Patting Act
An acting and directing
couple will leave the
Ridgedale Players for Tucson.
_
lthough Hal Safron
and Jacqui Saltz grad-
ually are bowing out
of their 15-year asso-
ciation with the
Ridgedale Players,
the husband-and-
- wife team is happy
to have a family
member warm-
ing up in the wings.
Just finished with their last
directing assignment, The
Cemetery Club, for the Troy-
based community theater
group, the two will audition for
parts in upcoming plays and
join backstage crews until they
move to Tucson this summer.
Her daughter, Lynn Rubin,
has picked up on their interest
and will continue as a
Ridgedale board member and
actress while the Safron/Saltz
duo scouts new stage opportu-
nities out West .
Ridgedale has been much
more than an after-work activ-
ity for the couple, but Mr.
Safron's July 1994 retire-
ment as a program man-
ager with the Internal
Revenue Service seemed
the right time to move to
a warmer climate and a
place where he could de-
vote more time to writing
scripts.
A Wayne State Univer-
sity mass communications
graduate who gave his fa-
vorite interest a back-row
seat so he could be a sta- Jacqui Saltz and Hal Safron: Stepping out of the spotlight
ble provider, Mr. Safron
now is ready to bring his
"People tend to be very
"I really enjoy making the au-
academic background and
friendly, and there's a lot of so-
dience laugh so I've done a lot
Michigan theater experience to
cializing. I've done work with
of comedies," he said. "I also en-
center stage.
other groups. but I've felt most
joy getting more out of the peo-
He has written three mys-
at home with Ridgedale."
ple on stage than they think
teries for Ridgedale and re-
Perhaps one reason for that
they are able to give.
cently learned that Tucson
feeling has to do with using
"In The Cemetery Club, there
theater groups remain very
their Southfield home in ways
were people who had little con-
open to trying new material.
that have become traditional
fidence in their ability to do
"I feel that I'm just beginning
with the organization.
something as hard as that, and
in terms of creativity," said Mr.
"It's important to create a
I worked with them. They did
Safron, who has been a direc-
friendly and supportive atmos-
very, very well, and the pro-
tor, actor and tech-
phere, and that's what we try
duction was wonderful.
nician in a variety
to do with every play," Mr.
"It's very rewarding to hear
of Ridgedale pro-
Safron explained. "The first
from people that they enjoyed
ductions.
read-through of every play is at
working with us."
"I just want to
our house.
Although Ms. Saltz loved go-
have more time
ing to the theater, she did not
for theater. All the
get involved with any theater
hours that I had
group until she met her hus-
to spend at my job
band-to-be at a MENSA single's
can now be spent
party. On their first date, they
in other pur-
went to a show with Ridgedale
suits."
"After dress rehearsals, we
members.
While Mr.
come back to the house for view-
During their 14-year mar-
Safron would
ing our videotapes and having
riage, she has assisted her hus-
rather direct, as
chili," added Ms. Saltz. She also
band with directing, acted in
he did for more
enjoys painting and sculpting,
Fiddler on the Roof and taken
than 15
talents she uses when working
on technical tasks, all in addi-
Ridgedale plays,
on Ridgedale props and scenery.
tion to her private social work
he fully appreci-
The group renovated the
practice, which she plans to fos-
ates the other
Troy church that became the
ter in Tucson.
responsibilities
Ridgedale Playhouse almost 10
"Ridgedale is more like a
he has had.
years ago, when the troupe had
family than anything else, " said
to move from a facility across 10
Mr. Safron, who is pleased that
Mile Road from the Detroit Zoo.
his two grown children and her
Fifteen years
as Ridgedale
With the 1-696 expressway
three grown children have been
Players.
going through, Ridgedale was
members of their audience, en-
paid for its building and bought
couraging their special interest.
"Ridgedale is more
like a family."
Photos by Glenn Triest
SUZANNE CHESSLER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
the church and surrounding
property.
Mr. Safron and Ms. Saltz at-
tribute the success of their mar-
riage and their joint theater
ventures to communication
skills, nurtured by their in-
volvement with Jewish Mar-
riage Enrichment, a couples
group that meets to discuss top-
ics of common interest.
Before deciding to move to
Tucson, the couple communi-
cated with a close friend who al-
ready was living there and
could direct them toward the
features that would appeal to
them.
"Tucson has all of the things
we both want," Ms. Saltz said.
"It's beautiful, and it's warm. It
has activities outdoors that we
both enjoy. It has adequate the-
ater, and I am able to work
there.
"I do have some separation
anxiety because we have a lot
of friends in Michigan that we
really care about as well as fam-
ily.
"The way we have resolved
some of that is by planning to
have a guest room with a cal-
endar on the wall. Our friends
will tell us when they're corn-
ing, and we will write them in.
We hope everyone comes to vis-
it, and we plan on returning
every summer."
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