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Double Take

A theater _piece coming to Ann Arbor,
`21 Letter To Harvey Milk"
addresses anti-Semitism and homophobia.

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News

A

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costumes and set designs for his cur-
rent show. "After my army service, I
joined a kibbutz and became a mem-
ber of a theater troupe [organized by] a
bunch of kibbutzim in the same area.
"I took up acting in New York for
two years and also was teaching in
some Hebrew schools. At one of the
schools, I was doing Jewish theater
with the second-graders. I've per-
formed in 10 or 12 productions with
the Eggplant Faerie Players."

one-person theater piece
that connects anti-Semitism
to anti-gay treatment will
be performed 8 p.m.
Saturday; June 23, at the Friends
Meeting House in Ann Arbor.
Yaron Schweizer, a former Israeli, is
touring A Letter to Harvey Milk, an
independent production of the
Eggplant Faerie Players, a dra-
matic troupe based in Tennessee
and affiliated with Short
Mountain Sanctuary, a gay and
lesbian community.
"This is the first one-man
show that I'm doing," says
Schweizer, 35, who moved to
New York in 1990 to further
his acting career and relocated
to Tennessee in 1994 after
attending a festival sponsored
by Sanctuary members.
"Bringing this tender story to
the stage is my way of address-
ing anti-Semitism and homo-
phobia."
The performance, which
includes klezmer music, is
based on a short story by Leslea
Newman. It is a fictionalpiece
with one nonfictional character,
Harvey Milk, an openly gay San Yaron Schweizer in
`A Letter to Harvey Milk."
Francisco politician who was
assassinated.
"I play a 77-year-old man, a widow-
Schweizer was introduced to the
er and Holocaust survivor living in
Short Mountain Sanctuary by New
San Francisco," Schweizer explains.
York friends who invited him to one
"As he takes writing classes at the sen-
of the group's festivals, held twice a
ior center where he is a member, he
year to fund the community. Besides
starts to remember different episodes
acting, he helps maintain the property.
from his life, [including] his friendship
"As an actor, I want to touch people
with Harvey Milk."
and make them feel things that nor-
Schweizer has brought two other
mally they might not allow themselves
productions to Ann Arbor, both writ-
to feel," he says. "I also want people to
ten by him and other members of the
look at issues from an unfamiliar
theater troupe — Next Year in Sodom
angle." ❑
and Welcome to Homo Holler.
The Eggplant Faerie Players, formed
12 years ago, perform regularly in
A Letter to Harvey Milk will be
their own theater in Nashville. Three
performed 8 p.m. Saturday, June
of the 15 members tour.
23, at the Friends Meeting
"I started performing in school pro-
House, 1420 Hill St., Ann Arbor.
ductions as a young teenager," says
$5-810. (734) 994-4937.
Schweizer, whose partner created the

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