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Right: Playwright
Ian Strasfogel:
"I noticed when I
was involved closely
with my father dur-
in7 his illness that
t ere is an innate
theatricality to
Alzheimer's. "
cm ad in The
_\ews
Gap & Gown
i Special
Sectioni
Far right: Composer-
Allen Shawn:
"Music is in its own
compartment with a
life of its own."
"I noticed when I was involved
closely with my father during his illness
that there is an innate theatricality to
Alzheimer's because you're constantly
trying to figure out what the patient
means. Is the patient suddenly going to
react badly or is the patient suddenly
going to react with pleasure? There's no
code of reference on which one can rely
any longer.
"The attitude the play has, and the
attitude that I have, is that this is
another way of living that often can be
met with extraordinary resourceful-
ness, charm, humor and delight with-
out lying about the nature of the dis-
ease and what the final outcome
inevitably is. It's that affirmative, vivid
and humorous side that's given the
play its special course."
Before working on The Caregiver,
Strasfogel collaborated on works for
musical theater. His dramatic portraits
of classical composers have been per-
formed by actors such as F. Murray
Abraham and Roddy McDowall in
association with leading American
orchestras.
Music composed and performed for
The Caregiver by Allen Shawn helps
convey character. Shawn, who has
recorded a CD of his piano music for
Albany Records, made.a tape to be
used at each performance.
"I found it very easy to identify
with the main character," says Shawn,
51, who also composed the music for
the film My Dinner with Andre (the
film will be shown at the Detroit Film
Theatre May 7-9) and is experienced
writing incidental music for theater as
well as chamber and piano music.
"For me, music is in its own compart-
ment with a life of its own, so it makes
perfect sense that the main character
does something similar with it."
Because the melodies are supposed
to be improvised by the maestro
played by Frieder, Shawn, who teaches
composition at Vermont's Bennington
College, tried to evoke a sense of con-
templation.
"The piano improvisations are cru-
cial to the meaning of the story, and
there are four separate instances where
they occur," Strasfogel explains. "It
was absolutely essential that an impor-
tant composer write them because
they had to have the right feel stylisti-
cally and also reflect the theatrical sit-
uation.
"This is very much based on my
father's situation. When he was only
able to carry on a conversation for five
or 10 minutes without losing his
thread, he still was able to sit down at
the piano and play beautifully and
improvise wonderfully so that the
music had structure and originality.
He was trained at the Berlin
Conservatory as a pianist and compos-
er, and evidently this training
remained with him to a far greater
degree than his verbal ability."
Although both the playwright and
composer are Jewish, there is little eth-
nic content in the script or the music.
The only reference to religion has to
do with identifying the conductor as a
refugee from Hitler's Germany.
"My new play has much more of a
Jewish theme," Strasfogel says. Its a
three-actor play with two characters,
and it's much more abstract." I I
'
SIZES / PRICES
ISSUE DATE:
ctg
1999
AD DEADLINE: N 7,1999
SAMPLE AD
Columns x 2": $45.00
2 Columns x 3": $65.00
2 Columns x Li $85.00
2 COlTDDS x 5": $100.00
We are so proud of you and
all your accomplishments.
Love,
Mom, Dad and Dan
r
PLEASE WRITE COPY LEGIBLY. ENCLOSE BLACK & WHITE PHOTO IF YOU'D LIKE
(If you would like your photo back, please include a self - addressed stamped envelope)
The Caregiver will be per-
formed at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays,
Thursdays and Sundays; 8 p.m.
Saturdays; and 2 p.m. Sundays,
April 28-May 30, at the Aaron
DeRoy Theatre in the D. Dan
and Betty Kahn Building of the
Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit in West
Bloomfield. Thursday evening
performances will be followed by
forums moderated by community
leaders who are professionally
involved with• the issues confront-
ed in the play. Tickets are $15-
$23, with student and senior dis-
counts available. (248) 788 - 2900.
Please use art: ❑ Graduation Cap
Check Enclosed for $
Signature
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❑ "Congrats" Art
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Exp. Date
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For farther Informattoa call Barbara at (248) 354-5959.
4/23
1999
Detroit Jewish News 97