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Character Study
figure out what is troubling the daugh-
ter. His most recent play, Searching 4
17, explores a father-son relationship
and soon will be on the New York
stage.
Other productions include The
Fabulous Invalid, a dark farce that has a
Marty Smith, of Ann Arbor, a semi-
play within a play; Playing By Ear, an
SUZANNE CHESSLER
retired
attorney who has pursued act-
examination of the technical and artis-
Special to the Jewish News
ing as a sideline, feels his Jewish
tic realms of a music personality; and
upbringing influences his reaction to
Jumping for Joy, a tale of returning.
Ann Arbor
the play and informs his role.
Marans, who plays piano and cello
on Marans,- a Duke University
"This is a big acting challenge
graduate with a math major and
and continues with voice lessons to
because the cast has only two people,"
understand singers, has worked as a
music minor, always knew he
wanted to be a playwright but does not says Smith, who has appeared with the
lyricist collaborating with composers.
Jewish Ensemble Theatre and the
Briefly, he was part of a 21-person
leave his academic interests behind.
Blackbird Theatre as well Performance
writing team developing sketch materi-
Old Wicked Songs, his two-character
Network. "There is humor although
al for Carol Burnett. On a longer
play being performed July 15-25 in
the play is serious. It's not cheerful, but assignment, he did editing work for a
Ann Arbor, unfolds systematically like
there are points of optimism."
production company owned by
an algebra story problem and is filled
Michael Douglas.
with a wide emotional range
"I'm a big believer that every play
expressed.through the melodies of
0 EaD should
be a mystery," Marans says.
Robert Schumann's Dichterliebe
enhancing the poetry of Heinrich
WICKED "The play should be a surprise as it
goes along. As soon as one part of
Heine.
SONG S the mystery is solved, another part
The script, a 1996 Pulitzer Prize
should be unraveled.
finalist, reveals the deepening rela-
t Jo\ NI 11i \\
"Knowledge is a circle, arid as you
tionship shared by a faltering
step outside one circle, your circum-
piano student and a demanding
ference enlarges. As more questions
professor. It takes place in Austria
are answered, more questions .still
and examines Jewish issues as the
remain after that."
two men disclose the depths and
Marans, raised in a Conservative
intimacies of their backgrounds.
Jewish home, gets much of his zeal
The play's score is performed on a
for Jewish subjects from his father,
mechanical piano with unseen
Nelson Marans, who does consider-
keyboard.
able reading and writes many letters
"I think the play begins and
to editors. A large percentage has to
ends with the music," says the
do with Israel.
New York-based Marans, 46.
Ott
PEtiF()BNI Nt,14
"My dad's more hawkish than I
"Schumann's piece provides an
e,
'111,1Wro\NN FESTIN
am, and we try not to talk about
incredible song cycle, and a lot of
that," the playwright says. "I tend to
the play is told through the music.
be a loner, and that's why writing
This is a very personal story
works for me. I'm shy about getting
about two men going through very
CI IR I sToph Elt
in front of an audience, and I like to
specific journeys and dealing with
Jon Marans: "Every play should be a mystery.
write early in the morning when it's
loss. I was a voice student in
quiet and my brain is fresh."
Vienna when I was 21 and experi-
Hazlett finds excitement in direct-
enced quite a lot of what the
The main elements of the play's
young man experienced in the city."
ing Old Wicked Songs because of the
structure — limited number of charac-
diverse elements, including humor,
The production, presented by the
ters, music, unexpected plot lines -with- that come together in surprising ways.
Trittico Theatre Company as part of
in themes of loss, Jewish content —
"This play is very intricate and credi-
the Performance Network's TreeTown
enter into many of Marans' plays. He
ble," he says. "It handles issues very
Performance Festival, is directed by
describes two reasons for having few
Chris Hazlett and features Grant
subtly." ❑
characters.
Stokes as student Stephen Hoffman
"In today's financial markets for
and Marty Smith as Professor Josef
Old Wicked Songs will be per-
playwrights,
it's very hard to get a new
Mashkan.
formed
8 p.m. Thursdays-
play produced unless there is a very
"I've never been in a play where
Saturdays
and 2 p.m. Sundays,
small cast," Marans says. "Also, I like
music is so much a part of people's
July
15-25,
at the Performance
doing character studies, and I'm much
self-discovery," says Stokes, who stud-
Network,
corner
of Huron and
more interested in trying to delve as
ied vocal performance at the Cleveland
Fourth,
in
Ann
Arbor.
$20/$3
deeply into the characters as I can.
Institute of Music. "I was very
discount
for
seniors/half-price
When there are fewer characters, it
impressed when I saw a production of
stude41t. rush/pay-what-you-can
allows me to go a little deeper."
this play in New York, and I think it
Thursdays.
(734) 663-0681.
Marans' first play, Child Child,
really speaks to the Jewish communi-
ty. ,,
probes an eccentric family trying to
kftm tV.,:t4m.,k •MIQ&M, .:x
Pulitzer Prize finalist makes way to _Ann Arbor stage.
Ilir
P.)
More...
Better...
Easier...
)Alew Q7 0)mproved
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
7/ 9
2004
36
JN
JEWISH CONNECTOR