Metro
Let The Show Begin
The JCC's Berman Center for the Performing Arts
to open with Marvin Hamlisch and David Broza.
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Left: Entrance to the Berman Center
Above: JCC Executive Director Mark Lit
and executive assistant Monika Whale
look inside.
Elizabeth Applebaum
Special to the Jewish News
W
ith mere months until the
curtains part, the bright lights
come on and the chatter of the
audience turns to an excited whisper, the
Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan
Detroit in West Bloomfield is putting the
finishing touches on its new Mandel L.
and Madeleine Berman Center for the
Performing Arts.
The 15,000-square-foot theater is set
to open in March, with the first concerts
starring Marvin Hamlisch and Israeli gui-
tarist David Broza, appearing during the
JCC's Stephen Gottlieb Music Festival.
"This facility will change the way we see
the arts — and the way we do business,"
says JCC Executive Director Mark A. Lit.
"The arts have meant so much to Jews for
many years. In the Berman Center, our
Jewish community will finally have a place
to present the performing arts in a space
equal to the incredible Janice Charach
Gallery's presentation of the fine arts.
Working together, our JCC will be able to
present one of the finest cultural and per-
forming arts programs in the country."
The theater was made possible thanks
to a gift from the Bermans and will be
14
December 23 q 2010
sustained by a permanent endowment. It
features 350- and 600-seat configurations,
a computerized lighting system and state-
of-the-art sound and acoustics.
In addition to the Stephen Gottlieb
Music Festival, it will host ongoing JCC
programs, such as the Lenore Marwil
Jewish Film Festival, the Gottlieb Festival
of the Arts and the Jewish Book Fair, and
will be available for programs hosted
by the general Jewish community, secu-
lar organizations and for professional
and amateur theater, dance and music
groups.
Last week, workers from Sachse
Construction of Birmingham were com-
pleting the entrance that will connect
LuPone to Berman Center?
The Detroit Jewish News has learned that
the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield is close to signing a deal with
Broadway star Patti LuPone to perform at
the JCC's annual gala at the new Mandell
L. and Madeleine Berman Center for the
Performing Arts on May 23.
"It's pretty much a done deal; we're going
through the formalities of signing the con-
tract," said a source familiar with the mat-
ter. "She will give a concert, with Leonard
the theater with the main lobby of the
JCC. A bit of painting is left to do, but the
landscaping — complete with trees and
flowers (not yet in complete hiding for the
winter) — already has been finished.
Work on the theater began last summer
and many found its construction nothing
short of extraordinary and beautiful — as
the cliché would have it, both inside and
out.
"The theater gives a whole new pres-
ence to the east side of the building," said
JCC Director of Development Wendy Strip.
"I think it's stunning."
But it's also what the theater can offer
all its guests that Strip finds appealing.
The Berman, as it has come to be called,
will include an unusual sound system that
allows the hearing impaired to access both
speech and music.
Although the theater is almost complete,
it's still possible to have a name placed on
a seat, only 350 of which will be sold.
Seats in the front section are $5,000
each, and the remaining seats for sale are
$1,800 each. Permanent plaques, bearing
the purchaser's names or words to mark an
occasion, will be affixed to each seat.
For information about buying a seat,
contact Wendy Strip at (248) 432-5420. D
Slatkin conducting the Civic Orchestra."
The Bermans will be honored that
night for providing $4 million to launch
the $6.5 million center on the east side
of the Jewish Center. Construction will
be completed by March. Some other
musical events will take place before the
grand opening.
The veteran LuPone is the star of such
Broadway hits as Evita, Sunset Boulevard,
Anything Goes, Sweeney Todd and Gypsy
The Berman's First Big Events
- Bill Carroll, special writer
Elizabeth Applebaum is a marketing
professional with the Jewish Community
Center of Metropolitan Detroit.
Save the dates for these premiere
performances:
• Wednesday, March 23, 7:30 p.m.:
opening night, featuring Marvin
Hamlisch
• Saturday, March 28, 8:30 p.m.:
patron night, featuring David Broza
and honoring Lisa and Hannan Lis
• Monday, May 23: The JCC's
annual gala, honoring Mandell and
Madeleine Berman