L
Sc Entertainment
Sci-Fi Sp oof Jewish women take roles in alien fantasy.
Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News
lizabeth McIntosh and
- Deb Dworkin agree the
next play produced by
Stagecrafters is hilarious, and that
fits right in
with their
reasons for
being part
of the Royal
Oak com-
munity the-
ater.
Both
women,
stage hob-
byists, want
to have a
Elizabeth McIntosh good time
while taking
of Clinton
Township plays
on new
spacecraft pilot
roles, and
Zombina, a buxom they find
alien aviatrix bent that as cast
on procuring
members in
he-specimens.
Zombies
E
from the Beyond, a sci-fi musical
comedy running Feb. 24-March
12. Book, music and lyrics are by
James Valcq.
Zombina, an alien from outer
space played by McIntosh, lands
her flying saucer on earth ready
to abduct men to help repopulate
her Planet X. Zombina's quest
threatens the romance of Mary
Malone (Dworkin), the daughter
of America's space commander
in the 1950s.
"This was done Off Broadway
and is completely different from
any musical I've ever seen:'
explains McIntosh, 28, single and
a resident of Clinton Township. "I
worked closely with the director-
to get into the character for this
cult-type show:'
McIntosh's interest in theater
came through her parents, Rae and
David McIntosh, also members of
Stagecrafters. She has performed
in the chorus of Follies and Evita
and worked with the Dearborn
Players.
Brooklyn Boy
Margulies play shines at JET.
solving. His book's been
Susan Zweig
I Special to the Jewish News optioned by a Hollywood that
talks a completely different lan-
he Jewish Ensemble
guage.
Theatre's production
Even the Brooklyn that raised
of Donald Margulies'
him has become foreign to him.
Brooklyn Boy shows that a
Playwright Margulies, whose
family's role — at least in part —
Dinner with Friends won the
is to keep its members' humili-
Pulitzer Prize in 2000, crafts dis-
ty in check.
armingly naturalistic dialogue.
. For Eric Weiss, a writer seek-
It's as if we're eavesdropping on
ing approval and understand-
a series of intimate conversa-
ing in his father's eyes,
tions, each casually expos-
neither is as easy
ing a character's frail-
to obtain as a spot
ties and discomfort.
on the New York
Director
Times bestseller
Christopher Bremer
list.
assembles a talented cast:
The author returns to
John Lepard's performance as
Brooklyn to visit his father, hop-
Eric Weiss feels as natural as
ing to rewrite the holes in their
Margulies' script. Though life
relationship before it's too late,
may be unraveling around his
but life never seems to play itself
character, Lepard's self-
out as tidily as in a novel.
restraint refuses to chase after
On some level, Weiss already
the loosening hits, internalizing
knows this: His marriage is dis-
instead what such disarray
T
REVIEW
44
February 23 2006
Currently doing
Theater
office work for a
Veteran
finance company
Dworkin, who has
in Southfield,
been with Stage-
McIntosh has
crafters for 10
another special
years, gets her
interest, horseback
energy from the
riding, and even-
audiences.
tually would like
"I like theater
to have her own
because it lets me
boarding stables.
meet great people
She attended the
and become some-
Debbi Dworkin of Ferndale
University of
one else for a short
portrays the perky Mary
Findlay in Ohio,
says
Malone, whose budding
earned an associ-
Dworkin,
34, single
romance with the uptight
ate's degree in
and a resident of
Trenton is threatened.
equestrian studies
Ferndale. "I joined
and rides her own
Stagecrafters after
horse, Lady Emily, purchased
going to an audition with a friend
after being taken off track.
and getting a part in Fiddler on
"I find theater very rewarding," the Roof'
says McIntosh, a Groves High
Dworkin, who graduated from
School graduate who celebrates
Eastern Michigan University,
Jewish holidays with her moth-
administers benefits for an
er's side of the family. "It feels
advertising agency in Warren.
good to work hard, reach the per- She studied journalism and edu-
formance and have positive audi- cation after attending Akiva Day
ence reactions."
School and Berkley High School.
The actress, who has worked
with the Grosse Pointe Theatre
and St. Dunstan's Theatre Guild
of Cranbrook, has appeared in A
Chorus Line, Assassins, Into the
Woods and Noises O ff
"I enjoyed theater in high
school and college and have
taken voice lessons and dance
classes:' says Dworkin, who
attended Young Israel of Oak
Park. "I find Zombies to be a
good homage to the science fic-
tion movies of the 1950s"
Stagecrafters presents
Zombies from the Beyond
Feb. 24 March 12 on the 2nd
-
Stage of the Baldwin Theatre,
415 S. Lafayette, Royal Oak.
Show times are 8 p.m. Feb.
24-25 and March 2, 3, 4,10
and 11 and 2 p.m. Feb. 26 and
March 5 and 12. $14. (248)
541-6430.
production sidebar, decod-
ing the why in each. Such
creative use of presumed
down time makes one won-
der if the crew handling set
properties could be incorpo-
rated with the same pur-
poseful wit, rather than
hover in shadow and rote,
standard-issue black.
One technical note:
Mezuzot reside on the right
side of the doorpost when
entering a home, not the
left. (Forgive us: This is the
Jewish News, after all.)
In Brooklyn Boy, what
4(
Margulies affirms is that
Kelly Rossi as Allison and John Lepard as Eric Weiss in Brooklyn Boy
the people, sights and
fabric of the past nurture
does to a man.
the well of creativity from
throb Brian Thibault entertains
Arthur Beer's Manny Weiss is
as TV's uber-actor Tyler Shaw.
which many artists draw. If
appropriately cantankerous and
And Kelly Rossi's delicious
every ounce of love and under-
crusty as Eric's father. Jean Lyle
blend of innocence, vacuous-
standing they longed for were
Lepard as Eric's wife Nina mixes
ness, predatory sexuality and
received when they were
steeliness with love and hurt,
drive as groupie Alison is a mar-
young, the reality is many
might never create at all. I]
aI!owing us to really feel first-
velous confection.
hand why their marriage has
Jim Davis' sound design gives
been rocky. Fred Buchalter as old
authenticity to the hospital and
Brooklyn Boy runs through
friend Ira Zimmer needles with
city noises throughout. The use
March 12. For information and
just the right mix of annoyance
of popular music during scene
tickets call (248) 788-2900.
and moxie. Hollywood heart-
changes makes an interesting
-