‘My Son the Waiter’ is 80 minutes of laughs and engaging storytelling

See the show at Lakewood Cultural Center this month

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Brad Zimmerman opened his oneman show, “My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy” with a few jokes. He said they were to warm up the crowd and to allow time for silencing cellphones.

e next 80 minutes at the Lakewood Cultural Center, where the play just opened and is slated to run until Aug. 20, were an eclectic mix of jokes, monologues, stand-up comedy and theatric performances that kept the audience laughing.

e playbill describes “My Son the Waiter” and Zimmerman’s talents best. “Since the play is a hybrid,” it reads, “part stand-up, part theater, it’s only tting that Brad is not only a comedian but an accomplished actor.”

Zimmerman puts all of his skills and talent into the show to tell the story of his life. He blends comedy with satire and at times later in the play, with a little drama to create an engaging experience for the audience.

“Everywhere we perform; our audiences love to hear my story,” Zimmer- man said. “It’s authentic and real… and funny! e actor/writer/comedian also sets up his stories with strong details. His talent with lyric description allows the audience to the room to tap sense memories which help complete the setup for that part of the play. For example, when he spoke about playing baseball as a kid, Zimmerman o ers enough information to tap into the audience’s memories of childhood sports play. In a few quick and comical sentences, he describes the eld, the uniform, the crowds, and the coaches. e audience can create a whole mental image before he moves on to the “meat” of the story.

Zimmerman’s authenticity shines through when he’s telling punchy one-o jokes about growing up with a clingy Jewish mother and when he recounts his 29 years working as a waiter. e cynical tone is there, but it never drags down the material. In fact, the cynicism heightens the comedy and creates a new character for the next theatrical portion of the play.

During the performance, Zimmerman tailored jokes to the audience, especially when a few people started to heckle him gently.

“Every tour, there is fresh material, but I always keep some of the original stories,” he said. “ e audience’s ongoing appreciation enables me to keep the show as fresh as the day I wrote it.”

In addition, Zimmerman engages the audience, drawing people in. Soon it feels like you are in a diner somewhere late at night, listening to a friend recount his life as a struggling actor. e Lakewood Cultural Center auditorium made the show even more intimate with its close quarters and limited seating.

When you sit down for “My Son the Waiter,” the only thing you’ll see onstage is a chair, a table on which sits a trophy and water. Don’t let the setup fool you. Zimmerman lls the stage and the 80-minute runtime. e play has no intermission, but you won’t need it. Once the jokes start, time will y by.

“My Son the Waiter: A Jewish Tragedy” runs through Aug. 20 at the Lakewood Cultural Center at 470 Allison Parkway in Lakewood. Tickets start at $45. For more information, to get tickets and more, email tickets@ lakewood.org or check out the event webpage on Lakewood.org.