New World Waking: A Community Sing?

I've been thinking a lot about "New World Waking" and its next evolution. I kept thinking that it should be more open source, more "community sing." In other words, announce a performance and anyone who wants to sing in it, just show up.

That's why I've been posting the sheet music to the songs online, along with videos and MP3s which people can download.

I've also been informally testing the idea at the Sunday night Salon, which Mark Janas created, and which is now at Etcetera Etcetera. For instance, a couple of weeks ago, I got this room full of New York singers singing "Lazarus Come Out." Previously, I had gotten them all singing "My Thanksgiving Prayer." Both times, it sounded glorious!

So, these experiments have been fun, but now someone has approached me about possibly performing New World Waking as part of a performance festival next month.

Next month.

So, I have asked a couple of the singers who performed with Jim at the Easter Bonnet competition to join me, and I'm going to ask more. There are a number of great solos we can rehearse, and then let the chorus join in, with maybe one or two simple rehearsals.

At least, that's the idea.

I'm also looking at the list of songs. I have other numbers that might fit. At this point, it's only 45 minutes long. I could see it comfortably going a hour.

And I have one month to make it happen. Piece of cake.

Photos from BroadwayStars' Michael Portantiere.

Another photo from the Easter Bonnet competition. Jim Brochu with Jeanne Lehman and Kurt Peterson.

Bonnet Day Two.

On Tuesday, we did the Easter bonnet competition again. This time for the judges. I took a quick snap of the final pose, with all the show's bonnets in place.

If you look closely, you'll see Jim. We were the only group that built the bonnet, in front of the audience, during the number. In fact, I think someone said we were the first to ever do that. So, yay us! He's fourth from the right.

But look under the big, pink top hat and you'll see Jeramy, who substituted, at the last moment, for Leslie Jordan. His show and ours were the only two Off-Broadway shows to make presentations.

Jim was even better on the second day. The audience went crazy for him and laughed at Amy's lyrics and jokes.

Here's the Playbill report written by Blake Ross.

Our Number for Broadway Cares.

ZERO HOUR Nominated NY Outer Critics Circle: Outstanding Solo Performance.

Just as we were about to get down to the Minskoff for the Easter Bonnet competition, we found out that Jim won the nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance by the New York Outer Critics Circle. Go, Jim!

Snapshots from the Easter Bonnet Contest

Everyone wears outlandish costumes and we raise money for AIDS.

Final total: $3745.48

Last day of fundraising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

From Don Myers, stage manager:

Jim did the painting auction himself today following the performance because Steve was not able to be at the theatre today. Unfortunately no one seemed to bid for the painting which surprised all of us so Jim thanked the audience and went off stage. As the audience was leaving a woman came out and said that she was interested in purchasing the painting although she had not spoken up quick enough so I asked her to wait there and I went down to get tell Jim. He came up a few minutes later to sign the painting. That woman paid $250 for the painting and then we sold another one from a previous performance for $20. We collected $61.75 in the BC/EFA bucket from audience members leaving the theatre. This brings our grand total to $3745.48. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who participated in helping us achieve this incredible accomplishment in fundraising.

My New Favorite Photo of Jim.

Judith Ivey is one of the great actresses of this generation. She and Jim are both up for the same award, Best Solo Show, from the Lucille Lortel Awards. And her show was written by our dear friend, David Rambo. This photo is from a reception at St. Bart's.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / Retna Ltd.

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.

Ellis Nassour on Zero Hour.

From BroadwayStars.com:

From now on Jim Brochu will be remembered for his vivid, spot-on impersonation of the irresistible, irascible, legendary, and famously volatile comic actor Zero Mostel in his one-man play Zero Hour.

Brochu gives the performance of his lifetime, one of the best ever, On or Off, in this vastly entertainly play that's a must-see for theaterlovers.



Following its acclaimed run Off Bway,Zero Hour is now at the DR2 Theatre [103 East 15th Street, east of Park Avenue South]. .

The play is 90 minutes of edge-of-the-seat explosive theater.

The Butler's Song

One of the great classic comic songs of the stage, sung by the man who introduced it on Broadway in the musical Enter Laughing. George S. Irving at the Players Club on Sunday night at the Hall of Fame dinner. We sat with Richard Thomas!

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

Obama extends hospital visitation rights to same-sex partners of gays

Obama extends hospital visitation rights to same-sex partners of gays.

This, to me, is one of the simplest, and most compassionate things Obama has ever done. And it won't cost one single dime.

It's also an issue that reasonable conservatives agree on, that people who are in a relationship deserve hospital visitation rights. During the AIDS crisis, the horror stories that came back through our community, about parents swooping in and banning the partner while the other was dying.

Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you to all the activists who kept the pressure on to make this happen.