the Joel family was not observant as
regards their faith."
As Joel once remarked, "My par-
ents (Rosalind Hyman and Helmuth
`Howard' Joel) were both from Jewish
families. I was not brought
up Jewish in any religious
way. My circumcision was
as Jewish as they got."
When Billy was 8, his
parents told him and
older sister Judy they
were getting a divorce.
Thus Billy grew up in
a home in Levittown,
Long Island, with a single
mother, in the only Jewish Billy Joel
family on the block
(most of Billy's friends were Roman
Catholic Italians). The result, notes
Bego, was a somewhat confused reli-
gious identity.
He quotes Joel: "I used to go to
Roman Catholic church with my
friends, and when I was 11, I got

baptized. I'm a cultural Jew. I like the
Lower East Side humor, the food. I
think the Yiddish language is terrifi-
cally expressive. Does that make me a
complete Jew or a partial Jew? I'm not
really sure!'
In 2005, Billy Joel released
My Lives, a lavish five disc
(four CDs and one DVD)
set chronicling his musical
evolution, from his early
'60s Long Island bar bands
through his big hits to his
most recent classical corn-
positions.
His unprecedented
12-show, sold-out run at
Madison Square Garden
yielded the collection 12 Gardens
Live.
You can hear Billy Joel live as he
returns in concert to the Palace of
Auburn Hills on Friday, May 4, at 8
p.m. Tickets are $49.50-$85. (248)
645-6666. I I

offering special Mother's Day packages to pamper yourseff and
Morn on your special day. Melt away stress and luxuriate with one of our
three fabulous offers:

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www.kryStynaseurOpeanspa.com
31815 Southfield Rd., Suite 32
Beverly Hills, M1 48025
Our Phone Remains the same: 248.540.0600

FYI: For Arts related events that you wish to have considered 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 at 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.

VVolfgang Amadeus Moz

tt5e

Messing is the star of the USA
cable network's six-hour miniseries
The Starter Wife, which begins
on May 31. She plays a woman
who tries to forge a new life after
her marriage to a Hollywood
studio head ends. The series is
directed by Jon Avnet (Fried Green
Tomatoes).

Dancing Redux

It's the 20th anniversary of the film
Dirty Dancing.
On May 8, the stores will be
stocking a remastered soundtrack
with bonus DVD featuring music
videos.
On the same day, an anniversary
DVD version of the film will hit
stores and feature a tribute to the
late Jerry Orbach and a new inter-
view with star Patrick Swayze.
Dancing has an odd history. The
writer, Eleanor Bergstein, said she
was inspired by her own family
trips to Jewish Catskill mountain
resorts, yet — for marketing rea-
sons — the word "Jewish" never

came up in the film.
And, while the film has grown
in popularity over the years, the
careers of most of those associated
with it have tanked.
Bergstein and film co-star
Jennifer Grey never had another
hit. Swazye had
another hit with
Ghost but faded
after that. The
saddest story
is that of Max
Cantor, who
played the hand-
some, sleazy col-
lege boy-waiter.
Lonny Price
He died of a drug
overdose in 1991.
However, Lonny Price, who
played the nebbishy young grand-
son whom resort owner Jack
Weston was pushing on Grey's char-
acter, Frances "Baby" Houseman,
did go on to a great career as a the-
ater director (including Jewish the-
ater) and writer. Call it the revenge
of the nerds. 1

[

AbSuction
from the §eragrio

May 12-19 5 2007

DiChiera, General Di

MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE PREMIERE!

This is the work that launched MOZART'S operatic career,
packed full of VIRTUOSI( ARIAS and DRAMATIC ENSEMBLES.
A decadent feast of desire that is not to be missed!

PERFORMED IN ENGLISH WITH SUPERTITLES
FREE Opera Talk one hour prior to performance

FOR TICKETS CALL 313-237-SING
or visit www.michiganopera.org

Opening Night Sponsor

The 2007 Spring Season is
sponsored by Cadillac.

r,

La,S
a n te Bank

Saturday Series Sponsor

Sat. May 12, 7:30 pm
Sun. May 13, 2:30 pm
Wed. May 16, 7:30 pm
Fri. May 18, 7:30 pm
Sat. May 19, 7:30 pm

De Roy Testamentary Foundation

May 18 Performance Sponsor

Ida and Conrad Smith Fund

ilea

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i ■ oorrlItyl

May 19 Performance Sponsor

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no7 41