ENTERTAINMENT

I GOING PLACES I

WEEK OF Feb. 19-25

COMEDY

DUFFY'S ON THE LAKE
3133 Union Lake Rd., Union
Lake, Bob Posch and John
Cionca, now through February,
9:30 and 11:30 p.m. Fridays and
Saturdays, admission,
reservations, 363-9469.
COMEDY CASTLE
2593 Woodward, Mark Schiff,
now through Feb. 20, Bill Scheft,
Tuesday through Feb. 27,
admission, 542-9900.

THEATER

Max Leib continues his mastery of the violin.

Fiddlitf Around

Musical Director Max Leib has found playing the
violin leads to bigger and better things

SUSAN TAUBER-HYKE

Special To The Jewish News

H

ave you been to the Fisher
Theater or Birmingham
Theater lately to see any
musicals? If you have, then
you may have seen the
name Max Leib under the theater's
staff listings.
The name is printed across the job
of musical director. It's just one name
among dozens on the page, but it's a
name worth knowing. Although it
may not be a household name, it's
known nationally among theater
musicians.
Southfield's own Max Leib is a
musician who has staged his own type
of musical hits with his talent as a
violinist, musical conductor and
musical contractor. He made his fame
in the world of theater, hotel and
radio orchestral music.
Leib's career dates back to the age
of 12, when he was asked by a famous

cantor to perform as the violinist on
his recital. At the age of 77, Leib's
musical career still is going strong.
Sitting in his living room, a tallis
bag on a nearby table, Leib
reminisces about his long and suc-
cessful career on radio, television,
stage and in many theater orchestra
pits.
It all started when Leib, at four
years old, began studying violin.
"I never practiced. I still
remember my mother, Rose, chasing
me with a broom, trying to get me to
practice," he chuckled.
Leib's father, Abraham, was a can-
tor. The family of four brothers (one
died in 1918) and two sisters moved
to many different cities because of his
father's work. He was the cantor of
Pesach-Tikva synagogue on Petosky
Street in Detroit before he died in
1934. It was while the family was liv-
ing in Toledo that Leib's first big
break came. It was big enough for him
to get his picture and an article in the

WEST END PRODUCTIONS
458 N. Crooks, Clawson, The
Gingerbread Lady Friday
through Saturday, admission,
435-7859.
MUSIC HALL CENTER
350 Madison Ave., A Story With
A Message Friday and Saturday,
admission, 963-7680.
MUSIC HALL CENTER FOR
THE PERFORMING ARTS
(7) 350 Madison Ave., The Mighty
0
Gents Thursday through
Saturday, admission, 963-7680.
DETROIT REPERTORY
THEATER
13103 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit,
The Colored Museum now
through March 6, 868-1347.
ROSEDALE COMMUNITY
- PLAYERS
The Upstage, Detroit, The
Second Time Around now
through Feb. 27, admission,
532-4010.
BIRMINGHAM THEATER
211 S. Woodward, Birmingham,
Social Security now through
March 30, admission, 644-3533.

local newspaper.
"The tenor, Joseph Rosenblatt,
came to Toledo to give a recital. He
stayed with us since we kept kosher.
He needed a violinist for his program
and after he heard me play, he asked
me to perform with him. I was only
12 years old at the time Leib
recalled.
The next year, on Feb. 26, 1924,
Leib gave a recital in Savannah, Ga.,
while he was visiting his uncle, Can-
tor Harry Levine. He already had
recitals in Toledo, Detroit and Birm-
ingham, Ala., under his bow.
It wasn't long after the family
moved to Detroit that Leib joined
radio station WAFD as a staff
violinist. He was only 15. He soon
became a soloist. Then he went below
to the orchestra pits in the local silent
picture theaters and his career began
to soar.
Leib has memories that would fill
dozens of pages. Among them are his
being chosen as concertmaster of the

HENRY FORD MUSEUM &
GREENFIELD VILLAGE
Henry Ford Museum Theater,
Kiss and Tell now through
March 19, admission, 271-1620.
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY
Varner Studio Theater,
Rochester, Crimes of the Heart
now through Sunday, admission
370-3013.
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
Hilberry Theater, The Dresser
now through March 12,
admission, 577-2972.
STAGECRAFTERS
Baldwin Theater, Royal Oaks
Brigadoon now through Sunday,
admission, 541-6430.
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
Hilberry Theater, Detroit,
Tartuffe now through Feb. 25,

admission, 557-2972.

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