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A Passion For Piano . . .94

Celebrating

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, oel Steingold has not finished his theater program at Wayne
State University, but he's already working professionally. The
22-year-old actor has been hired for industrial films and did
voice-overs for this year's auto show.
After graduating from college in May, he will move to Los Angeles,
where career opportunities are greater. In the meantime, he's pleased to
have a major role in the Bonstelle Theatre production of The Piano
Lesson, which opens Friday, Jan. 29, and runs through Feb. 7.
In the August Wilson play, Steingold portrays Boy Willie, who wants
to sell his family's heirloom, a hand-carved piano, and use the money to
buy farmland. Willie's sister wants to hold on to the family's legacy.
The play is about the importance of culture, heritage and family,"
says Steingold, who has appeared at the Bonstelle in productions of
Dracula and Twelfth Night and in the Studio Theatre production of

The Elephant Man.

"It's a good portrayal of a family
interested in preserving its culture,
Left: Joel Steingold:
and I can call upon a double dose of
" 'The Piano Lesson' is a good
that with my Jewish heritage and my
portrayal of a family interested
in preserving its culture."
black heritage."
Steingold, the son of Jacqueline
Steingold, started his religious
studies at Temple Emanu-El when he was 5. He had both his bar mitz-
vah and confirmation at the temple.
The theater enthusiast knew he wanted to make acting and direct-
ing his life's work while participating in the Performing Arts Guild at
Cass Technical High School in Detroit, where he was cast in Dream
Girls and Runaways. Before enrolling at Wayne, he attended Carolina
School of the Arts.
"I picked that school because it
was one of the best in the country,
but it was too strict, says Stein-
gold, who recently became a mem-
ber of the Screen Actors Guild.
"I've interned at MTV, where I was
part of a production team for a
music video."
As Steingold rehearses for The
Piano Lesson, he thinks of his char-
acter as very much like him. Both
are high-energy people who like to
talk a lot.
"I'm not as bull-headed," the
Detroit actor says. "I can listen to
,,
a reasonable argument.
Steingold, who has worked with
a young boy for two years through
a mentoring program at the Paul
Robeson Academy in Detroit,
thinks it's important to give back
"The Piano Lesson," starring
to the community. For fun, he likes to
Judi Williams as Berniece
ski and play basketball and tennis.
and Joel Steingold as Boy
On stage and off, Steingold wel-
Willie, explores the struggle
comes the opportunity to entertain.
between future dreams and
"I want to cause an emotional
the legacy of the past.
change in people," he says.

The Piano Lesson will be performed at 8 p.m. Fridays and Satur-
days and 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 29-Feb. 7, at the Bonstelle Theatre,
3424 Woodward, Detroit. Tickets are $8-$10. (313) 577-2960.