A
e \
LX
•
Th
,
1.
11 1.
(.
L
In Her Mother's Footsteps
Puppeteer
Mallory Lewis
brings Lamp Chop
to Shaarey Zedek.
Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News
M
allory Lewis grew up thinking
of a puppet as her sister and
now she is asking audiences to
think of that puppet in the same way.
Lewis, daughter of the late puppeteer
Shari Lewis, worked as her mom's TV
producer and decided to pick up on the
fantasy world created at home and popu-
larized around the globe.
This second-generation entertainer
— featuring hand puppet Lamb Chop
— appears 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3,
at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield.
"This show is a family show, not a
baby show," says the California-based
Lewis. Lamb Chop and I do one hour of
variety, singing, moving, using comedy
and having the kids up on stage.
"I offer different material than my
mom offered, but I still sing some of
the same songs she used. It's mostly a
different show because my relationship
with Lamb Chop is different from my
mother's."
Shari Lewis, who died in 1998 from
cancer, served as a professional and per-
sonal role model for her daughter. Early
encouragement for the younger enter-
tainer came from comedian and actor
Dom DeLuise, a family friend.
"I spent the year after my mom's death
accepting posthumous awards-that
people were kind enough to give her,"
explains Lewis, who sometimes goes by
the name Mally. "One day I realized that
if I did not take a shot with Lamb Chop,
all that would be dead as well. I certainly
did not want my son (7-year-old Jamie
Hood) to grow up without knowing
L _ amb Chop.
"I've been performing for about six
years. Taking over Lamb
Chop was sort of a natu-
ral outgrowth of the fact
that it was so much a
part of the life I grew
up with and loved. I've
always been outgoing so
you could say I've always
been a performer."
Although the ventrilo-
quist does not have her
own TV show yet, she is
working on an animated
series. She has appeared
on lots of talk TV and
asks her son to serve as
preview critic for seg-
ments of her act.
Lewis, married to
cinematographer Brad
Hood, grew up in Beverly Mallory Lewis: Lamb Chop's "sister."
Hills and often accom-
panied her mother to the
studio. After leaving Barnard College in
As she extends her own enter-
1984, she became a writer for Hanna-
tainment opportunities, Lewis
Barbera and Disney shows before joining will be spending lots of time in
her mom's enterprises.
Michigan. Working with Anchor
International Duo
Toronto and
Bloomfield Hills
musicians come
together for
classical concert.
Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News
-
G
anther Herbig, former
music director of the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra and the
Toronto Symphony Orchestra, recruited
violinist Jacques Israelievitch for long-
term employment as concertmaster in
the Canadian city.
Herbig's wife, pianist Jutta Czapski,
met Israelievitch through her husband,
worked with him" in concert and recently
suggested that he join her for a one-time
engagement close to her Bloomfield
54 November 30 2006
Hills home.
The two instrumentalists, who have
established international stage and
recording careers, will appear 4 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 3, at Temple Israel. The
program includes Sonatina for Violin
and Piano by Schubert, Baal Shem
("Three Pictures of Chassidic Life")
by Bloch and Sonata for Violin and
Piano by Franck.
"I think that the Schubert piece is a
beautiful way to start a program," says
the 57-year-old Israelievitch. "The Bloch
piece brings in music of Jewish inspi-
ration, and the Franck work is highly
romantic and one of the greatest for
violin and piano."
Israelievitch — who also works with
the New Arts Trio and his son Michael,
a percussionist with whom he recently
recorded Hammer and Bow (Fleur
De Son Classics) — has worked with
the Toronto Symphony since 1988. He
appears regularly as soloist and con-
ductor. Born in France, he debuted on
French National Radio
Israel although she has
at 11, graduated from
attended concerts there.
the Paris Conservatory
Her invitation came from
at 16 and soon had
cantorial soloist Neil
widespread appearance
Michaels.
invitations.
"The Schubert
Israelievitch's diverse
piece is the first piece
career reaches from
Jacques and I played
years with the Chicago
together," says Czapski,
Symphony Orchestra
who practices at two
and St. Louis Symphony
Steinway pianos in
Orchestra to chamber
her home. "I think
concerts with Yo-Yo Ma,
the Baal Shem work is
Emanuel Ax and Yefim
appropriate because it
Jacques Israelievitch
Bronfman.
is Hebraic, and I espe-
"I've played with the
cially wanted to play
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and
the Franck sonata because it is both
given master classes at the University of beautiful and demanding."
Michigan," says Israelievitch, a member
Czapski, who studied at the Franz
of Darchei Naom, a Reconstructionist
Liszt Academy in Weimar, Germany, also
congregation in Canada. "I also have
debuted at a very early age, perform-
conducted the Windsor Symphony
ing her first concert at 8. As she began
Orchestra."
working with many orchestras, the
Czapski, like Israelievitch, is mak-
musician, who is not Jewish, became
ing her debut performance at Temple
particularly noted as an interpreter of