STN Entertainment

Sibling Revelry

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PHOTO BY DANIEL LIPPITT

Brooklyn-born
Sara Goode, manag-
an
ing director of the
. Hong Kong/Shanghai
Bank Europe, has all but re-
nounced her Jewish faith. Her
sister, Gorgeous Teitelbaum, is
a middle-aged suburban
Boston housewife who wears
fake Chanel suits, imitation
Ferragamo shoes and is the
host of a radio call-in talk show.
Their youngest sibling, Pfeni,
is an eccentric, semi-spiritual,
globe-trotting journalist whose
latest book is titled Life in the
Afghan Village.
These are the Rosensweig
women, the trio at the heart of
Wendy Wasserstein's Best
Broadway Play of the 1992-93
season (Outer Critics Circle),
the comic-drama The Sisters
Rosensweig.
Over the course of a couple
days at Sara's London home,
the three women, with the help
Left to right: Duffy Wineman (Gorgeous), Mary Jolliffe (Sara), and Julie Yolles (Plen') are The Sisters Rosensweig.
of an odd assortment of guests,
come to accept where their
Working with a mainly non-Jewish cast, says
lifestyle choices have taken them — and gain a greater
Smith, was challenging in that "so much of what the
understanding of themselves and each other.
characters talk about is how they grew up, (Jew-
Though the story functions on several levels — it's
ish) life in Europe before the Holocaust and the tra-
about identity, faith, women's choices, and "about pos-
ditions of their parents and grandparents."
sibilities," writes Wasserstein — it is very much a play
Smith says the cast spent time researching faith
that explores the modern-day Jewish-American ex-
and
its importance in traditional Jewish life. For the
perience.
scene that involves Gorgeous lighting the Shabbat
"A lot of what the show is about is growing up Jew-
candles, the cast brought in Lisa Jacobs, a practic-
ish and the choices people make as to whether to em-
ing Orthodox Jew and actress, to demonstrate and
brace their religion or, in some cases, whether not to,"
offer Hebrew pronounciation tips. Smith, who is not
says Amy Smith, who's director of the play that's open-
Jewish, has worked with the Holocaust Memorial
ing tonight at St. Dunstan's Guild of Cranbrook in
Center in West Bloomfield, which provided her, she
Bloomfield Hills.
says, with a tremendous insight and "deep respect"

Oscar Shorts

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Mon., 7:30 p m.

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An undisputed folk-music tradi-
tion, Guthrie plays keyboards,
6- and 12-string guitar and har-
monica. The Ark in 'Ann Arbor
hosts his two performances this
-week. $17.50. (313) 761-1451.

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The e b a d -boy poet of rock 'n' roll
takes the stage at the State The-
atre on the heels of his latest re-
lease. $23.50. (313) 961-5450.

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Sun., March 24
1 & 3 p.m.

Arlo
Guthrie

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Screening of Aca demy Award
nominees for animated live ac-
t ion and documentary short
films. Two different programs.
$10/person at door or $15 for
both shows. Maple Theatres.
(810) 855-9091.

Lou
Reed

Tues. & Wed., 8 p.m.

for Judaism. That knowledge
has served her well over the
past month.
Besides instilling the pro-
duction with a true under-
standing of its characters,
Smith and her cast members
faced a script that is not only
dialogue intensive, but also in-
tellectually challenging.
"Wendy Wasserstein's use
of the language is so exquis-
ite," Smith says. "There are a
million different references to
culture and art that we've had
to look up and figure out what
they mean."
Whether or not the audience
will pick up on all the subtle
symbolism, the play's humor
and messages will probably
resonate with most people.
"You can't escape where you've
come from," says Smith, ex-
pressing one of Wasserstein's
central themes. "Your heritage
makes you what you are."

—Liz Stevens

-,, ,_-_,--_
onverSations With ,..
Women in the Spirit:
Past, Present
and Future

The Sojourner Foundation for
women and girls presents this
staged work, a theatrical dia-
logue with women who shaped
history. At the Roostertail Cater-
ing Club in Detroit. $40. (313)
535-7743.

Wed. 5:30-8p m

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