THE GEM & CENTURY THEATRES The Purple Rose Theatre Company Production of On The Tube "A fun and rowdy roller-coaster ride of a play" SORKIN Vs. SOFER from page 93 -The Chelsea Standard those who take their TV too serious- ly; after all, says the good-looking writer/executive producer, he is only working on a TV show, not piecing together the Paris peace talks. The West Wing, he cautions cutely, "isn't meant to be good for you. But it just might be the very best thing on TV this season. "Escanaba is a Super Yooper laugh-fest" -The Ann Arbor News 0 U 0 " BY JEFF DANIELS I s it somewhat unorthodox for the daughter of an Orthodox rabbi to crave a career in show business? Rena Sofer doesn't think so; neither does her most avid supporter. "That's my dad," she says. The North Bergen, N.J., native is not new to TV screens; she earned an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ABC's General THE SMASH HIT MUSICAL SPOOF OF THE MOVIES! * * * * "If there is a better show in town... it has to be - Martin F. Kohn, Detroit Free Press Hospital. * * * "The show is two hours of fun... wonderfully wacky" - Michael H. Margolin, Detroit News THE CENTURY CLUB RESTAURANT U pscale cuisine in a comfortable supper club setting Enjoy a complete night of entertainment under one roof! 313-963-9800 • 333 Madison Ave. SPONSOR Group discounts available Call: (313) 962-2913 (248) 6456666 www.ficketrooder.cont *IC ( • Baked Potato • Rice Pilaf • Roney Glazed Carrots • Corn-Off-The-Cob • o E CD as U2 THE INTELLIGENT CHICKEN WHERE SMART PEQUEEAT ... sm. CD 1 Charbroiled $1" 0, 11F UI • as V) Chicken 'Platter 4 1 Includes I roll. Regular $5.95 • I • I NOW OPEN Ict COI 'CI )/ 17 999 (248) 855-4455 32431 Northwestern Hwy. (between 14 & Middlebelt, • i 2 CD eD CD • eeP 9 a. Farmington Hills) www.intelligentchicken.com M-F: 11 am-8:30 pm; Sat: 11 am-3 pm; Sun: 4 pm-8:30 pm • Cole Slaw • Garden Salad • Chicken Noodle Soup • Minestrone Soup • a4 Detroit Jewish News a. of good with any other offer I • 1 coupon per person I • Good after 4:00 p.m. & ........ ... Ad ci) CI two side dishes I and a honey wholewheat a Last season, she played Eve Cleary on Fox's Melrose Place. But ABC is the place to be for her again come 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, when Sofer debuts in Oh Grow Up as the wife of a gay and care- free character whom she is shocked to learn may be more gay than carefree. Separated from her husband, she doesn't do as well separating her emo- tions for the man she vowed to love. But does she closet her caustic corn- ments? Not once her hubby comes out of the closet. And he does that to everyone, including his two straight male bud- dies/roommates in this wickedly wild Wednesday-night comedy about three boys who never grow up — Peter Pans whose flight plans are mapped with broken dates and promises. Sofer is one of the network's more promising young stars since fashioning a bio built on an early start as a model. "I modeled for a month; I never really had an interest in it," she says. She has been a model actress, appearing in the Chasidic-oriented mystery movie A Stranger Among Us and on such TV shows as Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place and Seinfeld. So why did her father the rabbi advocate her going into the acting business? (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) "He encouraged me because I was shy," says the actress, who keeps the faith with her husband and children in Los Angeles. And Keeping the Faith also happens to be the name of her next feature, in which she plays a young woman whose synagogue co-congregants try to match Rena Sofer of "Oh Grow Up": So why did her father the rabbi advocate her going into the acting business? "He encouraged me because I was shy. her up with a lead character who only has eyes for a non-Jewish woman. Although Suzanne, her Oh Grow Up character, is not characteristically Jewish, Sofer has no problem with the way Jewish women are depicted on TV "I don't think the image of Jewish women on TV is negative at all," she says. "When I look at TV, those are the girls I went to school with." And will her character be a Jewish part of the lesson plan planned for Oh Grow Up? Nu, Rena? "Ask him," she says, pointing in the direction of series creator/execu- tive producer Alan Ball. The character of Suzanne may or may not be Jewish, but at least one character in the series is, Ball reveals. "Norris," says Ball of the painter played by David Alan Basche, explaining that the character's "grand- father had his name anglicized when coming through Ellis Island." Stunningly beautiful, Sofer is pret- ty happy with the Oh Grow Up part she's been chosen for, handling suc- cess in a mature, mentsh-like manner. Sofer, so good? Hollywood seems to think so — and hopes TV audi- ences will agree come fall. 1-1 The West Wing runs 9-10 p.m. Wednesdays on NBC. Oh Grow Up airs 9:30-10 p.m. Wednesdays on ABC. Both shows premiere Wednesday, Sept. 22.