STN Entertainment
Bowl Out The Barrel
first there was Tony 'n' Tina's Wed- theater production in the area," says
ding. Then there was Tony 'n' ;Theresa Maybee, a former Second City
Tony's Wedding. Now, Stash and 'Comedy Troupe member who founded the
Stella are exchanging vows, and
you're all invited to don your mono-
grammed polyester shirts and join in the
gala soiree.
A far-from-storybook romance, yet
quirky to be sure — you might say that
Stella was bowled over by Stash. So much
so, they're tying the knot at the site of their
first date — the Royal Oak Lanes.
Jerry J. Kaufman (Father Pierogi), Gretchen A. VanCleave (Wanda Bowlski), Michael Monette (Stash),
Jennifer Hunger (Stella), Theresa Maybee (maid of honor Strikes), Gary Haight (invited guest) and Eric
Weston (best man Jerzy Mazinski) plan to bowl the audience over with a night of fun, food and theater.
PHOTO BY DANIEL LIPP ITT
"(The Bowlski Wedding: Love in the
Lanes) is the first completely interactive
avant-garde theatrical company Spare Me
Productions with Eric Weston, Carol
Branston and Gary Haight.
'We're blending concepts of comedy and
expanding it into Polish proportions. We're
staging a Polish wedding— complete with
a spread of authentic Polish cuisine, danc-
ing to the Avalons (they've been doing pol-
ka for 40-50 years — they're all 100 per-
cent Polish), bowling and free brewski."
As the wedding guests, you'll be treat-
ed to the usual post-nuptial fare, includ-
ing a bountiful buffet, toasts, a chicken
dance or two, a little "Bei Mir Bist du
Schon" and the proverbial bouquet toss.
"After dinner, we'll have madness and
mayhem — just like at a wedding," says
Eric Weston, 23, of West Bloomfield, who
first met Maybee at Second City auditions.
The two were reunited when they were
hired by Toyota to each put on a comedy
improv act as part of the Auto Show tour.
"I can do about 100 original characters,"
says Weston, who plays the best man,
Jerzy Mazinski, in the Bowlski Wedding.
Maybee plays his girlfriend, Strikes, the
gutter girl.
"I think people really enjoy the impro-
visational aspect of theater because peo-
ple know you're flying by your pants," he
adds. "(The Bowlski Wedding) is great if
you can find people to go with. If you get
put in the hot seat, you want your friends
to be there to laugh at you."
As the man responsible for the "I Do"
portion of the evening, Jerry J. Kaufman,
attorney, actor, comedian and indepen-
dent candidate for the Michigan Supreme
Court, has honed his character careful-
ly.
"(The show's) like a Woody Allen kind
of comedy," he says.
"I was educated with Jesuit teachers at
U-D and took courses from a former priest
at Wayne State," Kaufman says about his
preparation for the pivotal role of Father
Pierogi within the cast of 25 local actors.
"I'm approaching it as a Jewish actor,
but I'm playing a priest — I'm Mandy
Patinkin playing a priest."
Any other inspirations?
"I've never been married, so I totally re-
late to the part," says Kaufman. "And, rm
celibate for the weekend." LI
— Julie Yolles
e Jointhe Bowlskis and the Pinskis
at Stash 'n' Stella's Wedding at 8 p.m.
tonight, Friday, June 28, and Satur-
day, June 29. Tickets are $40/person
or $75/couple, including show, dinner,
dancing and more Tickets can be pur-
chased in advance or at the door. Call
the Bowlski Wedding Hotline at (810)
642-6935 or Ticketmaster at (810) 645-
6666. Royal Oak Lanes,1017 S. Wash-
ington in Royal Oak
Following their gig with
KISS at Tiger Stadium's
sell-out concert, Detroit's
own will perform live at
Harmony House in Farm-
ington Hills. 30830 Or -
chard Lake Road. (810)
626-4533.
For Me and
My Gal
Joan
Armatrad ing
Further
Festival
Judy Garland and Gene
Kelly, in his film debut, star
in the 1942 Busby Berke-
ley musical. Southfield
Public Library, Marcotte
Room, 26000 Evergreen.
(810) 948-0470.
The songstress appears with
Richard Thompson and Susan
Werner at the Meadow Brook
Music Festival. (810) 645-
6666.
The Grateful Dead's Bob
Weir and Ratdog and Mick-
ey Hart's Mystery Box, Elec-
tric Hot Tuna., Las Lobos, the
Flying Karamazov Brothers
and Bruce Hornsby. The
music starts early at Pine
Knob. (810) 377-0100.
Mon., 10 p.m.
Tues., 1 & 7,p.m.
Tues., 7:30 p.m.
Wed. 4 p.m.
Neil Diamond
Sponge
He's now a little bit country
and comin' to America —
Detroit, that is. Palace of
Auburn Hills. (810) 377-
0100.
Mon.-Tues., 8 p.m.