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Bridegroom, made its way to Broad-
way and earned Uhry a Tony nomi-
nation. But he considered going back
to teaching when his writing career
stalled. Then, along came Miss Daisy
to change everything.
Uhry now lives in New York City
with his wife, former Detroiter Joan-
na Kellogg, whom he met at Brown,
and their four daughters. "My wife
grew up in Birmingham," says Uhry.
"She went to Kingswood and Gran-
brook. In fact, we were married in
her back yard."
While Uhry's wife is not Jewish,
the playwright says she has encour-
aged him to "keep his Judaism.
"I had never been to a seder [in
my own home] until I vas married,"
he says. "Even though both of my
parents were Jewish, I was raised
with an Easter egg hunt and a
Christmas tree — just like in Bally-
hoo.''
Currently, Uhry is working on a
new Broadway musical, Parade,
which is scheduled to begin previews
Nov. 12 and open Dec. 17 at the
Vivian Beaumont Theater.
Parade is set in Atlanta and tells
the story of Leo Frank, a German
Jew who managed the National Pen-
cil Company. Frank was wrongfully
convicted of murdering a young girl
who worked at the pencil company,
was kidnapped from prison and
killed by a lynch mob in 1915.
The much anticipated production
incorporates music and lyrics by
newcomer Jason Robert Brown and
is being directed by Hal Prince. Like
Uhry's other work, Parade reflects a
personal connection. Uhry's uncle
owned National Pencil and his
grandmother brought food to Frank
in prison. El
The Last Night of Ballyhoo opens
for previews Oct. 14 and runs
through Nov. 15 at the Jewish
Ensemble Theatre. Performances
are 7 p.m. Thursdays; 8 p.m.
Saturdays; and 2 and 7 p.m.
Sundays, with additional mati-
nees scheduled for Wednesdays,
Oct. 28 and Nov. 4. JET is locat-
ed in the Aaron DeRoy Theater
inside the Kahn Jewish Commu-
nity Center at 6600 W Maple
Road in West Bloomfield. Ticket
prices are $13-$23, with student,
senior and group discounts avail-
able. For tickets and more infor-
mation, call (248) 788-2900.
A
lOt
lis Anniversary
Ai Season
A gala will
celebrate JET'S
decade of
memorable
performances.
T
his month the Jewish
Ensemble Theatre (JET)
will be celebrating 10 sea-
sons of professional the-
ater in West Bloomfield. To com-
memorate the event and recognize
the accomplishments of its founding
members and supporters, a gala din-
ner-dance, "Blast Off," will be held
at Temple Israel on Nov. 22.
JN Publisher Arthur Horwitz is
honorary chairman and WDIV-TV
Channel 4 anchor Lila Lazarus,
Evelyn Orbach: "We want our plays to be provocative
daughter of JET Artistic Director
and. interesting and deal with gutsy issues."
Evelyn Orbach, is the MC. The
evening will include a video mon-
• Resident Alien, by Stuart Spencer, is an
tage of past JET shows and also music by
intergalactic comedy of love and acceptance
Nouveaute.
that will have its Midwest premiere. Dec. 2-
Orbach, one of the theater's founders, says
Jan. 3, 1999.
the group is hoping to attract about 400 to
• Never The Sinner, by John Logan, is the
the gala.
winner of this year's Outer Circle Award for
"JET," says Orbach, "is the Midwest's
Best Off-Broadway play. It tells the story of
only professional Jewish theater. We want
the thrill killing of 14-year-old Bobby Franks
our plays to be provocative and interesting
by two rich, Jewish intellectuals, Nathan
and deal with gutsy issues. We want to be
Leopold and Richard Loeb, teenagers them-
an educational resource for adults and chil-
selves. Feb. 10-March 7, 1999.
dren. Ultimately, we hope to have a conser-
• The Caregiver, written by Ian Strasfogel,
vatory, a place for creative learning in the
is about a young conductor trying to follow
arts, a theater where kids can go as well as
in his famous father's footsteps and gain his
adults.
approval. He finds a caregiver for his ailing
"And, we want to be performing all the
father, who then falls in love with the care-
time. My dream is that there will never be a
giver. April 28-May 30, 1999.
dark weekend throughout the year."
— Alice Burdick Schweiger
A Michigan Allied Professional Theatres
(MAPT) award recipient, Orbach will play
one of the lead roles in JET's opening play,
Ticket prices for the 10th anniversary gala
The Last Night of Ballyhoo, which will be
honoring the founding members of JET
directed by Nick Calanni and run Oct. 14-
will be held NOV. 22 at Temple Israel.
Nov. 15.
Tickets are $125 and $250. For more
The rest of the 1998-99 season schedule is
information, call (248) 788-2900.
as follows:
10/9
1998
Detroit Jewish News
89