I Arts & Entertainment

▪

Dynamic Decade

On April 13, 1996, Jeremy Haberman
reopened the doors of Ferndale's Magic
Bag, a former art-house theater and per-
forming arts space that had
seen better days. To reflect
its new casual ambiance,
he replaced the sloped floor
and stationary theater seats
with a tiered floor plan and
cabaret-style seating and
set out to welcome Detroit's
best homegrown talent.
After a few rocky years, national booking
agents began to call. Today, the Magic Bag
is at the forefront of Ferndale's burgeoning
nightlife and a constant winner of annual
"best venue" awards from local media.
"We're glad to still be here 10 years later;'
says Haberman. "It was tough getting the
place up and running, but it's humming
along now and I'm excited to see what

the next 10 years will bring. We've been
fortunate to launch the careers of some
of Detroit's greatest success stories: The
White Stripes, the Electric Six (formerly the
Wildbunch) and Robert Bradley all called
the Magic Bag home before they blew up
on the national spotlight.
"We've also seen many a national act
start here: K.T. Tunstall, Smash Mouth,
David Gray, Ben Harper, Robert Randolph
and Train all got splinters on our stage
before reaching national notoriety!"
In honor of its anniversary, the
venue will host the Magic Bag's 10-Year
Anniversary Bash Friday, May 19, featur-
ing four favorite local bands: the Fags,
the Sights, Shipwreck Union and Whitey
Morgan. Doors open at 9 p.m.
"The event will be a first-rate affair;' says
Haberman, who, with his younger brother,
Daniel, operates the Bosco, a successful
lounge located in a neighboring build-
ing to the north of the Magic Bag. "We'll

be featuring bands that will be making
some serious noise around Detroit and the
national music scene for years to come."
Tickets to the anniversary bash are $10.
(248) 544-1989 or www.themagicbag.com .

All About Books

Nancy Pearl received her library degree
in 1967 from the University of Michigan.
Best known as the author of Book Lust:
Recommended Reading for Every
Mood, Moment and Reason and More
Book Lust, in which she describes her .
favorite titles and why you should read
them, Pearl is also the model for a new
librarian action figure.
From 3-4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 14, as
part of this year's Ann Arbor Book Festival,
Pearl will present "An Afternoon of Book
Lust" — in which she'll explain how her
love of reading was fostered, how she
became an author and her new status as
action figure. The event takes place in the

Ann Arbor District Library's lower-level
Multipurpose Room, located at 343 S. Fifth
Avenue, in downtown Ann Arbor.
The Book Festival, a community-wide
celebration of reading, writing and literacy
that runs May 11-
14, features author
appearances, writing
workshops, spelling
bees, poetry slams,
book art displays,
children's activi-
ties and thousands
Nancy Pearl
of books for sale at
various downtown loca-
tions. The Downtown Library also hosts
an opening reception with many of the
festival's distinguished authors 7-8:30 p.m.
Friday, May 12.
For more information and a complete
schedule of events, go to
ww-w.aabookfestival.org .

FYI: For Arts related events that you wish to have c.onsidered 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 it 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.

Nate Bloom
Special to the Jewish -News

ing series about a gay man and his best
Baseball Bits
Two Major Leaguers with names that
friend,
a straight woman. It was must-
or
You can add Texas rookie-second base-
make Jewish fans smile: Texas' Kevin
see TV and got good ratings.
man Ian Kirisler to the list of Jewish
Mench and Seattle's J.J. Putz.
Four years ago, Grace married a
Say Goodnight, Gracie
Major Leaguers. Shel Wallman, editor
4:1 Low ratings spelled the end for the NBC
nice Jewish doctor (played by Harry
of the Jewish Sports Review newslet-
TV/Movie News
•
sitcom Will and Grace. It concludes
Connick Jr., son of a Jewish mother
ter, contacted Ian's Jewish uncle, who
How I Met Your Mother, a really
its eight-year run Thursday,
and Catholic father). At that
told Shel that Ian had no problem being funny CBS sitcom, ends its first season
I May 18. From 8-9 p.m., there
point, the show could have been
listed as a Jewish athlete in the Review,
8:30 p.m. Monday,
will be a retrospective episode
about something new: a Jewish
even though Ian's mother isn't Jewish
May 15. Yes, there are
of clips and cast interviews,
married couple (a TV rarity)
and Ian wasn't raised in any faith.
a lot of shows about
and their very close
followed by a one-hour final
Jewish fans should abso-
the romantic lives
episode, from 9-10 p.m.,
gay friends. Instead,
lutely pick up Designated
of 20-somethings,
that promises to tie up some
the writers quickly
Hebrew, the very funny
but Mother has top-
recent storylines.
ended
Grace's marriage,
memoir by Ron Blomberg,
Debra Messing
notch acting, clever
and the show kept
The Grace Adler role,
the former Yankee and base-
dialogue and well-
Eddie Kaye
repeating old themes. Viewers
as played by the beautiful Debra
Thomas
. ball's first designated hitter.
defined characters.
ebbed away, and the series
Messing, was a pleasant surprise in
Recently, Blomberg said this
And check out the mostly Jewish cast:-
was doomed after Friends, its
contrast with most Jewish TV charac-
about the New York Jewish
Josh Radnor, Alyson Hannigan,
lead-in show and ratings prop, Ron Blo mberg
ters. Grace is smart, funny and proudly
community: "To be able to
Jason Segal and Bob Saget.
ended in 2004.
Jewish. Yes, she's a little ditzy — but
play in front of 8 million Jews! Can't
Everybody Loves Raymond star
But do watch the last show. There is
that's OK; it's a comedy after all.
beat it. I lit everyone's candles for every
Brad Garrett returns to TV next fall
However, unlike Cheers, Will and •
a 50-50 chance the pregnant Grace will
bar mitzvah in the city. It was like I
in the Fox comedy-drama Til Death.
Grace didn't re-invent itself and stay
reunite with her Jewish ex-husband and
was related to everyone. They named a
It tracks two couples, one long married
father of her baby.
fresh. It started out as a groundbreak-
sandwich after me at the Stage Deli:'
and the other just hitched. Garrett and

W

Yoe

54

May 11 • 2006