THE JEWISH NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT

Impressionist-comedian
Mendi Segal's voices
and dialects range
from cartoon
characters to movie
stars

HEIDI PRESS

Local News Editor

endi Segal is a man of
1,000 voices. Well, alright, not 1,000,
but if you give him enough time, he'll
probably master 1,000.
The Detroit-born Segal, 25, an as-
piring comic impressionist currently
living in Los Angeles, already does
vocal impressions of nearly 70 per-
sonalities, including TV stars, politi-
cians, movie stars, rock stars, cartoon

characters and local media per-
sonalities. He does a variety of dialects
as well.
Segal distinguishes himself from
other comedians with his impressions.
A comic, he says, relies solely on his
material, but a comic impressionist
has more going for him.
"My act uses comedy with the im-
pressions, like using famous people in

funny situations, taking people out of
character. For example, in my routine,
`The Garden of Edith,' Edith Bunker is
Eve, Archie Bunker is Adam, Jack
Nicholson is the snake — he doesn't
get along with Archie too well — God
is played by Howard Cosell. He in-
sisted on the role."
Segal got his first professional
break at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle

and Cafe in Berkley. But he actually
began toying with the idea as a
youngster at the Yeshivath Beth
Yehudah. The young Segal would im-
itate one of his teachers. Later as a
teenager, he entered a talent contest,
albeit apprehensively. He won the
contest and began honing his art.
Since turning professional, Segal

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WEEK OF JANUARY 9-15

GOING oPLACES

LISTINGS WELCOME

Performing a pas de deux?
Screening a film? Staging a
play? If so, The Jewish News
wants to hear about it in our
new entertainment calendar,
Going Places. Send concert,
film, dance, comedy, club
and other entertainment ac-
tivity listings to Entertain-
ment Calendar, The Jewish
News, 20300 Civic Center Dr.,
Suite 240, Southfield 48076.
Items must be typed,
double-spaced and include
the time, date, place, admis-
sion charge of each event
and a name and phone
number of someone to call
during business hours. List-
ings must be received at
least two weeks prior to pub-
lication.

SPECIAL EVENTS

SOUTH-
OF
CITY
FIELD:Southfield Civic Center,
26000 Evergreen Rd. Winter-
fest '87, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Satur-
day, free, 354-4854.

ROEPER: Birmingham campus,
dance marathon for hunger re-
lief, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday,
642-1500.

DETROIT AUTO SHOW: Cobo
Hall,exhibit of 400 domestic
and imported cars, noon-10:30
p.m. Saturday and Sunday,
2-10:30 p.m. Monday through
Jan. 18, admission.

OAKLAND UNIVERSITY MIME
ENSEMBLE: Varner Recital
Hall, Rochester, Dingleberry

one-ring circus, 1 p.m. Thurs-
day, admission 370-3013.

MUSIC

DETROIT SYMPHONY OR-
CHESTRA:Orchestra Hall sin-
gers Stefania Toczyska and
Jon Vickers, 8 p.m. today; Ford
Auditorium, 8:30 p.m. Saturday,
admission, 567-1400.

troit Concert Band, Tribute to
Sousa, 3 p.m. Sunday, admis-
sion, 370-3013.

CONCERTS-IN-THE-GARDEN:
Prudential Town Center, The
New World String Quartet, 10
a.m. Sunday, admission, 354-
4717.

COMEDY

LIGHT OPERA OF MICHIGAN:
Marquis Theatre, Northville,
Side by Side by Sondheim, 8
p.m. today and Saturday, 2:30
p.m. Sunday, through Jan. 18,
admission, 349-8110 or 349-
0868.

COMEDY CROSSING: 23055
Telegraph, Southfield, lower
level of Red Cedars, Bob Posch
Show, 8:30 and 11 p.m. today
and Saturday; admission, reser-
vations, 353-3798.

OAKLAND UNIVERSITY: Varner
Recital Hall, Rochester, The De-

COMEDY CASTLE AND CAFE:

2593 Woodward, Berkley,
Thom Sharp 8:30 and 11:30
p.m. today and Saturday; Joe
Nipote 8:30 p.m. Tuesday
through Jan. 17, admission,
reservations, 542-9900.

THEATER

MEADOW BROOK THEATER:
Oakland University, Rochester,
The Rose Tattoo, 8 p.m. Thurs-
day, through Jan. 25; admission,
1-377-3300.

BIRMINGHAM THEATRE: 211
S. Woodward. Birmingham,
Fiddler on the Roof, Saturday
through Jan. 25; 644-3533.

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