklahoma? -- back "in the stone age." Theatrical families are nomadic. Long times apart after intense personal interactions. When you see each other after a long time, all the love comes back, even if it's people you hated. Who cares. Life is short. 

She forever memorialized New York life when she debuted "Another Hundred People" from Company.

Because our production schedule was limited -- there were still little glitches here and there, but it was finally up on its feet and it felt really good. Jim was very alive and present. To which he would reply, "If you can fake that, you got it made."

At this point, you just want everything working right, establishing a rhythm. All the new production elements seemed to add dimensions to the storytelling, using the deliciously large stage to dramatic effect, if it's called for.

Everyone was so happy afterwards, I asked them, along with a few other friends, to pose on the stage for some pics.

All actors! Ira Denmark, Donna McKechnie, Jim Brochu, Rick Stockwell, Pamela Myers,
Richard Bell & Uncle Johny Pool, an old pal who is
now a big morning radio personality on the Elvis Duran Show.

Donna McKechnie, Jim Brochu, Pamela Myers.

Tickets.

Character Man Rehearsal Pics

Yesterday was the first day of tech rehearsals for Character Man. We were also visited by the talented and beauteous theater reporter, Frank DiLella, came by to interview Jim for "On Stage," the theater show on NY1, here in New York.

Jim Brochu performing while his mentor, David Burns, looks on.

Jim Brochu interviewed by Frank DiLella.

Jim Brochu with NY1 reporter, Frank DiLella.

Jim and Frank. I love this picture.

Here is a picture of Jim and me with Francis Hill, the artistic director:

Steve Schalchlin, Francis Hill, Jim Brochu.

Behind the Scenes Photos from Character Man.

Important phone call!

I'm lookin' at the man in the window.

Artistic Director Francis Hill, Jim Brochu, Producer Peter Napolitano.

Director Robert Bartley.

Music Director and Conductor Carl Haan.

Set and Video Designer Patrick Brennan.

Technical Director Sean Hagerty

Production Stage Manager Don Myers.

The production meeting went really smoothly. Meanwhile, in the theater...

Lighting Designer Meghan Santelli was overseeing the hanging and focusing of lights.

Then, on our way home, we run into a statue of one of the "stars" of Character Man, Jackie Gleason.

Getting a little blessing from Ralph Cramden.

But where's the artistic consultant??

Theater Fun!

Yesterday, we went down to Urban Stages to do a preliminary walk-through for the lighting designer of Jim Brochu's "Character Man," Meghan Santelli. I purposely did not bring a camera because it can be a distraction when someone is concentrating.  It needed to be just a private creative session. (I'm, officially, the Artistic Consultant, which mean I don't have to do anything, but they ask my my opinion, anyway.)

We are blessed with a nice big stage, tall ceiling and a full lighting package. For a theater person, if you can get these things, it's like having a mountain of gold. It even has balcony railing on the back wall and big steam pipes. Fabulous!

Also, since "Character Man" is a kind of memory play (memory musical?), and utilizes a lot of personal photographs, we have video and set designer, Patrick Brennan to create a three-screen projection. Previously, Jim had just edited them together himself. And they worked, but also felt a bit homemade. He always wanted an actual designer with more professional equipment. Patrick was involved in Mark Nadler's brilliant production at The York.

 

Robert Bartley, our very creative (and handsome) and well prepared director, was there. Also Don Myers, our beloved stage manager, who had, this past weekend, overseen a complete ceiling to floor cleaning of the whole space, including the back stage, dressing room, lighting booth and audience areas -- it smells so good in there! He also inserted our little show secrets and traditions, which I'll show you after it's all up and ready.

"STORAGE!"

Jim stood and walked around the stage and moved from area to area, while everyone made (or took) notes.

The group is really friendly and professional. For a small budget off-Broadway show in a house that seats 70 or so, with the planned production values, I think the $35 ticket price is the best price in town, especially considering most Broadway shows go for $200, unless you know how to sneak around and find deals. Or find rich friends who will take you. 

