In the film, the
young Valentin is told
that his mother can't
see him because she's
confined indoors until
her strength and self-
confidence return. It's
a moving scene, but it
only hints at the bru-
tality that Agresti's
father actually dis-
played.
Rodrigo Noya as the title character in Alejandro Agresti's
Agresti was in his
semi-autobiographical
drama "Valentin"
early 20s when he first
visited the Anne Frank
one way that I get close when I work
Museum in Amsterdam. It didn't tap
with an actor, with a crew [person]. If
into his Jewish identity so much as to
somebody's Jewish, I say "OK, tell me a
provide a window into his mother's
joke.'"
pain.
Dovetailing neatly with what some
"It helped me to understand — I
might
call the defining characteristic of
mean, I always connect with my moth-
Jewish identity, Agresti admits to a
er," Agresti explains during a recent visit
strong affinity for Jewish humor. He
to San Francisco. He describes the visit
cites Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Elaine
to the Frank house as a way of "collabo-
May
and Mike Nichols as his favorites.
rating, let's say, in the mystery that I still
But
although he's quick to laugh, one
had for my mother. I see my mother
can still see the sensitive, empathetic
there, you know? Also hiding. Not going
Valentin in the adult Agresti.
outside. And this was very powerful."
"I am very concerned about suffer-
The filmmaker, who was baptized,
ing," he says. "I mix the suffering of my
doesn't observe Jewish holidays or raise
his three children in the Jewish tradition. mother with the suffering of the Jewish
people." II
(He confides that his eldest, a 13-year-
old boy, was touched to the point of
tears by Valentin.) Nonetheless, he feels
Valentin, rated PG-13, open
an unmistakable connection to Jews.
Friday, June 4, at the Maple Art
"I notice I always identify or get close
Theatre in Bloomfield Township.
to Jewish people," he says, sipping a
(248) 542-0180.
glass of port after lunch.
"In a way, I would like to belong. It's
Moises
Kaufman
( The Laramie
Project) for
Best Direction
of a Play for I
James M Nederlander: - Am My Own
Wife.
Lifetime achievement.
Actress
Tovah Feldshuh is nominated for Best
Actress in a Play for Golda's Balcony, and
Jennifer Westfeldt, who played
Feldshuh's daughter as the title character
in the film _Kissing Jessica Stein, is nomi-
nated for Best Featured Actress in a
Musical for Wondeifid Town.
Detroit native James M. Nederlander
will receive this year's Lifetime
Achievement Award. In the theater
business for some 60 years,
Nederlander, 82, has been producing
plays on Broadway since 1964.
The Nederlander Organization was
founded in Detroit by James' father,
David, in 1912. The Nederlanders cur-
rently own and/or operate nine theaters
in New York, three in London, three in
Chicago, three in Los Angeles and, of
course, the Fisher and Masonic Temple
theaters in Detroit.
Unlike recent Tony Award cere-
monies, where hyped musicals were pre-
dicted to sweep (like The Producers in
2001 and Hairspray in 2003), this year
any of the nominees could win a golden
statuette.
In terms of nominations, Wicked is
the clear leader," says Jed Bernstein,
president of the League of American
Theaters and Producers. "But I think
when it comes to award night, the acco-
lades will be spread around." P1
6
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