and I'm really having a great time with it. The play uses comedy in a dar- ing way to address racist issues, and 1 think that using humor to make a point stronger is something I've seen growing up in the Jewish community." The musical, based on the play Purlie Victorious written by the late actor Ossie Davis, was produced on Broadway by Phil Rose, who has lec- tured on theater arts at the University of Michigan. "I had worked on Purlie Victorious and found it very hard to get an audience, but the musical caught on," recalls Rose, 85, whose father encouraged him to relate his Jewish background to other groups fighting bigotry. "I liked the play because it says some very important things about civil rights while the audience is laughing at people who are doing wrong?' Rose recalls that Davis did not want to work on the musical but liked the production, which did.not change his script. Rose picked Gary Geld to compose the music and Peter Udell to write the lyrics. Songs include "New Fangled Preacher Man,""The Harder Take Two Tablets David Wain, best known as one- third of the comic trio known as Stella, is about to start making Ten, a satire that spoofs- the Ten Commandments. This indie film is directed and co-written by Wain, 37. The big cast of Ten includes kosher thespians Ron Silver, Liev Schreiber, Winona Ryder, Paul Rudd and Adam Brody. I hope Wain's script takes advantage of this strong cast. He and his Stella buddies, Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black, have a cool aura, but they write material that I rarely find to be funny, out- side of short sound bites. What's funny is subjective, but I agree with most critics who found Wain's 2001 film, Wet Hot American Summer, to be dis- jointed, with only a few amusing scenes. The same criticism was made of the trio's 2005 Comedy They Fall" and "I Got Love." "We brought rhythm and blues to Broadway with this show?' Udell recalls. "I mapped out where the songs should be and wrote the lyrics before the music. The whole play has to do with my feelings because my Jewish background makes me understand persecution?' Udell, 72, who feels that his songs are timeless since persecution still goes on, is pleased that theater compa- nies around the country are still stag- ing Purlie. He has seen recent produc- tions but will not be in the Motor City. "I directed Purlie in a different summer program sponsored by the city of Detroit?' Sperling says. "Now it's providing me with a great change of pace from what I usually do." ❑ • Catering available at all locations Coupons are for all locations including Hercules Family Restaurant at 12 Mile & Farmington 31 NCE 9/ 1' Visit us at www.leosconeyisland.com Receive Receive Receive $100 Off $200 Off Total Bill Over $10 Total Bill Over $20 Not valid with Specials. Not valid with any other offers. With coupon. Expires 09/17/06 Not valid with Specials. Not valid with any other offers. With coupon. Expires 09/17/06 Total Bill e. Purlie will be presented 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays, Aug.18-20 and 25-27, at the Detroit Film Theatre in the Detroit Institute of Arts. $18 adults; $12 youths and seniors. Children 5 and younger are not permitted. (313) 833-4005. THE 01i 61Ntli Total Food Bill Central TV show, called Stella. It was axed after one season. Dine-in only. Not valid with Specials. Not valid with any other offers. With coupon. Expires 09/17/06 Savoir Blair In 2003, Style.com described Bloomfield Hills native Selma Blair as "fashion's latest muse - with sartorial inspiration from her mom and Prada ... a speci- men of beauty who's neither tall nor blonde nor buxom ... and who borrows inspiration (and clothes) from her mom, a proper Detroit magistrate." In 2005, designer Karl Lagerfeld selected her as one of his principal Chanel mod- els, and the September Selma Blair 2006 issue of Vanity Fair magazine declares Blair, in effect, a fashion icon. She was named to the 67th annual Vanity Fair list of the 10 best- dressed women in the world. ❑ Not valid with Specials. Not valid with any other offers. With coupon. Expires 09/17/06 OWN 43Q1 WEST BLO AKE ROAD C.- R055WINDS PLAZA FULL BAR FULL SERVICE CATERING int ■ BBQ Grill on the Table to 1 I- 10 0 /0 off -1 L ew Seoul Garden ■ Best Sushi Bar in Town your TOTAL food bill ■ Traditional Floor Sitting Rooms Available • ANY TIME • Dine ■ ri my • Not good wthany other offer expires 813 1 ra5 Authentic Korean & Japanese Cuisine Phone (248) 827-1600 www.newseoulgarden.com newseoul@hotmail.com Open Daily Catering Available 27566 Northwestern Hwy. TRUST YOUR AFFAIR TO THE FINEST CATERER WE'LL BEAT YOUR BEST PRICE! Weddings • Bar/Bat Mitzvahs • Showers • Banquets Reunions • Anniversaries • Birthdays • Etc. We Cater at Most Synagogues, Temples, Hotels and the Halls Of Your Choice PHILIP TEWEL, Food & Beverage Director 248-661-4050 Farmirwton Hills I CLASSIC CUISINE :Wrote, '•Council of Orthodox Rcthbi, August 17 a 2006 55