A Sharing Conference
With A Dramatic Theme
SUZANNE CHESSLER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
W
hat is the American
Jewish theater and
why have one?
That question will be
addressed by representatives of
35 stage companies attending the
1994 Spring Conference of the
Council of Jewish Theatres
(CJT). The theme will pervade
lectures and discussions sched-
uled June 12-14 at the Maple-
Drake Jewish Community
Center.
Hosting the annual meeting
for the first time the Jewish En-
semble Theatre (JET) has made
arrangements for speakers with
national and local perspectives
on funding re-
/-2
sources, audience
expansion, new play
development, cultural
bridges and cross-ethnic cast-
ing.
"We share a lot of significant
challenges as not-for-profit the-
aters and as part of the Jewish
community, and we get a chance
to find out what others are do-
ing," said JET artistic director
Evelyn Orbach, who worked with
the council's steering committee
to set up the program.
"I've been discussing our main
topic with members of our own
community, and now I can hear
what people from other areas
have to say."
Although some of the theaters
are professional, like JET, many
more are at the community lev-
el, using volunteer performers in-
stead of a paid cast. All, however,
are working to foster religious
continuity.
Among the speakers bringing
a national outlook will be Nello
McDaniel, director of Arts Action
Research in New York, who
recently helped JET establish a
strategic plan necessary to apply
for a state grant; Dr. Ellen Schiff;
author and scholar who has
researched plays with Jewish
subjects; and Detroiter George
Zeltzer, past chairman of the
National Foundation for Jewish
Culture, which sponsors the
CJT.
Local presenters include Dr.
David Magidson, Wayne State
University dean of fine arts;
Barbara Logan, director of mar-
keting and publicity for the Jew-
ish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit; and Susan
Terebelo, public relations con-
sultant.
"We become very dependent
on each other and on each other's
play suggestions," said Herb
Katz, arts director of the Jewish
Community Center in
Rochester, N.Y. "Be-
cause some of us
are doing the
same plays, we
can share experi-
ences with each
other as well
as those who
might want to try
these produc-
tions. Some-
times participants
can get one new idea that can
make a big difference."
A continuing concern of Jew-
ish theaters is attracting gentile
audiences, so Mr. Katz invited
Falsettos playwright William
Finn to address the conference
last year and opened the session
to the general theater communi-
ty.
Reva Stern, artistic director of
the Leah Posluns Theatre — at-
tached by a walk-through to the
Jewish Community Center in
Toronto — brings staff members
to the conference so they can take
part in the exchange of ideas.
"There is a sense of trust so
that people feel comfortable talk-
ing about both the good and the
bad," said Ms. Stem, who also ap-
preciates the give-and-take of
steering committee conference
calls held periodically between
the conferences.
"Finding really wonderful new
works is less of a problem now
that we have been sending scripts
to one another." ❑
.
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