Metro

Global Stage

International Jewish theater confab
to be hosted next year by JET.

Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News

role in Fiddler on the Roof, will be part of
a schedule that includes performances,
speakers, panels and cultural experiences.
Evelyn Orbach, JET artistic director,
ctor-singer Theodore Bikel
and Marcia Kahn, JET board member,
will visit West Bloomfield next
attended the programs presented in
spring and build on a program
Austria. One of the presenters was herson
set in Vienna this past spring.
Bikel is remaining active with the World Daniel Kahn, a composer-singer who got
his start at JET and is living and working
Congress of Jewish Theater, an annual
in Europe.
event planned by the Association for
"We were among 75 people represent-
Jewish Theater. The 2007 convention was
arranged by the Jewish Theater of Austria, ing 17 countries and six continents, and
I hope we can have as large a mix when
and the 2008 meeting is being developed
members come here says Orbach of
by the locally based Jewish Ensemble
troupes from Brazil to Australia.
Theatre (JET).
"It was fascinating to see what other
Bikel, who readily shared his singing
Jewish companies are doing, and it was
talents and discussed his entertain-
very moving to watch a production
ment perspectives, will have some new
with actors and puppets explaining the
points to make as he appears on next
Holocaust to children."
year's podium. The entertainer, known
The Vienna convention included pre-
for his energetic concerts and starring
sentations as diverse as
the participants.
A panel of Austrian
artists and intellectu-
als discussed the role of
National Socialism (the
Nazis) in molding culture.
A Moscow troupe
showed how members
use contemporary artistic
forms and Jewish scrip-
ture to build a bridge
between traditions and
trends.
A South African perfor-
mance artist tackled the
JET Artistic Director Evelyn Orbach in Vienna

A

Keeps Job

Zoo director
gets reprimand.

Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer

CO

n July 2, the Detroit Zoological
Society board retained
Executive Director Ron Kagan
with the stipulation that a formal, written
reprimand become a part of his employ-
ment record and that he work for 30 days

Theodore Bikel, conductor-pianist Tamara Brooks and JET board member Marcia

Kahn model fanciful hats at this year's World Congress of Jewish Theater in Vienna,

Austria. The group reconvenes next May in Metro Detroit.

subject of injustice.
"There's only a small Jewish presence in
Vienna, but I was struck by all the spon-
sors who stepped forward to support the
conference says Marcia Kahn, who has
performed in dinner-theater and commu-
nity productions and encouraged her son
as his career emerged. "We saw billboards
and posters around the city.
"I found it interesting how all the
Jewish theaters wrestle with the same
issues. We talked about keeping down
costs and attracting new audiences!"

Boosting JET, Michigan
Community members affiliated with JET
are in the planning process for the event
set for the middle of May 2008. They are
looking for ways to introduce participants
to the theater community in Michigan
and the role JET plays. They also are look-

without pay.
Kagan said, "I do want everyone
Kagan admitted misrepre-
to know that I'm truly sorry.
senting the status of a doc-
I accept the board's sanctions
torate degree from Hebrew
with the seriousness with which
they're given and hope that my
University of Jerusalem when
applying to the zoo. The board
performance going forward will
confirmed that Kagan complet-
reinforce that they made the right
ed the coursework during five
decision!'
Ron Kag an
years as a doctoral candidate,
'Best Interest Of Zoo'
but did not finalize his Ph.D. as he had
originally claimed.
Kagan was hired in 1992 and has spear-
Kagan also was required to make a
headed award-winning programs and
public apology, during which he referred
animal welfare efforts.
to the incident as "my mistake," adding, "I
"While we're disappointed that Ron
offer no excuses!'
misrepresented his doctoral status, we're
"While an apology won't correct it,"
conscious of the fact that a Ph.D. is not

ing for sponsors.
As the host, JET will show some of its
initiatives.
"We are very proud of the way we have
developed plays to address problems
faced by young people in and out of the
Jewish community;' Orbach says about
JET YES (Youth Education Services).
"Through meetings with young people,
we have learned how critical the subject
of bullying remains, and we tour plays to
help deal with that."
During its 18 years, JET has grown
to perform before 40,000 young people
annually.

Persons interested in sporsoring or
volunteering at the 2008 confer-
ence can call Evelyn Orbach at

(248) 788-2900.

a requirement of his position nor has
the lack of formalization of that degree
affected his ability to perform his job:'
said Detroit Zoological Society Chairman
Gail Warden.
"In making our decision, we consid-
ered Ron's outstanding track record, his
many accomplishments and the impact
his leaving would have on the zoo and
the community. We recognize that he has
been a major force in helping us get to
where we are today, and we believe it's
in the best interest of the zoo and the
community to move ahead and focus our
efforts on preserving and developing this
crown jewel of Metro Detroit!" II

July 12 2007

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