BWW Reviews: Jim Brochu Captivates in CHARACTER MAN at UC PAC

Jim Brochu will be appearing at The Hamilton Stage of UC PAC in Rahway in Character Man, his own musical memoir of Broadway, through October 6th. You don't have to know The Players to delight in Brochu's journey through a career that has taken him from "the back to the front" of the American stage.

Brochu has won many prestigious acting awards including New York Drama Desk Award and Washington DC's Helen Hayes Award. He has appeared on Broadway in Oliver and Brigadoon and starred in numerous Off-Broadway hits. Brochu also has regional credits throughout North American and Canada. An Actor, Writer, Director, and "Character Man" himself, Brochu's one-man show by such an accomplished thespian is not to be missed.

Produced by American Theater Group and directed by Robert Bartley, Character Man is an intimate view of the theatrical careers of greats including Jackie Gleason, Zero Mostel, George S. Irving, Charles Nelson Reilly and many others that Brochu was "honored" to know. Brochu also salutes the women who were so influential in the American stage like Fanny Brice and Jean Stapleton and pays tribute to them as well.

Brochu tells the audience the story of his early fascination with the stage, working as a teen selling orange drink at the Alvin Theater. He recounts travels with his father, his very personal experiences with Broadway stars, and his own rise to fame. Brochu includes comical anecdotes about his stint as a raisin in a television commercial, his interview at The Players Club (where he still belongs), and his college years where he met his dear friend, famous composer, Steven Schwartz. Brochu's descriptions of a bygone era in theater and the people who made it happen make this one-man show absolutely captivating.

To further illuminate his close theatrical ties, Brochu's performs a perfect selection of songs including If I Were a Rich Man, Mr. Cellophane, and the special song for his father, Give My Regards to Broadway. The show's simple but effective set includes a large viewing screen to see many of Brochu's personal pictures and videos.

We attended on an evening when a young adult student group also attended. Although they could not have known the complete theatrical history that Brochu discusses in Character Man, they were enraptured by his sentiments and his impassioned delivery. Audiences of all ages will enjoy and be enriched by Jim Brochu's current performance at UC PAC.

Union County Performing Arts Center has three performance spaces in the Arts District of Rahway; The Mainstage, The Hamilton Stage, and The Loft in the Arts District of Rahway. The venues are all easily reached by car, with generous parking available and NJ Transit Train service is convenient to Rahway's downtown station. For more information about UC PAC, Character Man, and their full schedule of performances, visit their website at www.ucpac.org, or call their box office at (732) 499-8226.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Jim Brochu

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