Tix Now On Sale for Off-Broadway Premiere of Brochu's Zero Hour

By Andrew Gans
08 Oct 2009

Jim Brochu in Zero Hour
Jim Brochu in Zero Hour
Photo by Stan Barouh

As previously reported, Jim Brochu's one-man play, Zero Hour, will begin a limited engagement at Theatre at Saint Clement's Nov. 14.

Directed by Piper Laurie, the production will officially open Nov. 22 and will play the Off-Broadway venue through Jan. 31, 2010.

Kurt Peterson and Edmund Gaynes produce in association with The Peccadillo Theater Company.

"Set in theatre legend Zero Mostel's painting studio on West 28th Street," press notes state, "a naïve reporter attempts to interview the famously volatile artist, prompting an explosion of memory, humor, outrage, and juicy backstage lore. Mostel is remembered for his comedic genius and his definitive roles, but in the 1950's he was equally known for his place on the infamous Hollywood blacklist."

In a previous statement actor-writer Brochu said, "Zero had a great influence on my life and I was fortunate to get to know him when I was first starting out. His life was filled with great laughter, great drama and great life lessons for all of us. He considered himself primarily an artist who took acting jobs to support his painting. . . . I can think of no other person in show business who had more obstacles to overcome than Zero Mostel. He grew up poor. He survived the blacklist. A bus accident almost took his leg off. But he fought and survived, and then went on . . . to win three Tony Awards."

With partner/composer Steve Schalchlin, Jim Brochu penned the award-winning musicals The Last Session and The Big Voice: God or Merman? In addition to his theatrical work, Brochu's acting credits also include appearances on "All My Children," "Mary Hartman," "Cheers," "Wings" and "Bram and Alice."

Zero Mostel was nominated for a Tony Award for his work in Ulysses in Nighttown and won Tonys for his performances in Fiddler on the Roof, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Rhinoceros. His other Broadway credits include The Good Soup, Good as Gold, Lunatics and Lovers, Flight Into Egypt, Beggar's Holiday, Concert Varieties, Top-Notchers, Keep 'em Laughing and Cafe Crown. His film credits include "The Front," "Mastermind," "Journey Into Fear," "Fore Play," "Rhinoceros," "Marco," "Once Upon a Scoundrel," "The Hot Rock," "The Great Bank Robbery," "The Producers," "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and "DuBarry Was a Lady."

Show times will be Monday at 7 PM, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 PM, with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2 PM and Sunday at 3 PM.

Theatre at Saint Clement's is located at 423 West 46th Street (between Ninth and Tenth Ave.) Tickets are $35 and $55 and are available through Telecharge.com or (212) 239-6200.

For more information, visit www.ZeroHourShow.com.