Photos by: Pam McComb
One can only imagine how hilarious and challenging it is to work with Zero Mostel. Especially, if you are playing in one of the tented, round outdoor theaters, with an arena stage at its center, the format of the Music Fair theaters … with an audience so close you can sit on them.
That is exactly what Zero took great delight in doing, at any moment, during all the performances of “A Funny Thing happened on the way to the Forum.”
He was infamous for his mercurial and incorrigible desire to provoke a laugh from his audience. However, much more fun was the challenge to evoke a spontaneous giggle from his fellow thespians onstage with him. The more “one” resisted, the more creative he became with his antics, faces and physical chicanery.
One night, he mercilessly chased dear “_______ ,” who played the father of “Hero,” and clearly an “older” actor … UP one of the steep aisles, circled him completely around the upper level behind last top row of seats of the theater, only to come back down the same aisle to the stage. It was pretty funny.
He had pretty much “left me alone.”
Then one night in our initial scene, I began to speak my lines. He interrupted me in such a way that stopped me from continuing my dialogue.
Then, he looked at me as if to say: “Say your line! What is wrong with you?”
I would try again.
Again, he interrupted with his look: “What is going on? Are you crazy? Say your line!”
Valiantly attempting to keep my composure, I tried again and again.
Again and again, he persisted … repeating his interruptions for as long as it took to dissolve me into complete convulsions of laughter with tears streaming down my face.
I post here the picture he autographed to me, with his own “art work” adorning his face.
His writing is a bit difficult to decipher, but, we think he wrote:
“To Sue Ellen, you’ve improved in the part.
you are no longer a virgin.
Love, Zero Mostel …
Note sincere look on my face.”