It's all very exciting. I'll write more as we go along. Get tickets here!

A Thought From Last Night.

Last night, the "Boys from the Book" (The AIDS Generation: Stories of Survival Resilience) and I, along with the author Dr. Perry Halkitis, sat in front of some very interesting people and talked about our lives as HIV Positive older gay men at a very gay bookstore called Bureau of General Services -- Queer Division, which was upstairs on a very dark street in Chinatown, or near it.

It was our second or third time to do this, so we never know what we're going to talk about.

For instance, one of the guys felt a little angry and "left behind" by gay culture. One talked of depression. All talked about how we feel like survivors of a war. The PTSD stays in the background and never goes away. And that goes, as everyone agreed, for those who were not HIV positive.

An entire generation of really bright and handsome and meaningful men all died, and we stand battling on against the side effects of the medications. 

One man from the audience said he worried about getting older, that his parents went through -- or are going through -- hell. He said, "At 54, I wonder if I should decide when and where to end it. I don't want to die like them." 

One of our guys said he totally understood the feeling, but that it almost angers him to hear someone who is healthy talk about ending their perfectly healthy life when he fights every single day to stay alive.

The smile of "I get it" was amazing. Yes. Sometimes the best way out of your own head is to get out of your own head. 

As I recounted the time in 1995 when I "knew" I was going to die -- and how it energized me so much to run for the tape, finish the songs, put a show on a stage -- I said I realize how often, now, I try to put my head back into the space. Even though I was there, I don't think I live my life now as if it's the last one I'm going to get to have. 

But when I do, when I remember that energy and see that curtain coming down, feeling the approach of the end of something, it makes me very happy. It means I have accomplished something and that something bigger is on the horizon.

I met a young man afterward who asked me about all this positiveness, etc. He asked me, as a young musician, what should he do next? Since I don't know what to do next, I have no idea what to tell anyone else what to do except to realize that you're alone in this process, meaning it's not like school, where you know where to go and what to do, you have to figure it out for yourself, which begins with realizing that you have to figure it out for yourself.

I told him I was the University of Steve at New York. I had to find my faculty. But to get my faculty, I had to be of service. Happily, the service is to a music program. 

It was fun seeing the Boys from the Book again. That's not an official title, by the way. But it's kinda catchy.

How amazing it is to be alive. 

Reminder: AIDS Panel Tonight in New York.

Information here.


Join us at the Bureau of General Service -- Queer Division for a presentation by Perry Halkitis of his new book The AIDS Generation: Stories of Survival and Resilience. Halkitis will be joined by five of the men he interviewed for this book: Jim Alba, Erik Bartley, Sean McKenna, Lee Raines, and Steve Schalchlin. After the presentation, the author and the five interviewees will engage the audience in discussion.

The AIDS Generation: Stories of Survival and Resilience examines the strategies for survival and coping employed by these HIV-positive gay men, who together constitute the first generation of long-term survivors of the disease. Through interviews conducted by the author, it narrates the stories of gay men who have survived since the early days of the epidemic; documents and delineates the strategies and behaviors enacted by men of this generation to survive it; and examines the extent to which these approaches to survival inform and are informed by the broad body of literature on resilience and health.

The stories and strategies detailed here, all used to combat the profound physical, emotional, and social challenges faced by those in the crosshairs of the AIDS epidemic, provide a gateway for understanding how individuals cope with chronic and life-threatening diseases. Halkitis takes readers on a journey of first-hand data collection (the interviews themselves), the popular culture representations of these phenomena, and his own experiences as one of the men of the AIDS generation.

This riveting account will be of interest to health practitioners and historians throughout the clinical and social sciences — or to anyone with an interest in this important chapter in social history.

The AIDS Generation: Stories of Survival and Resilience is available at the Bureau.