MY SON THE WAITER, A JEWISH TRAGEDY Begins Off-Broadway Run at Stage 72 on 10/10

"My Son the Waiter, A Jewish Tragedy," actor-comedian Brad Zimmerman's account of his excruciatingly long journey to mild stardom, will finally reach New York after playing the provinces this summer. Produced by Dana Matthow and Philip Roger Roy's Playhouse Productions, Inc., "My Son the Waiter" takes up residence at Stage 72 - Triad Theatre, 158 West 72nd Street, for a limited 12-week run from Friday October 10 to Wednesday December 31. Zimmerman's spare-no-egos account of the joys of never giving up opens Off-Broadway on Sunday October 19 at 2pm.

Written and directed by Zimmerman, "My Son the Waiter" tells the story of how Zimmerman, now pushing 60, waited tables in New York for a mind-numbing 29 years, before finally taking himself seriously enough to study stand-up comedy, and write a one-man show about waiting until his mid-50s to perform on stage.

Zimmerman has been called "the best comic in his price range" by Joan Rivers, who uses him as an opening act whenever she's feeling frugal. Since he began barnstorming the condo circuit last year, moving on to bigger theatres in San Diego; Coral Springs, FL; Phoenix; Owings Mills, MD, and Thousand Oaks, CA this summer, Zimmerman, a late-bloomer if there ever was one, has made no secret of his desire to return to New York, the scene of his victimless crime. The Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel dubbed this show "hilarious." The San Diego Union Tribune also called it "hilarious," adding "the humor is universal." Palm Beach Arts claimed it's "an absolute must-see." The AZ Republic even gets philosophical, saying, "it's all funny stuff... being an artist is about the journey, not the destination."

Except Zimmerman would probably quibble with that: As he delves into his fear of success and how he wasted his athletic talents as a teen-ager, he talks about his second chance, calling himself a lucky man, adding, "money does not bring happiness, but the pursuit of excellence does, and certainly I have proved that to myself."

Tickets for "My Son the Waiter, A Jewish Tragedy," go on sale on August 1. The show's recent tour has taken Zimmerman to, among others, the Stage Door Theater in Coral Springs; The Regent Theater in Arlington MA; The Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix; the Lyceum Theater in San Diego, and the Scherr Forum in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Produced by the team behind "My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy," "RESPECT: A Musical Journey of Women," and "Old Jews Telling Jokes" (tour), "My Son the Waiter, A Jewish Tragedy" begins its 12-week stand at Stage 72 - Triad Theatre, 158 West 72nd Street, on Friday October 10 at 7pm. The opening is set for Sunday October 19 at 2pm. The schedule is as follows: Monday at 7pm; Friday at 7pm; Saturday at 2pm & 7pm, and Sunday at 2pm. The comedy continues through New Year's Eve, Wednesday December 31, with two performances at 7pm & 9pm. For tickets, which range from $25 to $60 (+ a 2-drink minimum), call Smarttix at 212/868-4444 or visit www.playhouseinfo.com (Running time is 90 minutes.)