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MINNIE'S BOYS

tarist/vocalist Ed Robertson, bassist Jim
Creegan, drummer Tyler Stewart and
multi-instrumentalist Kevin Hearn.
"There are so many great comedians
from Canada: Mike Myers, Leslie
Nielsen, John Candy, Phil Hartman,"
Robertson told Rolling Stone magazine.
"There's something about being up
there and digesting all this culture, but
also being removed from the source of
it, that gives you a sort of twisted out-
sider's perspective on things."
Barenaked Ladies performs three
concerts at Pine Knob, at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept.
3-5. Tickets are $33.50 pavil-
ion/$25 lawn. (248) 645-6666;
www. ticketmaster. corn

and 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug.
NORTHERN
28. Each screening will be
preceded by an organ over-
EXPOSURE a
ture that begins one-half
When eclectic rockers
hour before show time.
Barenaked Ladies, the
In At the Circus (1939),
pop/rock/folk/country
the Marx Brothers save a
band that formed in 1988
circus from bankruptcy.
as part of Toronto's grow-
Groucho plays the shyster
ing alternative music
lawyer J. Cheever
scene,
performed last year
GAIL ZIM MERMAN
Loophole and sings the
at a benefit concert
Arts & Ent >rtainment
risque "Lydia, the Tattoed
Edi for
arranged by Neil Young,
Lady" In Go West (1940),
he reportedly exclaimed,
the boys tackle a western
"Wow — you guys are
villain. The finale is a train chase in
just like the Marx Brothers!"
which theyliterally tear their train
No surprise. Humor is like breath-
apart to fuel the wood-burning engine.
ing for the members of this band:
The theater is located at 17360
vocalist/guitarist Steven Page (the
Lahser Road at Grand River in Detroit.
Jewish member of the group), gui-
Tickets are $3.50. (313) 537-2560.

They were all born in New York
City, the sons of a dapper but unsuc-
cessful Jewish tailor of Alsatian origin.
It was their mother, Minnie
Schoenberg Marx, the daughter and
sister of show people, who launched
her boys into vaudeville.
Those boys, of course, became the
Marx Brothers, who remain unmatched
to this day in their comedic accom-
plishments. They combined nonsense,
slapstick, satire, pantomime, black
humor and witty dialogue into a wild
mix of madcap energy and anarchy.
They were dubbed with the names
by which they would later become
famous in1914 by their poker part-
ner, monologist Art Fisher, who
noticed that a popular
comic-strip character of the
day, Sherlocko the monk,
had inspired such vaudeville
4
names as Nervo, Henpecko
"Light one candle for the strength that we
and Tightwado.
Before joining what would become one, of
need to never become our own foe / Light
Thus, Leonard, known for
the most popular folk groups of all time
one candle for those who are suffering the
his success in chasing pretty
Peter Yarrow was a psychology student from
pain
we learned so long ago."
girls, or chicks, became Chicko
Cornell with some success as a
The song prompted Yarrow to
(later changed by a typesetter
solo folk singer; Mary Travers
examine
his own Jewishness.
to Chico but still pronounced
had made a name for herself
"Since then, I found that the
"chick". not "cheek"). Arthur
in the group the Song
richness of the Jewish cul-
(who had already changed his
Swappers; and Paul
ture, tradition and obser-
name from Adolph), a harpist,
Stookey, a Michigan
vances have become more a
became Harpo. The moody
State University gradu-
part of my life; and I'm
one, Julius, became Groucho.
ate, performed stand-up
closer to it all," he told
Milton, who wore gumshoes to
comedy.
the Jewish News. "I'm
help ward off colds, became
Yarrrow, the only
very proud of being
Gummo. When Gummo left,
Jewish member of the
Jewish. I'm proud when
after being drafted into World
group, recently has been
people who are Jewish are
War I, and chose not to return,
connecting with his
pleased when I identify
the youngest brother, Herbert,
religious roots after an
myself as a Jew."
renamed Zeppo, joined the act.
upbringing without
Peter, Paul &
The brothers gained their
observance, and
Mary's current
greatest fame through their
bringing that experi-
release, Songs of
movies, including such classics
ence to his concerts.
Conscience and
as Animal Crackers, Duck
Peter, Paul & Mary
Concern, is a col-
Soup, A Night at the Opera
performed last year
of the trio's
lection
and A Day at the Races.
in Detroit in a con-
fbrrn
tonight
at
Peter,
Paul
&
Mary
per
most
inspiring
singles
But Marx Brothers fans will
cert saluting Israel's
Festival.
Meadow
Brook
Music
and
includes
one
new
have a chance to see a couple
50th anniversary.
track, "Don't Laugh at
of less well-known comedies
Prominently featured
Me." They will perform 8 p.m. Friday,
this weekend, when the
was a song Yarrow wrote for a group con-
Aug. 27, at Meadow Brook Music
Historic Redford Theatre and
cert that fell during Chanukah one year and
Festival. Tickets are $32.50 pavil-
Motor City Theatre Organ
which has now becothe an anthem for
ion/$12.50 lawn. (248) 645-6666;
Society host a Marx Brothers
peace in the Middle East.
rn
www.ticketmaster.co
Festival double feature at 8
"Light One Candle" contains the verse:
p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, and 2

BLOWIN' IN THE Wed

.

BACK WITH
A HEART

Olivia Newton-John was
born in 1948 in Cambridge,
England. Her grandfather had--\
brought her mother there to
escape Jewish persecution in
Germany following the elec-
tion of Hitler in 1933. That
grandfather, German-Jewish
physicist Max Born, was
awarded the Nobel Prize for
Physics in 1954.
Olivia moved with her par<
ents to Australia at age 12,
where she was raised and first
gained recognition for her
musical talents. Moving from
country to more mainstream
pop, she made a splash in
1978's film version of Grease
opposite John Travolta.
During the early 1990s, she'
was diagnosed with breast can-
cer and was successfully treat-
ed. She currently acts as a
spokesperson for breast cancer
awareness at a variety of fund-
raising events.
The singer released her lat-
est release, Back With A Heart,
in-1998, and returned to tour-
ing. She appears 7:30 p.m. ci\
Wednesday, Sept. 1, at Pine
Knob. Tickets are $32.50
pavilion/$15 lawn. (248) 645-
6666; www.ticketmaster.com .

phone number,
FYI: For Arts and Entertainment related events that you wish to have considered for Out & About, please send the item, with a detailed description of the event, times, dates, place, ticket prices and publishable three
weeks before
Notice must be received at least
to: Gail Zimmerman, JN Out & About, The Jewish News, 27676 Franklin Road, Southfield, MI 48034; fax us at (248) 354-6069; or e-mail to gzimmerman@thejewishnews.com
the scheduled event. Photos are appreciated but cannot be returned. All events and dates listed in the Out & About column are subject to change.

8/27
1999

88 Detroit Jewish News