The Last Painting for the NY run.

As you may know, Jim paints an entirely new painting each performance of Zero Hour. Over the years, "Arthur," the unseen "model/interviewer" was pictured in many different kinds of ways, but, toward the end of this run, Arthur started morphing more and more into Zero. It's dated, on the bottom, 1-9-11.

This is the final painting of the series that includes the original New York run, beginning at the Theater at St. Clements, the DR2 and, finally, one of the places we think of as "home," the Actors Temple Theatre on 47th street, a synagogue we turned into the theater space with "The Big Voice: God or Merman?", thus helping save the synagogue. (Hooray!)

But it's been a great run and Jim needs a break before he starts hitting road. I'll be updating you on the plans for the coming year, soon.

Easter Bonnet Competition.

Don Myers Stage Manager Report:

Today’s painting was auctioned off for $90 and we collected $42 in the BC/EFA bucket from audience members leaving the theatre. This brings our grand total to $3065.73.

Hooray! We broke $3000!

Every year, the Broadway community holds, for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a big "Easter Bonnet Competition," which is the culmination of several weeks of fundraising. You've been reading about it here on this blog, as I've posted photos of the people who've bought paintings from Zero Hour.

The woman in the photo above saw Jim at the Dutch Treat Club. She bought the painting for $85 after beating out another man, who was trying for his second, and who promised to be back again next week to try again.

But here's the problem. The auctions will end this weekend. As much fun as they are, it's really an imposition upon people's time to "hold" them for a few moments after the show is over (not that people can't leave, and have). Plus, people don't come prepared for a fundraiser. That's why I don't do a big guilt trip when I make the pitch after the show.

I just say, "Our company has been touched by this disease, and we have friends and family who depended upon them in times when they were really sick. So, this is our way of giving back. If you can make a small donation on your way out, we would greatly appreciate it." And then we auction off the painting.

Plus, I do believe the paintings are a wonderful keepsake of the show, and have grown as a fundraising opportunity for non-profits, and maybe even for the show itself. We don't have a lot of money for promotion, for instance. Now that we've raised money for our community, maybe we could even raise a little money for ourselves, money that can go into promotion and marketing, which everyone knows is the bane of producing off-Broadway in New York.

Last Monday, we attended the Lucille Lortel reception for all the nominees, and Daryl Roth, whose getting a lifetime achievement award, and who owns the theater where we're playing, said something about being one of the few who still believes in Off-Broadway. And she's right.

There was a big article in the Times not too long ago, about how all the producers are "realizing" that the only way to make money is by throwing your show on Broadway because you need a Broadway-sized budget to make a dent in being present.

A NY Times listing -- not even an ad, a listing -- is $500 a day. More on the weekends. But audience members don't know this. A lady told me last night that she thought we were closed because we weren't in the listings that day. She thought they were free.

Anyway, we have assembled a group of 13 people for our number. Amy Lynn Shapiro wrote a specialty lyric. And we're going to do it on Monday. I have photos from our rehearsal, and a little video. Soon.

Oh, what's the song we're singing, you ask? Well, picture Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof with a bonnet on his head.

Saturday's Painting Auction Results.

Stage Manager's Report:

Saturday matinee:

The post show painting auction was amazing today we had two people bidding against each other for the painting. It was finally auctioned off at $95. The woman that won the auction also bought another painting from a previous performance for another $50. We collected $94 in the BC/EFA bucket from audience members leaving the theatre. This brings our grand total to $2430.02.

Saturday night:
The post show painting auction was amazing again tonight. Steve is doing a great job connecting with the audience and everyone is having fun with the auction. Tonight’s painting was auctioned off for $100 and we collected $105 in the BC/EFA bucket from audience members leaving the theatre. This brings our grand total to $2635.02

One more week to go on the Broadway Cares auctions. If any readers want to purchase a painting, just write me a note.

A Genuine Mostel Painting.

Last night, two fans of Zero Hour presented Jim with a genuine Zero Mostel painting. Ira and Paulette, who saw the show last week, told us that her father had known Zero back when he was still at CCNY. Zero gave this painting to their father, along with another, and they wanted to give it to Jim in honor of his performance.

Click on the photo to see it enlarged.

I got a little sun glare at the top.

The post show painting auction brought us $50 for today’s painting and we sold a previous performance’s painting for another $40. We collected $15 in the BC/EFA bucket from audience members leaving the theatre. This brings our grand total to $2191.02.

More Paintings Sold for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

We sold two paintings. With bucket donations, that brought us to $148.74. This brings our grand total to $2086.00.

Posted by SteveSchalch

Two Paintings Sold on Sunday.

April 8 Stage Managers Report

From Don Myers:

Great show tonight. The audience response was great and Jim received a standing ovation during the curtain call.

We had a theatre party group in the house tonight. After the performance and the painting auction, Steve hosted the talkback. Jim came back to the stage after changing to his street clothes and they both did a 20 minute talkback with the audience.

Tonight’s post performance auction of the painting went for $45. We also received a check in the amount of $55 for a signed painting that someone ordered over the internet and we collected $64 in the BC/EFA bucket from audience members leaving the theatre. This brings our grand total to $1401.28

New Blog for Zero Hour Paintings.

I've created a new blog to display the photos of the people who've purchased Zero Hour paintings.

Zero Hour Painting Owners

Winners of Broadway Cares Zero Hour Painting Auctions.

After each show, during fundraising season, we hold an auction for the painting that Jim completes during that performance. These are three of the winners.