MY SON THE WAITER: A JEWISH TRAGEDY Comes to Lakewood Cultural Center Next Month

In its 10th year of touring nationally, My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy returns to the Lakewood Cultural Center 470 S. Allison Parkway, August 3 – 20, 2023.

This hilarious and heartfelt one-person comedy tells the story of actor/comedian, Brad Zimmerman, who worked as a waiter for nearly three decades in pursuit of his acting dream, and his parents who suffered through it. My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy is a play about the perseverance and passion required to “make it” as an artist and the sweet rewards that come from never giving up! One-part standup, one-part theatrical, and all parts uproarious, the show has garnered rave reviews from all over the country.

“We’ve played coast to coast and Canada too. From New York City to Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Diego, and Denver to Phoenix, Toronto, and across Florida,” remarks Zimmerman. “Everywhere we perform; our audiences love to hear my story, it’s authentic and real… and funny! Every tour, there is fresh material, but I always keep some of the original stories. The audience’s ongoing appreciation enables me to keep the show as fresh as the day I wrote it.”

Zimmerman spent 29 years “temporarily” waiting tables in New York, all the while chasing a career in acting and comedy, much to the consternation of his parents! In My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy, he delves into the trials and tribulations of being a waiter, who is not particularly invested in servitude and with little tolerance for persnickety diners. He also tells stories about the pursuit of his passion, along with tales about childhood, family, and his misbegotten love life. Combining his years of training as an actor with his innate comedic talent, the storytelling is executed with warmth, wit, self-deprecating humor, and wicked charm.

Zimmerman’s perseverance and hard work eventually paid off, and he became an actor. He had a small part in “The Sopranos” playing Johnny Sack’s lawyer, and he has been the opening act for several well-known entertainers, including George Carlin, Brad Garrett, Dennis Miller, Julio Iglesias, and Joan Rivers for 8 years who said, “I’ve had three great opening acts in my lifetime: Billy Crystal, Garry Shandling, and Brad Zimmerman.”

Zimmerman’s mother finally adapted to her ‘actor-waiter’ son’s career choice and financial situation which was usually dismal. While other mothers may brag about their doctor or lawyer sons, she once boasted, “If all goes well, I think Brad is going to buy a bookcase.”

“So many fan letters and marriage proposals over the years,” Zimmerman says with a grin. “It’s amazing that I’m still very much single. But my mom in Boca became as proud as she could of me and the show, and of course every time I visited, I got another 15 minutes of material!”

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