Jim Brochu to Bring CHARACTER MAN to Union County Performing Arts Center's Hamilton Stage, 9/25

Popular actor/playwright Jim Brochu returns to Union County Performing Arts Center's Hamilton Stage Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013, with a lively and affectionate tribute to Broadway musical stars past and present.

Character Man salutes a dozen of the greatest character actors ever to grace the stages of American muscial theatre - Jackie Gleason, Zero Mostel, Robert Preston, David Burns, Jack Gilford, Jack Klugman, Lou Jacobi, Charles Nelson Reilly, John Carradine and ... along with the genius of Drama Desk award winner Brochu himself.

Produced by American Theater Group, Character Man runs Sept. 25-Oct. 6 at the intimate 199-seat Hamilton Stage in the heart of the colorful Rahway Arts District, a diverse hub of arts performance/arts education activity a quick 30-minute train ride from midtown Manhattan. Tickets are on sale at www.ucpac.org

Character Man is part of Hamilton Stage's Season 2 Anniversary Week that kicks off Sept. 20 with rocker Willie Nile and includes a Sept. 21 Raconteurs & Roustabouts vaudeville evening with authors E.D Hudspeth, Lev Grossman and Arthur Phillips and folk-noir musicians Arlan Feiles and Wesley Stace and a Sept. 22 Latin Dance & Music Fiesta with salsa dance star Amy Garcia Phillips and the David Braham Latin Jazz Quintet.

"Character Man is the perfect way to wrap our first anniversary celebration," says Hamilton Stage Managing Director L.E. McCullough. "Hamilton Stage was created to showcase exciting experimental artists, and American Theater Group is producing some of the finest new work in theatre today."

Fresh from his success with last year's American Theater Group production of Zero Hour at Hamilton Stage, Brochu set out to tell the stories of the Broadway actors who mentored his talent when he first entered the theatre profession.

"I still remember the character men who changed my life," says Brochu. "I think about them constantly and miss them just as much. I simply do not want them to be forgotten."

Filled with favorite tunes from shows like Wicked, Chicago, Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly, Cabaret and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Brochu sprinkles Character Man with juicy backstage lore and a closeup look at the great faces of Broadway from one who knew them.

Character Man is the season's first offering from American Theater Group, who follow up with Bubble Boy: The Musical premiering at Hamilton Stage Nov. 6-24.

Written by the Hollywood scriptwriting team of Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio (creators of Despicable Me, The Lorax), Bubble Boy: The Musical is a romantic comedy with a contemporary edge.

For more information about American Theater Group 2013-14 shows at UCPAC's Hamilton Stage, visit www.hamiltonstagenj.com.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski