On The Stage

Star-Cross'd Lovers

DON COHEN
Special to the Jewish News

T

here is widespread agree-
ment that it's the right time
for something timeless —
like Shakespeare.
But a production opening Oct. 17
at the Jewish Community Center in
West Bloomfield is no ordinary stag-
ing of the classic Shakespearean love
story Romeo and Juliet. With uncanny
timing, the Jewish Ensemble Theatre
(JET) has set the play against a
Middle Eastern backdrop in Jerusalem
in the early 1920s, the first years of
the British Mandate.
In this version, Romeo is a hand-
some, young, Muslim Palestinian, and
Juliet is a beautiful, young, Jewish
Palestinian, a child of the Zionist
movement.
Retain the well-known dynamics of
warring families, young love, hatred,
sacrifice and misunderstandings and
you've got a timeless story that is par-
ticularly timely.
Just five days after the devastating
terrorist attacks on New York City and
Washington, the first gathering of
those involved in the production came
together behind the locked doors of
the Arab Community Center for
Economic and Social Services
(ACCESS).
The session brought together those
of Lebanese, Iraqi, Palestinian,
Chaldean, British, African-American
and Irish-French heritage — adherents
of Judaism, Islam, Christianity and
Buddhism.
Those unfamiliar with Dearborn
had some trouble locating the site, but
once there, strong coffee, Arab hospi-
tality, good food and a rousing session
of Israeli dance led by Shelly Jackier
brought the group together.
Helping those assembled grapple
with the issues and culture of the time
were Dr. Nabeel Abraham, professor
of Anthropology at Henry Ford
Community College, and Todd
Endelman, a history professor at the
University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
An Arab American, Abraham's par-
ents were born in Jerusalem;
Endelman is Jewish, and teaches
courses on the time period in which
the play is set.
"There is so little of this that is done in
North America," noted Abraham about
the shared briefing, the mixed audience
and the production. "This is very impor-

10/5
2001

86

tant. Coming on a year of violence and
bloodshed, we need to maintain our
humanity and keep contact.
"Theater is one of the great medi-
ums on which human beings do dis-
course. It won't change the lens you
see these events through, but [will]
cast a new light on the kaleidoscope."
JET founder and artistic director
Evelyn Orbach was visibly pleased. She
has wanted to do the play this way for
10 years. "Everyone laughed, both Jews
and Arabs; they thought it was cute, an
adorable idea. But last spring we decid-
ed it was time to do it," she said.
And as she contemplated the com-
position of JET's 13th season, she was
struck by the significance of the. the-
ater's bar/bat mitzvah year.
As she told the cast and crew of
Romeo and Juliet at their first gather-
ing: "At 13, it is time to take our place
in the community and assume respon-
sibility. We need to work to ease the
differences that cause enmity in our
community."
When JET obtained the rights to
The Laramie Project (about the reac-

Director Gillian Eaton, of Plymouth, works with Mark Shock of St. Clair Shores
(Paris), Will Young ofMilfbrd (Lord Capulet) and Henrietta Hermelin Weinberg
(Nurse) at a rehearsal.

tions of the Laramie, Wyo., community
to the torture and murder of Matthew
Shepard by anti-gay bigots), Orbach
saw a theme beginning to develop.
So, in addition to the considerable
demands of putting together a success-
ful season, she began a "Stop Hate"
campaign and began to gather corn-
muniry partnerships.

For now, with JET's season opening
the week after next and world events
what they are, all focus is on Romeo
and Juliet.
"I have a very different background
than both of these cultures," said
Maggie Smith, who plays the Jewish
Juliet, but in real life practices
Buddhism and comes from a diverse

Saying ‘YeS9 To JET

ing need to support live youth theater," he said. "So, we
switched our financial commitment to the Doi fn- an
Family Foundation.
"We want to make sure young people are exposed to live
BILL CARROLL
theater in a way that will improve their lives and make an
Special to the Jewish News
impact on the community."
Dorfman and his wife, Carol, are co-chairpersons of
he Jewish Ensemble Theatre (JET) of West
Crimes
of Fahsion. Neiman Marcus donates a portion of
Bloomfield is reaching out into the community to
the proceeds from the event to JET.
raise money to finance an ambi
With refreshments and music, attendees
tious and somewhat provocative 13th
again
will shop in the store, participate in a
year for the theater company.
theater
trivia qiiiz with prizes and meet
JET will hold its third annual
local
celebrities.
Crimes of Fashion Sunday, Nov. 11, at
A meeting was held last Sunday at the
the Neiman Marcus store in the
home of Regine Schmeir in Bloomfield
Somerset Collection South in Troy to
Hills to launch the Stop Hate campaign
help fund the organization's youth
and
get patron support for Romeo and
activities, called JET Y.E.S. (Youth
Juliet,
which opens JET's new season
Education Services).
Oct.
17.
Meanwhile, a significant contribution
"We're seeking additional funds
is being made to JET Y.E.S. by the
from
patrons to help make the year a
Crimes of fashion co-chairs Carol and
Dorfman Family Foundation to spon-
success," said Jonathan B. Frank of
Joel Dorfman
sor the Dorfman Foundation Youth
Bloomfield Township, president of
Theater, formerly the Thornapple
JET's
board of directors. ❑
Valley Youth Theatre.

T

The Dorfman foundation is donating $37,500 a year, sim-
ilar to the amount contributed annually for seven years by
the former Thornapple Valley Foods. The company was sold
to IBT Foods, and Joel Dorfman of Bloomfield Hills, former
CEO of Thornapple Valley, is now managing partner of
North Star Partnership, a real estate investment firm.
"I've kept in touch with Evelyn Orbach (JET's artistic
director) over the years, and we realize the strong, continu-

Crimes of Fashion 2001 runs 7-10 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11,
at Neiman Marcus in Somerset Collection South. Tickets
are $50 per person, and raffle tickets will be sold for $50
each to win Neiman Marcus shopping sprees, trips and
meals at local restaurants. For tickets, donor opportunities
and more information, call (248) 788-2900.
maw