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Character Man

Closing: April 06, 2014

Character Man - 2014 Off-Off-Broadway History , Info & More

Drama Desk Award winner Jim Brochu (Zero Hour) puts his stamp on an original musical valentine to the Great White Way. Character Man is a salute to the memorable character actors of Broadway, filled with hilarious theatre stories and touching personal recollections. Sprinkled with juicy backstage lore, the show spotlights the careers of Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford, Barney Martin and Brochu’s own mentor, two- time Tony Award winner David Burns. Character Man delivers the iconic songs of ground-breaking composers including Meredith Willson, John Kander and Fred Ebb, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick and Stephen Sondheim and celebrates the Golden Age of the American Musical.


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Catherine Russell to Star in Joanna Murray-Smith's SWITZERLAND at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 26, 2026


Catherine Russell, known for Holby City and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will play Patricia Highsmith in Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds' in-house production of Joanna Murray-Smith's psychological thriller SWITZERLAND.

Ed Harris, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Allison Janney, and More Will Lead OTHER DESERT CITIES on Broadway
by Stephi Wild - May 26, 2026


Ed Harris has revealed that he will be returning to the stage this year, starring alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Allison Janney in a production of Jon Robin Baitz's family drama, Other Desert Cities.

New Musical WARBUCKS About 'Daddy Warbucks' From ANNIE is in Development
by Stephi Wild - May 18, 2026


Tony-winning producers behind THE OUTSIDERS announced WARBUCKS, a new stage musical tracing the early life of Oliver Warbucks, timed to Annie's 50th Broadway anniversary.

How to Watch 2026 Tony Award Nominees at Home: THE LOST BOYS, SCHMIGADOON! & More
by Josh Sharpe - May 16, 2026


The nominations are here for the 2026 Tony Awards. This year, a high number of titles have onscreen counterparts, and we have rounded up how to watch these versions at home, from The Lost Boys to Schmigadoon!

New York Festival of Song To Release New Album MY BROTHER'S KEEPER
by A.A. Cristi - May 8, 2026


New York Festival of Song announced the release of MY BROTHER'S KEEPER on NYFOS Records, featuring six leading Black male vocalists co-produced by baritone Justin Austin and GRAMMY-nominated pianist Steven Blier.

Review: Music Carries the Day in The Umbrella Stage Company's HAIRSPRAY
by R. Scott Reedy - May 6, 2026


In most, if not all, other mountings of “Hairspray: The Broadway Musical,” Tracy Turnblad is tucked under her bedcovers when audiences first see the young heroine, ready to show off her high-teased bouffant and let loose with the first notes of the rousing opener, “Good Morning, Baltimore.”

Interview: Peter Tate and Guy Masterson of PICASSO: LE MONSTRE SACRÉ
by Shari Barrett - May 5, 2026


Pablo Picasso’s obsession with his work often destroyed those he professed to love. Brilliantly incarnated by Tate in a challenging, powerfully intelligent study, Picasso passionately defends his reputation in an explosive, often disturbing voyage of self-revelation.

A History of Musicals About Friendship
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - May 10, 2026


Friendship is nearly always a side element in musicals. From the comic sidekick of the leading character to the backup pals who provide background vocals, friends are part of the fabric of many shows—but rarely are they the main event. 

World Premiere of TIGER BRIDE Will Come to Soulpepper Theatre
by Stephi Wild - May 1, 2026


Soulpepper Theatre will present the world premiere of TIGER BRIDE, a punk-rock song cycle adapted from Angela Carter's gothic short story, starring Dora Award-winning performer Hailey Gillis.

Sutton Foster and More Named to Center Theatre Group Board of Directors
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 20, 2026


Center Theatre Group has added ten new members to its Board of Directors: Stephen Cheung, Nancy Dennis, Sutton Foster, Jennifer Lewis, and more, bringing the number up to 56.

In Scena! Italian Theater Festival Awards Marco Di Stefano With 2026 In Scena! Playwright Award
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 17, 2026


Marco Di Stefano's Via Crucis, a solo verse play inspired by young Italians who died in police custody, has been named the winner of the 2026 In Scena! Playwright Award by the Italian Theater Festival NY.

Guest Blog: 'It Felt Not Just Relevant But Necessary To Return': Ben Pettitt Wade on Ten Years of MEET FRED: A Puppet, A Journey, and a Fight That Never Ends
by Guest Author - Apr 15, 2026


Ten years ago, we introduced the world to a two-foot puppet made of cloth at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe. Little did we know that Fred would take us to over 145 cities across 20 countries and three continents, seen by 25,000 people. Not bad for a scrap of fabric with something to say.

SPRING AWAKENING Original Broadway Cast: Where Are They Now?
by Sidney Paterra - Apr 11, 2026


Two decades after Spring Awakening first premiered on Broadway, BroadwayWorld is taking a look back at what the cast of this era-defining musical, including Lea Michele, Jonathan Groff, and more has been up to.

