We have something
for nothing!

In preparation for the Agency for Jewish Education's move to the
Max M. Fisher Federation Building, we are inviting the community to select
amongst library books and craft materials for your congregation, your
Jewish schools and your very own homes.

play, you can do whenever you want.
That was very appetizing, so I talked
it over with [my] co-author Gilbert
Pearlman.
I knew I wanted it to be [set in] the
1930s. I feel more comfortable writing
in [that era]. I suggested a theater direc-
tor [for my character], since I could call
on everything I knew about the theater.
I was 13 when I started acting.
The writing flowed pretty easily. It's
not like writing a comedy. After writ-
ing comedies most of the time, I loved
doing a mystery, maybe because I like
mysteries so much. When I was doing
Laughter on the 23rd Floor in
[London's] West End, I read a lot of
Agatha Christie. I admire her very
much, how she set up a situation and
then kept you guessing.

JN: How did the collaborative writ-
ing process work?
GW: I've always found the most diffi-
cult part about writing to be the struc-
ture — what happens to whom, where
and when. The writing is easy for me,
but the structure is very hard.
[My co-writer lives] in Los Angeles
and I'm here [in Connecticut]. So
we'd talk on the phone, send faxes
about different possibilities and then
I'd sit down and write. Then I'd come
to another scene and we'd need more
talk. So we'd talk some more and then
I'd write some more.
The dialogue is probably what I'm
the most able to do as a writer.
Thinking out the building blocks of the
structure is the thing I'm the weakest at,
so [we're] a good combination.
The story is the most important
thing in a mystery. The mystery must-
n't disappoint the audience. It's about
them wondering what's going to hap-
pen next; that's the main thing.

JN: How did you feel about acting in
a piece you've written?
GW: It's fun. As we talk, I'm on page
98 of the third [Cash Carter mystery].
I had some interesting things to do in
the second one and that was a little
better than the first one. I hope it
keeps on that way.
The third one is funny; Cash Carter
is directing a comedy revue. We've got
all these wonderful old vaudeville rou-
tines; they took a lot of research to find.
It's some great stuff. Now, we have to
find two old-timers who can do this.
It's called A Barrel of Money. We'll
start shooting in April or May.

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4-4 4t JEWISH RULES

Wednesday, December 15, 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. and
Thursday, December 16, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
at the Agency for Jewish Education — Auditorium
21550 W. 12 Mile Road, Southfield (Between Evergreen and Lahser)

Come stop by
We have something for everyone!

For more information, call (248) 354-1050 e-mail info@ajedetroit.org

WE SERVE Ll LIOR!

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• Sotitit of
2.92.24. Ordtard Lake Komi.
www.food.com/desertsands

JN: How did you come up with the
concept for The Lady in. Question?
GW: All I had for an idea was this

12/10
1999

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