I Arts & Entertainment

Stage
Party

I

Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News

56 January 26 • 2006

Super Bowl XL.

The theater piece will be the with happenings.
disciplines to tell a story, and
thread for the whole show,"
Presenters include the Arab
we certainly do that with
Orbach explains. "We are going and Chaldean International
Nations in Rhythm Detroit."
to have actors to represent all
Festival
Committee
—
Detroit,
The program, in its entirety,
velyn Orbach, artistic
of the ethnic groups. I think it
Casa de Unidad, Dancin' Feet
also will call attention to
director of Jewish
will reflect a
School of
African drumming, Eastern
Ensemble Theatre, is
positive light
Dance
&
Indian and Native American
helping with plans for a public
on Detroit as
Music, Detroit
performance symbols,
party to celebrate Super Bowl
we work in
Windsor
Flamenco steps and
XL, and she's doing it her way.
harmony and
Dance
Co.,
Scottish/Irish
folk music. A
The party actually is a staged
provide dif-
First
Circle
meet-and-greet
session with
production.
ferent types of
Inc.,
Kyklos
entertainers
getting
to know
Orbach, working closely with performanc-
Hellenic
members
of
the
audience
is
playwright Ivlilfordean Luster
es."
Dancers
of
St.
being
planned
prior
to
the
show
of the Detroit Repertory
Shango
Nicholas
Greek
and
will
have
separate
ticket-
Theatre, is producing an
submitted her
Orthodox
ing.
original short come-
idea for the
Church,
Orbach, who will help with
dy using a Super
event to the
Nadanta
and
directing
the theater piece and
Bowl party set-
National
the
North
may
be
among
the actors,
ting to explore Football
American
appreciates
the
opportunity to
the ethnic
League, which
Indian
work
with
entertainers
from
diversity of
offers grants
Association.
other
arts
organizations.
While .
the metro
for communi- Evelyn Orbach: "The theater
"We
will
she
has
gotten
to
know
the
peo-
area and
piece will be the thread for the
ty outreach
have
seven
ple
in
these
grotips
because
of
the unity
whole show."
programs in
dance
seg-
their
mutual
interests,
she
is
that can
Super Bowl
ments and one
glad that those in the audience
result
host cities. Hers was among
theatrical piece," Shango says.
can get to know them as well.
when dis-
some 100 proposals competing
"Musical
segments
are
inter-
"We have planning meetings,
parate
for the funds.
mingled with the dance. We
and I feel that this is all quite
groups of
"I was told that mine was the have an opening and a finale
an exciting project," Orbach
people join
only proposal ever that truly
with
special
choreography."
says.
"We don't always get to see
together.
described a multicultural
the
talents
of other ethnic
The play, creat- event," says Shango, who has
groups,
but
we can as this proj- .
ed specifically to go worked on other projects with
ect
becomes
a reality. I'm
Collaborative
Effort
along with the Super
the Chaldean association. "I've
always
glad
to
showcase JET for
Luster
began
to
write
the
play
Bowl experience, involves
learned about the similarities
new
and
larger
audiences, and
after
a
brainstorming
session
multicultural characters in a
shared by these diverse groups
I'm
always
glad
to see what
with
Orbach.
fictional neighborhood. The
as the planning has progressed.
other
groups
are
doing." .F1
"We
came
up
with
a
lot
of
fun
production is part of Nations in There are incredible common
ideas,"
says
Luster,
director
of
Rhythm Detroit, a showcase of
elements in sounds and dance
arts, education and audience .
.
ethnic talents expressed
movement."
development
for the DRT. "We
through theater, music and
1
• Planners defined the Detroit
have
a
seemingly
utopian
dance scheduled for 7 p.m.
Nations
in
Rhythm
Detroit
area ethnic communities as
neighborhood introduced at the
Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Detroit
is planned for 7 p.m.
African American, American
beginning of the play, but after
Opera House.
Saturday, Jan. 28, at the
Indian, Asian Indian, Celtic,
the staged party begins, the
Joanne Shango, a freelance
Detroit Opera House, 1526
Greek, Jewish, Latino American audience sees that the area is
producer and event coordinator
Broadway,
Detroit. $10-
and Middle Eastern. In the
less than utopian.
working through the Chaldean
$15. Call (248) 352-5018
midst of all the actual Super
"I'm a great believer in col-
American Ladies of Charity,
or (313) 961-3500 or go to
Bowl events and parties being
laboration, and I'm very
envisioned the entertainment
www.calconline.org
.
announced, Nations in Rhythm pleased with the opportunity to
event and is coordinating all
Detroit becomes an example of put all of this together. I also
the segments.
art imitating life concurrently
believe in utilizing different art

E

A showcase of
ethnic talents

Multi-ethnic groups celebrate

ITN

"