tial for NBC, which has watched its
bewitching comedy become must-see
TV.
The actress has come to expect such
attention since graduating summa cum
laude from Brandeis University , and
earning her master's degree in fine arts
from New York University.
If there's anything new with her TV
character, it's the way Grace Adler has
become more Jewish in tone and vol-
ume. Has the Jewish actress made a
choice to give Grace more of a Chosen
People aspect?
Does she draw on her own
Jewishness — a Reform upbringing —
to illustrate the character?
Being Jewish, she says of Grace, is
"just one of the many really wonderful
colors" the writers have given her to
play.
And she doesn't have to wade too far
into the gene pool to sink her teeth
into the Jewish aspect of her character.
"It's a part of my family and my his-
tory and my language, so there is a
rhythm to it that's familiar to me, and
it's fun to play," says the playful actress
of the Jewish grace notes she's been
given.
There is something funny about this
woman, whose gadabout Grace
reminds some viewers of another
Grace who burned her image into TV-
tube history many years back.
Think of Grace Adler as a more
adept and gracious Gracie Allen: both
delightfully daffy, ducking reality's
mishegas, but different in their ditzi-
ness. This Grace is a cerebral, serial
non-dater whose love life is one of
social insecurity.
No such tsuris in real life, where
Messing has a Will of her own —
albeit a straight one. Messing sports a
ring as dazzling as her appearances on
those engaging hair-color commercials
she's begun making
The ring comes courtesy of her new
husband, Daniel Zelman, a screen-
writer/ actor and "a fabulous guy."
The couple, who married Sept. 3,
were classmates together in graduate
school at NYU.
Class act that she is, Messing learned
quite a bit at school besides social
studies. In addition to mastering the
fine arts at NYU and earning her
bachelor's degree at Brandeis —
"Brandeis was a very sort of potent
environment to study in, and there
were a lot of very strong characters
there to draw on" — Messing also
studied at the Royal Academy of
Dramatic Arts in London, at the
London Academy of Music and

.

MESSING

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oiRel

in

11.66f

based on Sholont Mechem- stories by special permission of Arnold Per!

Book by

Music by

Lyrics by

JOSEPH JERRY SHELDON
STEIN BOCK HA.IINICK

Original New York Stage Production Directed and Choreographed by

JEROME ROBBINS

Mr. Robbins' Original Direction and
Choreography reproduced by

SAMMY BAYES

Opening night performances on October 24 and 25
will be a benefit for JARC, a Jewish association for
residential care. Call 248.352.5277, ext. 418 to
purchase tickets or for information on this event.

October 24-November 12
Fisher Theatre

Tickets at Fisher Theatre box office & all
twAreffirlaster outlets • 248.645.6666

www.ticketniaster.corn
Groups (20 or more) call 313.871.1132
For info can 313.872.1000

on page 84

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