Switching Roles

obert Grossman,
who appeared in
the play that
raised the cur-
tain on the Jew-
ish Ensemble
Theatre (JET),
has been cast in
his fourth pro-
Ng?
duction with the
We ug aw
company — The
Price by Arthur Miller, which
is scheduled Dec 1-26 at the
Maple-Drake Jewish Com-
munity Center.
Just before JET's incorpo-
ration, Mr. Grossman worked
with the company's artistic di-
rector, Evelyn Orbach, in the
1989 staging of Sam and
Itkeh, Jack LaZebnik's drama
about two immigrants.
With the success of that
run, he returned in the 1991
production of Bitter Friends
and this season's opener, Isn't
It Romantic.
"I haven't had a chance to
do an Arthur Miller play in a
very long time," said Mr.
Grossman, 50, who is enthu-
siastic about this opportuni-
ty.
"Miller is, in my opinion, the
playwright of his generation.
He is so eloquent in the way
he describes people through
the words that come out of
their mouths, and I resonate
to his language."
Mr. Grossman portrays a
New York City policeman on
the verge of retirement. He
must meet with his estranged
brother to dispose of their fa-
ther's belongings.
To me, the character is a
man with a tremendous sense
SUZANNE CHESSLER
of honor, self worth and a be-
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
lief in doing the right thing,"
said Mr. Grossman, who will
be joined on stage by Sol
Frieder, another veteran JET
performer and New York ac-
tor.
"There's such soul to the po-
liceman. He's extremely in-
telligent but also very simple.
He has managed to maintain
a real hold on his spine in the
face of adversity and hasn't
compromised."
Mr. Grossman will step into
his role by making an early
exit from a current engage-
ment with the Attic Theatre
organization. Cast in Bus Stop
by William Inge at the Strand
Theatre in Pontiac through

Robert

Grossman

comes back

to JET

from

the Attic

for Arthur

Miller's

`The Price.'

regional theater in Michigan
the end of the month, he will
and California is pay, accord-
leave the last few perfor-
ing to Mr. Grossman.
mances to an understudy.
"Actors often do theater
"I have a long history with
there for showcase reasons,"
the Attic Theatre," said Mr.
he explained. "They want to
Grossman, who has been fea-
be seen by agents and casting
tured in An Evening ofLenny
directors so they can get into
Bi-uce, Watch on the Rhine
film. That means they are on
and Translations. His local
display and appreciated for
history also has included work
their film potential."
with the Meadow Brook The-
The first time he was paid
atre and the Michigan Opera
Theatre.
Mr.
Although
Grossman launched
his entertainment ca-
reer as a cabaret
singer in Los Angeles
in the '60s, he ce-
mented his acting
pursuits in the De-
troit area.
"I became a singer
to spite my parents,"
he said. "They didn't
want me to be a per-
former. I started
singing in coffee
houses when I was 16
and just kept going.
Music and the
Raven Gallery first
brought me to this
area in 1966. I was a
road singer and had
recorded on the Elek-
tra label."
During a stay in
Michigan, he saw a
newspaper article
about the Academy of
Dramatic Art at Oak-
land University and
entered when he was
just past 30. His ear-
lier dramatic training
was informal,
planned by a Califor-
nia friend's parent, a
Shakespearean actor. JET veteran Robert Grossman
When his two-year
study program was
to act was for an episode of
completed, he became a road
the "Maverick" TV show. He
actor, performing with re-
also has appeared in a Farrah
gional theater groups around
Fawcett TV Movie, Criminal
the country.
Behavior.
"Singers have to relate di-
Over the years, Mr. Gross-
rectly to the audience, by ac-
man has developed his own
tors must pretend that there
ways of measuring the quali-
is no such thing as an audi-
ty of plays and the quality of
ence," he said.
his acting.
Mr. Grossman has been
"The more sense a play
back in the Detroit area since
makes, the easier it is to mem-
June, after returning to Los
orize," he said. "When I'm feel-
Angeles for more than two
ing really good about what I'm
years. Personal ties, not ca-
doing, I think I'm succeeding
reer, pulled him back and
at what I wanted to do."
forth.
Between roles, Mr. Gross-
The big difference between

man has done industrial films
and been a limousine and cab
driver. Travel to theater en-
gagements has been a bright
spot in his life.
"The most delightful thing
I've found along the way was
how beautiful my country is,"
he said.
"For all the magazines I ever
read and all the Walt Disney
true-life adventures I ever saw

as a kid, there was nothing
quite so extraordinary — quite
so wonderful — as discovering
what this country really feels
like as I went from place to
place and town to town."
`The Price" will be performed
at the Jewish Center at 8 p.m.
Wednesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays and 2 p.m. and 7
p.m. Sundays, Dec. 1-26. there
will be moderated discussions
after the Dec. 9, 16 and 23 per-
formances. A signed presenta-
tion for the hearing impaired
is scheduled for Dec. 19. For in-
formation, call 788-2900.0