"I got readdicted [to smoking]. I figured
I'd quit again after the show," says Jacobs,
who borrowed her integral, simulated-1936
props from her friend and fellow commu-
nity theater actress, Linda Rabin Ham-
men, who played the same role the year
before at Village Players in Birmingham.
"For the play, you couldn't just smoke
any cigarette," says Jacobs, who first met
Hammen when they both were perform-
ing in Barnum at Ridgedale Players. "Lin-
da found a brown papered cigarette that
was filtered — in the play they were called
`Wild Woodbines' — and she gave me her
leftovers."
Stagecrafters member Frederick Shu-
lak came to witness Jacobs' method act-
ing. After all, the two have been
community theater compatriots, friends
and dog lovers for years. Shulak, a veteri-
narian, was Dr. Shulak to Jacobs' Maltese.
All In The Family
ome people are born to be Broadway
babies. Others are not.
"I'm the warm male body," jokes
Steve Matz who, three weeks into Fid-
dler on the Roof rehearsals, was recruit-
ed for a walk-on, nonspeaking role.
His 9-year-old daughter, Rachel,
the veteran actor in the family —
she's performed for the past four
years in various Nancy Gurwin
productions — was playing Bielke,
Tevye's youngest daughter. By
opening night, Steve Matz had
graduated from being "part of the
scenery" to a named speaking role
— Sasha, the Russian — and bot-
tle dancer to boot.
S
April. They are temple members. Mar-
sha Rofel is producing the large endeav-
or.
Their daughter Leslie, an eighth-grad-
er at O.E. Dunckel Middle School, was in
the ensemble of Fiddler when Nancy Gur-
win said, "You know, we need a couple
more papas for Fiddler."
"At first I said 'no,' " says Rofel, a CPA
taneously as stage manager and chorus
member in Gypsy.
What's up next for the Sherlines? Look
for Stephanie as an orphan and David on
lights for Nancy Gurwin's Annie, running
Jan. 26-Feb. 16.
❑
See Curtain Call, page 74
Left: "I'll never forget my
first experience in
Fiddler," says Rick
Sherline, who was
Mordcha, the innkeeper.
"There was a bomb
scare at the JCC during
`Tradition,' the opening
number ... About 45
minutes after we had
evacuated and the police
combed the building, we
actually started the show
from the top again. About
two-thirds of the
audience stayed and we
finished the show."
Center: Steve Mat made
his debut in Fiddler on
the Roof as Sasha, the
Russian. His daughter,
Rachel, was Tevye's
youngest daughter,
Bielke. Rachel will play
an orphan in Annie in
Nancy Gurwin's
production, Jan. 26-Feb.
16, at the Maple-Drake
JCC.
On the JNE Cover, Sam Weiner played
Mr. Mushnik, the Jewish flower shop
owner, in Little Shop of Horrors at
Grosse Pointe Theatre.
"It's neat to be known for what
your kids do," says Matz, who nev-
er dropped his bottle in all seven
performances. "In the theater com-
munity, I'm known as 'Rachel's
dad.' "
A novice actor to be sure, Matz
had always coached his two sons
in basketball, swimming and ten-
nis.
"It was a wonderful experience, very
professional and fun to do with Rachel,"
says Matz, who'd leave his law practice
for the day, swim or work out at the
Maple-Drake JCC and just walk down-
stairs to rehearsals in the JCC Aaron
DeRoy Theatre. "As part of our bedtime
routine, we'd go through our lines to-
gether. Now, we have inside jokes for each
other."
"I went from a pirate to a beggar,"
laughs John Rofel, another warm body
recruited for Fiddler. "I'm really mov-
ing up in the world."
His journey started in 9th grade at
Clinton Junior High in Oak Park when
he was a pirate in Pirates of Penzance.
His wife, Marsha, and he were junior high
school sweethearts — a choir romance.
The husband-wife duo have been in a
number of choral musical groups togeth-
er over the years and will be involved in
Temple Beth El's Broadway revue in
who squeezes in musi-
cal performances pre-
tax season. "Then I
thought it would be a
neat father-daughter
thing to remember the
rest of our lives. It was
really, really special.
Something we could
share together."
Rick, Tova, David
and Stephanie Sherline
feel the same way. In
the past six Nancy Our-
win productions, at
least one family mem-
ber has been involved; in Music Man, the
father-son-daughter team performed on-
stage while mom worked backstage.
Typically, Rick and Stephanie, 11, are
in the chorus; Tova is the props queen
and David, 14, works lights, has musi-
cally directed and even pinch-hit simul-
PH OTO BY DANI EL LIPPIIT
He's been active in community theater
since 1978, following his divorce. Single
for 18 years, Shulak is an "unattached
man, looking for the Adelaide to his
Nathan Detroit," he quips, referencing
the musical Guys and Dolls.
Shulak first got his start at the Wind-
sor Light Opera Association in Canada.
In 1991, he joined Stagecrafters in Roy-
al Oak, a closer drive from his veterinary
practice in Southfield and home in
Rochester Hills. Since then, musicals
have been his forte, with roles in Any-
thing Goes, 42nd Street and Gypsy, among
others.
"I was in the production of Kismet in
Windsor. I was a palace guard, and I had
to stand motionless with a sword in my
hand. There were 1,200 people in the
Clearly Auditorium, and four hand-
maidens in harem outfits at my feet. One
maiden decided to paint my toenails," re-
calls Shulak, laughing hysterically. "I
knew what was happening, but I couldn't
move. So I just stood there with my sword
in my hands."
The nail polish was red. And so was
Shulak. Oh well, that's show biz. ❑
Below: Father-daughter
team John and Leslie
Rofel in Fiddler on the
Roof. "As a novice in the
theater, it was great to
see all these people
from different walks of
life come together and
create the atmosphere,
time and place of
Anatevka," says John
Rofel, who played
Nacham the beggar.