1

SHOW EXTENDED
TO JUNE 13!

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ENs

41<4'
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Underwritten by a generous gift from the

MASCO Corporation Foundation

Cantor Orbach as Tevye is flanked by his stage wife, Henrietta Hermelin
Weinberg as Golde, left, and real-lift wife, JET Artistic Director Evelyn Orbach,
right, playing Yente.

CANTOR ON THE ROOF from page 39

Based on Sholom Aleichem
by special permission of Arnold

Book: Joseph Stein •Mob@ Jerry
livliaa Sheldon Harnick • Fetwing: Cantor

For tickets call, 248.788 290 0
0.

Sponsored by:

GITTLEMAN &

GC CONSTRUCTION

Custom Renovations

inc

IP

CARMEN LLC

PRODUCERS FOR AN EVENING:

4/16
2004

42

•Irving Laker • Regene Schmier
•Drs. Phoebe & Harris Mainster, in honor of Gillian Eaton
•Dan Lublin with love from his family
•Anita & Sidney R. Blank and their daughters Eileen & Betsy
celebrate Cantor Harold & Evelyn Orbach • Hannan & Lisa Lis
•Anne & Mike Rosenthal Foundation

Life in America 1654-2004," a
national project honoring the Jewish
contribution to American culture.
"Fiddler is the perfect show for the
celebration because it portrays such a
significant piece of Americana for the
Jewish community," Evelyn Orbach
said. "It's about a Jewish community
that is so sweet and funny and warm
and, at the same time, in juxtaposi-
tion to all that frivolity, the Cossacks
come in and suddenly the townspeo-
ple are homeless.
"Yet these people left the shtetl [vil-
lage] and didn't say, 'Oh, my goodness,
there's nothing left, I'm going to throw
myself into the river.' Instead, every
one of them said, 'I'm going to
Chicago or New York or Palestine,' as
Israel was known then. They always
saw hope — and that's part of what we
do as Jews."
For Henrietta Hermelin Weinberg
of Southfield, who plays Tevye's wife,
Golde, Fiddler represents a personal
history. "It makes me think of those of
us who have families who picked up
and left their homes," she said.
"It touches me greatly to think of
my father and grandfather leaving
their lives behind and moving here."
A JET founder, she hadn't acted in a
few years, but came back to it to be in
Fiddler. "I saw the audition notice and
thought the JET — inside the Jewish
Community Center — is the place
where Fiddler should be," she said.
"Of course, I've seen the play before
from the outside. Now I'm seeing it

from the inside, being so concentrated
on looking for the real beauty, honesty
and soul in the heart of it."
Gillian Eaton will direct Fiddler with
Diane O'Brien Hill as music director.
Successful pre-opening ticket sales,
underwritten by Masco Corporation
Foundation of Taylor, have warranted
an extension of the original closing
date from May 23 until June 13.
Opening night is already a sellout,
being taken over as a benefit perform-
ance for the Southfield-based
Children of Holocaust Survivors
Association in Michigan.
While Cantor Orbach has
appeared in concert from Japan to
Germany and from New York's
Lincoln Center to the Dorothy
Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, he
said there is something special about
performing at home.
"It's so great to be doing the show
in Detroit," he said. "This is where I
can relate personally with the audi-
ence, and they to me.
"It's so enjoyable to play where so
many of the faces are familiar."

❑

The Jewish Ensemble Theatre's
production of Fiddler on the Roof
will run Wednesday, April 21,
through Sunday, June 13, at the
Aaron DeRoy Theatre inside the
Jewish Community Center, 6600
W Maple, West Bloomfield. $27-
$37, with discounts for seniors
and students. (248) 788-2900.

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