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Taking its cue from the 'Antigone" legend, a passionate
Jewish character takes on her professor in a JET production.

Halsted Village
(37580 W. 12 Mile Rd.)
Farmington Hills
(248) 553-2360

particular ethnicity to a more general
themselves up into various characters
SUZANNE CHESSLER
vision of issues in America," says
and
then
watch
them
fight
it
out
on
the
Special to the Jewish News
Gurney, also a novelist and author of
stage," says Gurney, 70, who introduced
The Gospel According to Joe and
Another Antigone through the Old Globe
laywright A.R Gurney is
Entertaining
Strangers.
Theatre in San Diego 10 years ago
known for holding up a mir-
"I've
written
about the academic
before taking it to New York.
ror to WASP culture, but for
world
before,
and
I'm sure I'll be writing
"I
don't
think
you
can
write
a
valid
his play Another Antigone, he
Another
Antigone uses
about
it
again.
play
unless
you
can
identify
with
all
the
wrote a decidedly Jewish character.
direct
address,
a
form
I've
used in the
positions
that
are
taken,
so
I'd
say
there
The drama, which begins as an assign-
past,
as
the
professor
speaks
to the audi-
are
elements
of
me
in
all
the
characters.
I
ment conflict between professor and stu-
ence as if it were a class."
certainly sympa-
dent and later deals
Gurney says he's more comfortable
thize with the .
with anti-Semitism,
with dialogue than narrative.
passion and revo-
will be performed by
"I think people reveal themselves very
lutionary tenden-
the Jewish Ensemble
much
through what they say so I like to
cies
of
Judy
Theatre Feb. 14-
use
that
as a key to human nature,"
Miller,
the
March 11.
explains
the playwright, the father of
Antigone
figure.
"I thought a Jewish
four
who
will soon see his seventh
Gurney
says
character would be-
grandchild. "I think you can only pick
that as a former
interesting because of
up the world with a few small handles,
pre-med student,
the professor's bipolar
and
that's the handle I like to pick it up
he
identifies
with
way of looking at the
by.
the
character
of
"
world — Athens ver-
Gurney, who does not follow his plays
David, who stud-
sus Jerusalem," says
as
they are performed by various compa-
ies
chemistry
and
the playwright.
nies
around the country, hopes that they
takes
an
interest
"I wanted to enable
are
represented
by purity of intent and
in
the
classics.
As
him to make [his]
simplicity of production.
for the dean, he
case, which is obvi-
"I don't like a lot of scenery or
identifies with her
ously a little limited,
machinery
getting in the way of human
desire to keep
a little too reductive,
transaction,"
he explains. "I don't like a
order
and
recon-
and I thought it
lot
of
unnecessary
histrionics in the act-
cile
all
positions
to
keep
would be nice to have him go
A.R. Gurney:
ing.
I
like
simple,
straightforward,
clear,
the
institution
going.
up against a passionate, young "I wanted to write about
clean
acting.
Gurney
was
taking
a
lot
Jewish woman."
my experience during a
"As Aristotle said, 'Spectacle is the last
of chemistry and physics at
Gurney taught at the
period when the more
and least significant element in the the-
Williams
College
in
Massachusetts Institute of
traditional courses and
ater.' If the play becomes all about spec-
Williamstown, Mass.,
Technology for 26 years. For a the more traditional
tacle, about what you see and how much
when
he
realized
he
was
while, he taught the classics in teaching methods were
money is spent so you can see it, I think
more
interested
in
English,
translation and not the origi-
being challenged"
that's a sign of degeneration. I think that
literature
and
history
nal Greek, explains the play-
great theater is about acting and human
courses.
He
got
involved
wright, whose work draws
transaction between the actor and the
with
college
theater
and
parallels to the Sophocles clas-
audience." ❑
wrote
his
school's
spring
musicals.
sic about civil disobedience.
While in the U.S. Navy during the
"I wanted to write about my experi-
Korean War, he wrote shows to entertain
ence during a period when the more tra-
Another Antigone begins previews
military personnel. He enrolled in the
ditional courses and the more traditional
Feb. 14 and opens Feb. 18. It
Yale School of Drama in 1955 and
teaching methods were being chal-
runs through March 11 at the
moved to Massachusetts two years later
Aaron DeRoy Theatre in the West
lenged."
for a number of teaching positions.
In the JET production, Greg
Bloomfield Jewish Community
The Dining Room, which presents a
Olszewski plays Professor Henry Harper
Center. Performances are at 7:30
number of vignettes in one setting, was
and Emily Rose Merrell plays the stu-
p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and
his first play to garner wide critical
dent, Judy Miller. Diana Von Fossen
Sundays; 8 p.m. Saturdays; and 2
appiTival. In Love Letters, the relationship
_takes on the character of Dean Diana
p.m. Sundays. There is a 2 p.m.
of a couple is revealed through their cor-
Eberhart and Travis Reiff plays Judy's
show Wednesday, March 7. 516-
respondence. Sylvia pits a wife against a
friend, David Appleton. JET artistic
$ 26. (248) 788-2900.
dog for her husband's affections.
director Evelyn Orbach is director.
like to have a play move beyond its
"Most playwrights tend to divide

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