ENTERTAINMENT
GOING PLACES
WEEK OF May 6-12
COMEDY
Izhok Prikupets
has made a
career here
singing to
and entertaining
senior adults
a
Izhok Prikupets carries his accordion nearly a mile for his weekly performance at the
Jewish Center
MELODY MAKE
JUDY MARX
Special to The Jewish News
11Air hen Izhok Prikupets
was a little boy in
Romania, he and his
young Jewish pals
joined the Maccabia
sports organization. They lived in
Kichinev, a city of a half-million and
the capital of the region of Moldavia.
In 1940 the Russians would call the
area theirs.
Maccabia gave the youth a chance
to play football. Prikupets remembers
ping-pong matches. He especially lik-
ed gymnastics. The Maccabia games
have offered many promising athletes
their first opportunities, but how
many musicians can credit the sports
organization with giving them their
start?
It has been more than 50 years
since little Izhok first played his
trumpet in the Maccabia marching
band. With the help of the two
Russian-speaking ladies, this reporter
was able to "talk" to Prikupets about
those years in between and how the
young Jewish trumpet player and
drummer from Kichinev would even-
tually use his musical talents to bring
pleasure to Jewish seniors in the
suburbs of Detroit.
The balding gentlemen, with
great white wisps of hair curling over
his ears, has a vigorous manner that
belies his gentleness. Because he
speaks little English, Tanya Polskaya
and Sheyna Erlich came to the
Jewish Community Center Jimmy
Prentis Morris Building to help inter-
pret for this interview. At the Center,
Prikupets had just finished entertain-
ing at its Wednesday Afternoon
Social.
For 18 years the Wednesday
Social has provided seniors with
music and dancing, refreshments and
socializing. The musicians are all
volunteers, and Prikupets has come
weekly with his accordion for the last
six years. He's a jolly man whose
dedication can be counted upon.
Jewish Center Senior Adult
Department Director Miriam Sand-
weiss recalls the day several years ago
at the Center when a tornado warn-
ing came unexpectedly. Many of the
older folks in the building began to
get anxious. "We would have been lost
without Izhok," she says. "He and his
accordion saved the day."
Prikupets has a history of surviv-
ing under difficult circumstances. The
son of a shoemaker and a seamstress,
he was drafted into the Russian army
at the age of 19. From 1940 to 1945
the tall young man fought with the
COMEDY CASTLE
2593 Woodward, Berkley,
"Kozak," today and Saturday,
Thom Sharp, Tuesday through
May 14, admission. 542-9900.
COMEDY CASTLE AT
PUZZLES
29900 Van Dyke, Warren, Diane
Nichols today and Saturday,
Larry Amoros, Tuesday through
May 14, admission.
THEATER
ATTIC THEATER
Attic Theater Playhouse, 7339
Third Avenue, Detroit, Learn to
Fall, now through May 22,
admission. 875-8284.
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
Hilberry. Theater, Nicholas
Nickleby, today and Saturday,
Tuesday through May 14,
admission, 577-2972.
MEADOW BROOK THEATER
Oakland University campus,
Rochester, Harvey, now through
Thtn-sday, admission, 377-3300.
DETROIT REPERTORY
THEATER
13103 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit,
The Colored Museum, Mornings
at Seven, now through Sunday,
admission, 868-1347.
BIRMINGHAM THEATER
211 S. Woodward, Birmingham,
Doubles, now through Sunday,
David Groh, admission,
644-3533.
FISHER THEATER
Fisher Building, Detroit, Don't
Get God Started, now through
May 15, admission. 872-1000.
HENRY FORD MUSEUM
Henry Ford Museum Theater,
Dearborn, Peg 0' My Heart, now
through May 14, admission.
271-1620.
SHAW FESTIVAL
Niagara on the Lake, Ontario,
You Never Can Tell, now through
October 15. Dangerous Corner,
Wednesday through Oct. 15, Hit
the Deck, Wednesday through
October 16, admission.
416-468-2172.
MICHIGAN OPERA
THEATER
Masonic Thmple, Detroit, Il
Trovatore, Saturday, admission.
874-7850.
THEATER SHOWCASE
Henry Ford Community College,
Adray Auditorium, Oklahoma!,
today and Saturday, admission.
845-9634.
ROSEDALE COMMUNITY
PLAYERS
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