-

ster Builder

C

budgets and step-by-step evaluation.
"Designing sets in Russia was dif-
ferent philosophically from designing
sets in the United States," explains
ihe next production of Village
1 Players of Birmingham,
Kaushansky. American theater is com-
Fiddler on the Roof, brought
mercial while Russian theater is
impacted by the support and control
some new opportunities for
those interested in learning about set
of the government. "The desire for
planning and construction. Larry
artistic freedom brought me to the
United States," he says.
Kaushansky, director of scenic design
for the Hilberry and Bonstelle theaters
Kaushansky, 57, earned a bachelor
at Wayne State University,
of fine arts degree from
Left: Larry Kaushansky:
conducted a five-session
the College of Art in
His design credits at the
workshop using the musical
Kishinev and a master's
Hilberry this season
as a case study.
degree in set and cos-
include
"The Mousetrap" tume design from
"This was an interesting
and "Light Up the Sky" Leningrad's Institute of
project because it gave stu-
dents the opportunity to
Theatre, Music and
learn about the mentality of the people
Film. He also learned his craft through`
in the shtetl while doing theater
special courses in theatrical set and
research," says Kaushansky, who
costume design at the Ministry of
Culture in Moscow.
designed sets and taught in Russia
before establishing a career in America
He later served as a professor of
and being hired to teach at Wayne.
set and costume design at the Institute
Kaushansky covered the following
of Art in Kishinev, where he became
topics as workshops progressed: visual
set and costume designer-in-residence
at the Academy of Drama. He also
elements in a production, floor plans,
the impact of choreography, construc-
worked as art director at the Academy
tion schedules, material requirements,
of Opera and Ballet in the same city.

SUZANNE CHESSLER

Special to The Jewish News

Larry Kaushansk 3i

sets the stage at

Wiyne „State

.

Metro Detroit Jews return to the shtetl in "Fiddler."

nother college instructor,
\ Debi Bernstein-Siegel, is
doing the choreography for
Fiddler on the Roof, which
will be presented weekends March 12-
14, 19-21 and 26-27 by the
Birmingham Village Players.
The dancer, who teaches at
Oakland University and Marygrove
College, is involved with her third
production for Village Players. She
performed in Guys and Dolls and was
the choreographer for Bye Bye Birdie.
There's a detailed choreographic
manual for Fiddler on the Roof and I feel
the spirit of Jerome Robbins is watching
over me," Bernstein-Siegel says.
The Michigan-based choreograph-
er, who grew up in Chicago, has a sis-
ter who performed in Fiddler on the
Roof on Broadway.
"I try to communicate a sense of
how important dance is to a commu-

3/5

1999

72 Detroit Jewish News

nity," says Bernstein-Siegel, who.
received her bachelor's and master's
degrees from Ohio State University.
"Every community has dance as an
integral part of how it expresses itself.
The steps communicate who they are
as a people, and the steps in Fiddler on
the Roof communicate a Jewish identi-
Clockwise from top left: Choreographer Debi-Bernstein Siegel: "Eve?) , community has
ty that shows pride and reverence."
dance
as an integal part of how it expresses itself" Liz Walters plays Golde; Ian M071 drOW
Bernstein-Siegel, whose family has
juggles two parts — Mendel and a bottle dancer; Rob Grodin takes the role of Avrahm
belonged to Temple Beth El since
the bookseller; Paul Bernstein portrays Perchik; Rachel Cantor is Hodel
1991, moved to the area in 1984,_
when her husband's work as a doctor
Pajama Game, Damn Yankees and
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,
brought them to the area. She was
Company, among others. She's no
Hamlet and The Fantasticks.
employed as a dance therapist before
stranger to television, either. On
Paul Bernstein of Royal Oak plays
becoming an instructor.
"Wheel of Fortune," Walters won cash
the role of Perchik, the student dissi-
There are 10 Jewish performing
and a Corvette convertible.
dent. A school social worker and lover
cast members taking part in this pro-
Walter's niece, Rachel Cantor of
of the great outdoors, Bernstein has
duction of Fiddler.
West Bloomfield, plays Hodel, one of
appeared in Bye, Bye Birdie and has
Liz Walters of West Bloomfield
Tevye and Golde's five daughters. An
directed Edward Albee's The Zoo Story.
plays Tevye's wife, Golde. No stranger
accomplished ballet dancer, Cantor
Playing Avram the bookseller is
to well-loved musicals, Walters has
has studied at Interlochen, and previ-
Rob Grodin of Huntington Woods.
appeared in Gypsy, Annie get Your Gun,
ously appeared in Joseph and the
Grodin, a nuclear medicine technolo-