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TWIST OF FATE from page 75
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Okin, 30, came up with the idea for
by the two actors and the composer,
the play after going through his own
who performs off to the side.
spiritual renewal. Raised with a very
"This is a traveling play, which
peripheral view of Judaism, he had a
means it is still different every time
bar mitzvah but didn't care very much
and every different place it plays," says
about religion for a long time after
Okin, planning to tour with it to
that. Instead, he built his life around
Michigan, where he will be stage man-
an interest in theater, film and music.
ager and operate the lights.
"I didn't choose to focus on writing
The very religious, the very obser-
for theater until I was 17, and I
vant, respond more to the religious
entered the writing program at New
character and his perspective, whereas
a York University," Okin recalls. "The
everyone else responds more to the
stuff I used to do [until] three years
secular character who becomes more
ago was cutting edge and shocking.
spiritual. The play, as it stands now, is
"I was living in California trying to
a little ambiguous at the end.
make it in the entertainment industry,
Members of the audience can write
and I was doing OK working a lit-
their own conclusions.
tle bit as a writer. My wife and I
"After people see this show,
decided to explore Judaism again
there's usually a very positive feel-
in some way and went to a
ing of unity that seems to be pal-
Friday night service.
pable. I can't document this,
"We just walked into a
but it's a gut feeling that I
synagogue, and the
have, which is definitely
the feeling
rabbi brought us
home for a Shabbat
of the
meal. What we
people
experienced that
who bring
evening opened
this show into
their communities."
our eyes to the
The performance for
Torah and the
the Detroit Jewish community
potential for spiri-
will honor Dr. Allen and Andrea
tuality that led us
Stawis for their work with the spon-
on a different path.
soring synagogue.
Once I became more
Okin's company also is
observant as a Jew, I
Avi Kuntsler will
decided that I wanted to
play the English and touring Second Chances, a
Twist of Faith sequel, which
combine my writing experi-
Hebrew songs he
ence with my quest for
composed for "Twist has the commodities broker
of Faith," a two-per- trying to reconnect with his
spiritual growth."
son play with music. estranged father.
Okin
and
his
wife,
Lisa,
/-
Glad both plays are mov-
an entertainment attorney,
ing into larger venues, Okin also is
moved back to New York to .start a
trying to get an earlier, more secular
production company, b.t. media. The
play produced. Additionally, he has
"b.t." stands for baal teshuva, someone
begun writing a musical. Gurin is
who returns to observance in Judaism.
working on a three-person play.
A newspaper ad for a writer connected
"Our upcoming productions will
the Okins with Michael Gurin, a
have some Jewish twists to them but a
short-fiction writer whose life was tak-
little less than our current two shows,"
ing a similar turn.
Okin says. "I think we'll be producing
"Michael had a different [personal]
shows that are less obviously Jewish but
story but a similar type of feeling
heavily spiritual, based on teachings of
about being successful in the enter-
the Torah, and really universal." Fl
tainment industry and growing as a
Jew," Okin explains. "I created the
concept for this play, and we would
take turns writing it and going over it
Twist of Faith will be per-
until it all came out. We had a staged
formed 7:30 p.m. Monday, July
reading and heard how it sounded."
26, at the Millennium Theatre in
Careful not to call Twist of Faith a
Southfield, followed by an after-
musical, Okin explains that the two-
glow. Tickets are $50/$100/$150
person play with music has English
adults; $25 young adults 30 and
and Hebrew songs composed by Avi
under and seniors 65 and older;
Kunstler. Okin discovered Kunstler's
$18 students. For reservations or
talent for guitar-based, folk-rock, reli-
more information, call the Torah
gious melodies through a recording
Center at (248) 855-6170 or
found in a Jewish culture store. The
e - mail at bctc@aol.com .
production features numbers presented
****
"If there is a better show in town...
it has to be the one that
takes place back stage"
- Martin F Kohn, Detroit Free Press
* * *
"The show is two hours of fun...
wonderfully wacky"
- Michael H. Margolin, Detroit News
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Detroit Jewish News
7/16
1999
85