BWW Interviews: Jim Brochu talks Zero Mostel and ZERO HOUR

The Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company is proud to present the Canadian Premiere of the award-winning off-Broadway smash hit ZERO HOUR starring Jim Brochu as Zero Mostel. ZERO HOUR is a one-man show directed by the three-time Oscar nominated actress Piper Laurie and starring Jim Brochu as Zero himself.

The show covers Zero's life from his scarred youth to his triumphs in Rhinoceros, Fidder on the Roof and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum to being blacklisted during the McCarthy era. He was a three time Tony Award winning star and an iconic figure in the Theatre World and Jewish community.

Jim Brochu is a long-standing fan of Zero's work, and now takes on the ambitious task of playing him in this fabulous show that has audiences and critics alike singing its praises. Jim sat down and spoke with BWW about the reasons he decided to present ZERO HOUR at this stage in his life, and about his personal feelings about Zero Mostel:

Congratulations on the success of Zero Hour and your Drama Desk Award for the show - what made you decide to tackle this subject matter and why now?

Thank you. I have been compared to Zero since I was in high school. When Jerry Tallmer in the New York Post reviewed me in my first Off-Broadway show in 1970, he said that I was his choice to play the lead if they ever did the Zero Mostel story. A few years ago I was cleaning out my bookcase and found a Theatre Arts magazine with Zero in the cover and it was like he was ordering me to bring him back to life. So I did. I was approaching the age Zero was when he died and I thought - now or never!

You have big shoes to fill playing Zero Mostel...

Not really, Zero wore a size nine and I'm a twelve - unless you're speaking figuratively and then you're right.

How do you approach a piece like this to ensure that you are doing justice to the person you are portraying and keep it from coming across as a simple "imitation"?

You're never sure you are doing justice to someone when you portray their life. . But you try. I try to inhabit Zero or have him inhabit me rather than imitate him. An imitation can't really go on for two hours. So many of the Mostel family, including Zero's oldest son Josh, have told me I've captured him and so that makes me very happy.

New York audiences really embraced this show; does the audience reaction differ in other cities across the US? How have Toronto audiences reacted so far?

The audiences in Toronto have really embraced this show and it's so wonderful. My agent is now calling the show, "the International hit!"
The audiences in NY were splendid and we had a run of 14 months and 247 performances. The show is set now and people seem to react with the same laughter and tears in every city at the same places.

You saw Zero perform in Forum and Fiddler on the Roof, were you able to see him in any other performances? What about his craft stood out the most to you when you first saw him perform?

I also saw him in "Ulysses in Nighttown" in 1970, the revival at the Winter Garden. What always stood out with Zero is his dedication to the script while seeming to be totally improvisational. There was a sense of danger in watching Zero, you never knew what he was going to do next. In her book, "Respect for Acting" Uta Hagen writes, "Never be on a stage with children, animals or Zero Mostel."

Of all the shows that Zero was part of, do you have a favourite?

Fiddler is my favorite. My classmate Stephen Schwartz and I went to NY to see Zero in Fiddler on the second night and it was an experience I will never, ever forget.

Zero tackled some very tough roles (notably Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and Pseudolus in Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum). Are there any roles that he played that you yourself would like to one day perform?

I have already done Fiddler and Forum and really enjoyed doing it. Tony Walton just asked me to do "If I Were a Rich Man" when Sheldon Harnick is inducted into the Broadway Hall of Fame next month and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Finally, for a younger audience who may not be as familiar with the subject matter of this production, what would you say to encourage them to come out and see the show?

That they would hear the story of man who overcame more obstacles - both personal and professional - with grace and humor. And also, they'll have a lot of laughs while they learn about the blacklisting time, a very dark period of our American history.

When and Where?

Zero Hour

The Al Green Theatre, Miles Nadal JCC, 750 Spadina Ave

March 26th - April 16th, 2011

Tickets are $40.50 - $64.50 and can be purchased by phone at 416-932-7723 x 224 or online at www.stlc.com

For more information on the Harold Green Jewish Theatre please visit their official website: www.hgjewishtheatre.com

For more information on Zero Hour, please visit the official website: www.zerohourshow.com