Party of One: Broadway’s Solo Show Takeover
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Apr 12, 2026


Broadway has a long history of one-person shows, including many that have been added to the canon in this century.  Seeing one actor powerfully create a whole world on stage can be an exceptional experience. Of course, one handers are hardly one-person projects; while there may only be one actor on stage, they are collaborating with an entire team of creatives, designers, and behind-the-scenes personnel to bring a show to life. 

Interview: POP's TURANDOT stars husband and wife Clay Hilley and Sara Duchovnay
by Shari Barrett - Mar 15, 2026


Pacific Opera Project’s production of Puccini’s final opera, Turandot features the husband and wife team of tenor Clay Hilley and soprano Sara Duchovnay in the roles of Calàf and Liù respectively. I spoke to them about peforming together onstage.

Review Roundup: Tony-Winner Daniel Radcliffe Stars in EVERY BRILLIANT THING on Broadway
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 12, 2026


The Broadway premiere of Duncan MacMillan’s EVERY BRILLIANT THING, starring Tony Award winner Daniel Radcliffe opens at Broadway's Hudson Theatre tonight. Read the reviews!

Interview: Julie Reiber & Bryce Ryness of North Carolina Symphony's HOLLYWOOD HITS
by Jeffrey Kare - Mar 6, 2026


On March 13th & 14th, the North Carolina Symphony will be presenting HOLLYWOOD HITS. Two guest vocalists are coming down to the Triangle area to perform iconic songs from memorable movies and binge-worthy TV such as A STAR IS BORN, TOMMY, ROCKETMAN, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, ROCK OF AGES, LOVE ACTUALLY, TOP GUN, ELVIS, and more.

HAIRSPRAY Original Broadway Cast: Where Are They Now?
by Sidney Paterra - Feb 28, 2026


It’s… Hairspray! BroadwayWorld is taking a look back at what the cast of this beloved musical has been up to since the show first graced the Broadway stage!

Guest Blog: 'Art Itself Is Diverse': Indian Baritone Darwin Prakash on Education, Collaboration and Fun in ENO's COSÌ FAN TUTTE
by Guest Author - Feb 6, 2026


Darwin Prakash burst onto the opera scene in 2019, when he made his professional debut in the chorus at Glyndebourne. Five years before that, he didn’t read music and had no formal singing training. The Indian baritone discusses his meteoric career trajectory and singing the role of Guglielmo in English National Opera (ENO)’s forthcoming production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte...

Review: DISPERSION OF LIGHT at Desert Ensemble Theatre
by Audrey Liebross - Jan 28, 2026


Desert Ensemble Theatre’s (DET’s) world premiere production of DISPERSION OF LIGHT, a historical drama by Richard Rubin, is, as usual, brilliantly directed and acted and technically superb. Mr. Rubin has written a dark psychological study that requires a great deal of thought on the audience’s part. The production is a must-see.

The History of Musicals Starting Off-OFF-Broadway
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Jan 25, 2026


The history of shows that have transferred from off-Broadway to Broadway is well documented. Hundreds of Broadway plays and musicals started out off-Broadway before making the leap to a Broadway house. But much more rare is the circumstance of a show starting out off-off-Broadway (that’s right, two ‘off’s!) and traveling all the way to the main stem. One of these shows is playing right now, and is a major theatre success story with off-off-Broadway roots!

Review: The Huntington's FUN HOME Is That and More
by R. Scott Reedy - Nov 26, 2025


What did our critic think of FUN HOME at The Huntington? A funeral home may seem an unlikely setting for a Broadway musical, but it turns out to be an ideal backdrop for the deeply moving “Fun Home.”

Interview: Heather Orth of INTO THE WOODS at San Francisco Playhouse
by Jim Munson - Nov 25, 2025


BroadwayWorld chats with Bay Area favorite Heather Orth who is appearing as Cinderella's Stepmother in Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine's 'Into the Woods' at San Francisco Playhouse through January 17th.

A Complete Guide to the Plays of Samuel D. Hunter
by Sidney Paterra - Nov 2, 2025


Samuel D. Hunter’s plays have quietly shaped contemporary American drama. Known for their compassionate look at working-class lives in his native Idaho, Hunter’s works explore faith, loneliness, community, and redemption with remarkable empathy. Hunter (finally) just made his Broadway debut in 2025 with Little Bear Ridge Road, now running at the Booth Theatre.

Fred Armisen to Receive Ernie Kovacs Award at Dallas VideoFest
by Josh Sharpe - Oct 1, 2025


Comedian, writer, producer, and musician Fred Armisen is this year’s recipient of the annual Ernie Kovacs Award at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 22, at the historic Texas Theatre.

Character Man History

Other Productions of Character Man

2014   Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway

Character Man - 2014 Off-Off-Broadway Awards and Nominations

Note: Award winners are highlighted with a background.
Character Man — awards and nominations
Year Ceremony Category Nominee
2014 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Solo Performance Jim Brochu
2014 Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Solo Performance Jim Brochu

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