Arts Entertainment BEHIND THE MAGIC On Friday, Sept. 23, the Henry Ford presents the world premiere of "Behind the Magic — 50 Years of Disneyland," an exhibit celebrating the half-century anniversary of Disney's original theme park. The exhibition of Walt Disney Imagineering art and arti- facts includes a 7,500- square-foot display of 250 pieces of Imagineering art- work, hand-crafted models, construction drawings and marketing materials tracing the growth and history of the California landmark. Among those behind the exhibit are Marty Sklar, vice-chairman and principal creative executive of Walt Disney Imagineering, who was hired by Walt Disney Disneyland in Detroit shortly before the opening of Disneyland; and Experience Design Director Scott Mallwitz. The Henry Ford was chosen to debut the exhibit, says Mallwitz, because "Walt was so taken with Henry Ford's vision of an idealized American village that he returned eight years later. These trips and visits to other destinations and events across the country helped him frame the concept of what would later become Disneyland." Timed tickets, at $10 (general museum admission also required), may be purchased at CELEBRITY JENVS NATE BLOOM Special to the Jewish News Sold Out IN 9/22 2005 50 So revered is director/writer MIKE LEIGH in Britain that all London's National Theatre had to do was announce they were mounting his new play and the play's entire run of 16,000 seats was imme- diately sold out — even though nobody knew what the play was about. Finally, two weeks ago, word leaked out that it was about "something Jewish." Last week, the play, titled Two Thousand Years, opened to glow- ing reviews. The opening scene has a young man wrapping a leather strap around his arm. Mike Leigh Most playgoers thought he was about to shoot heroin. It turned out that he was laying tefillin. The young man is from an upper-middle-class London Jewish family so assimilated they don't even Best Bets www.TheHenryFord.org or by calling (313) 982-6001. ON CAMERA Haskel Wexler, one of the world's great cinematographers, is perhaps best known for his camera work in films like American Graffiti and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, for which he won the Oscar, as well as his own pioneering cult classic, 1.968's Medium Cog a commentary on life in the '60s that focuses on a television news cameraman and his growing apathy with the violent events around him. Now, Haskell's son Mark wields the camera, in an up-close-and-personal biographical por- trait of the elder filmmaker titled Tell Them Who You Are. The documentary also is an attempt to reconcile what has not been an easy father-son relationship — with all the warts of Haskell's famed prickly personality exposed. Film cameos include appearances by Billy Crystal, George Lucas, Jane Fonda and many more. Tell Them Who You Are screens 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26, at the Detroit Film Theatre. $6.50-$7.50. (313) 833-3237. TIMES OF GLORY At a time when America was locked into the Depression and Europe kept a wary eye on a siren know what kosher means. His turn to Judaism mys- tifies and somewhat angers his parents. Reviewers say Leigh makes clear the parents' cozy liberal view of the world is in many ways no more realistic or rational than the irrationality they ascribe to their son's religious turning. Leigh, 62, whose best-known films are Secrets and Lies and Vera Drake, grew up in a working-class neighborhood, the son of a doctor. As a young man, he was involved in a Labor Zionist group, but he has declared himself a more-or-less detached atheist in recent interviews. Nonetheless, he obviously has been following Jewish issues, as both international political issues, including Israel, and the dynamics of being Jewish in modern Britain are covered. Yes, let's hope he makes a movie of the play. Searchin' Google, the top Web search company, is opening an Israeli office. Not a surprise since Israel is a hi-tech center and Google's Jewish co-founder, SERGEY BRIN, 32, has attended tech conferences in Israel. Founded only seven years ago, Google has turned Brin into a multibillionaire, and, now, its first full- ening, deadly Nazi regime, the sport of box- ing held everyone from Eleanor Roosevelt to Ernest Hemingway to Adolf Hitler spell- bound. Prizefighters Joe Louis and Max Schmeling came together in the ring twice during the 1930s, and every ear was glued to the radio. Black America had few heroes during this period, and Detroit's own Joe Louis quickly ascended to a god-like figure among his own people. At the same time, Jews were desperate for a sign that Hitler was not invincible — and Louis gave it to them. Nevertheless, he became the object of U.S. racism. For his part, Schmeling was accused of collaborating with the Nazis; with his resur- gence in every fight, one could see the revival of Germany itself In Beyond Glory: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling and a World on Book signing in the Brink (Alfred A. Knopf; Birmingham $26.95), author David Margolick, a contributing edi- tor to Vanity Fair, writes about the era from the per- spective of all the interested parties — blacks, Jews, white Americans split in their loyalties and Germans, as the worsening political climate raised the stakes. The author will appear at a book signing 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at Borders Books and Music, 34200 Woodward Ave., in Birmingham. (248) 203-0005. length corporate history, The Search, by John Battelle, has hit the stores. Those looking for juicy personal or Jewish details on Brin will be disappointed with the book; it doesn't even mention that Brin is Jewish. In past interviews, Brin has explained his scientist parents left Russia because the Soviets made it clear Jews were no longer wanted there. However, The Search is a cogent exposition of Google's Sergey Brin innovations. Battelle does note Brin is highly concerned with ethics. He has agonized about whether to pull out of the big Chinese market because of censorship; the Chinese government has the nasty practice of blocking Chinese Google users from thousands of sites that it deems politically unacceptable. Shaffer Shofar On Sept. 22, Late Show with David Letterman bandleader PAUL SHAFFER was a judge at the FYI: For Arts and Life related events that you wish to have considered for Out & About, please send the item, with a detailed description of the event, times, dates, place, ticket prices and publishable phone number, to: Gail Zimmerman, JN Out & About, The Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034; fax us at (248) 304-8885; or e-mail to gzimmerman@thejewishnews.com Notice must be received at least three weeks before the scheduled event. Photos are appreciated but cannot be returned. All events and dates listed in the Out & About column are subject to change.