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CLASSICAL NOTES

On Sunday, July 24, at 3 p.m., Temple
Beth El will welcome more than 1,200
seniors to Masters of 20th-Century
Music, a concert of music composed by
Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Richard
Rodgers and more performed by artists
of the Michigan Opera Theatre: Maria
Cimarelli, Betsy Bronson, Karl Schmidt and
Mark Vondrak, with Amanda Sabelhaus on
piano and Dan Greig on synthesizer. Open
to all seniors (wheelchair accessible) in the
community at no charge, but tickets are
required. Call (248) 865-0617, press 2.

POP / ROCK / JAZZ / FOLK

LaserSpectacular's tribute to the "King of
Pop',' The Spirit of Michael, a multimedia
experience spanning Michael Jackson's
40-year career with a mixture of live per-
formance, lasers and special effects lighting,
illuminates Meadow Brook Music Festival 8
p.m. Friday, July 15. $20 pavilion/$10 lawn.
(800) 745-3000; palacenet.com .

Josh Groban

Born to a Jewish-American father
(Jack Groban), a descendant of Polish
and Russian immigrants who converted
to Christianity upon marriage, and a
Norwegian-American mother, record-
ing artist Josh Groban, 30, brings his

THE BIG SCREEN
"Straight To You" Tour,
in support of his latest
album, Illuminations,
The Detroit Film Theatre
to the Palace of Auburn
at the Detroit Institute of
Hills 8 p.m. Saturday,
Arts screens a sparkling
July 16 (he'll perform
new restoration of Went the
Gail Zimmerman
other fan favorites
Day Well? (England/1942),
Arts Editor
as well). In 1997-98,
an adaptation of a Graham
Groban attended
Greene story in which the
Michigan's Interlochen Arts Camp, major-
residents of a picture-perfect English vil-
ing in musical theater, and this tour brings lage begin to suspect the possibility of
the feel of a theater experience to an arena Nazi agents in their midst — leading to
setting through stage design, lighting and
unexpected consequences for both villagers
projection. $79.50-$99.50. (800) 745-3000; and invaders, 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m.
palacenet.com .
Sunday, July 16-17. $6.50-$7.50. (313) 833-
Creating music for 40-plus years, Rock
4005; tickets.dia.org.
and Roll Hall of Famers and Grammy
In collaboration with the Michigan
winners Donald Fagen (Jew) and Walter
Theater, University Musical Society pres-
Becker (not a Jew) of Steely Dan return
ents a delayed live broadcast screening
to Detroit with a show at the Fox Theatre
of Anton Chekov's The Cherry Orchard,
8 p.m. Saturday, July 16, performing great- a production by the National Theater
est hits and deep cuts alike in a tour they
in London, 7 p.m. Sunday, July 17. Zoe
call, "Shuffle Diplomacy Twenty Eleven."
Wanamaker stars as Ranyevskaya in the
$45.50-$85.50. (800) 745-3000;
play, which captures a poignant moment
olympiaentertainment. corn.
in Russia's history as the country rolls
inexorably towards 1917. Wanamaker
ON THE STAGE
is an American-British actress with
Jewish roots in Ukraine (her father, pro-
Water Works Theater Company presents its
ducer Sam Wanamaker, left the U.S. for
11th annual Shakespeare in the Park in
England after being blacklisted). 603 E.
Royal Oak, featuring almost three weeks
Liberty, Ann Arbor. $18-$22 adults, $12
of theatrical fun in the middle of the tree-
students. (734) 764-2538; ums.org .
filled Starr Jaycee Park, 1101 W. 13 Mile
Road. First up is William Shakespeare's The THE ART SCENE
Tempest, featuring Clifford Katskee of
Birmingham as Antonio, 8 p.m. Thursday-
Pewabic Pottery hosts its 40th annual Staff
Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday, July 21-Aug. 7;
and Student Exhibition 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
$20. Lane Riosley's The Commedia Tales
Monday-Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday,
of Aladdin, a family show suitable for all
July 15-Sept. 18. Opening reception, with
ages, will be performed 7 p.m. Tuesdays-
refreshments, 6-8 p.m. Friday, July 15. Free
Wednesdays and 11 a.m. Saturdays-
and open to the public. 10125 E. Jefferson,
Sundays, July 26-Aug. 7; $6. New this year,
Detroit. (313) 626-2000; pewabic.org .
an hour of the Bard's Love Sonnets will be
Former Detroiter Mary Fisher, an art-
offered 4 p.m. Saturday, July 30 and Aug.
ist, author and international AIDS activ-
6; free. Bring a picnic basket and enjoy the
ist best remembered for her landmark
park before the shows. Tickets: waterwork-
speech, "A Whisper of AIDS:' given at the
1982 Republican National Convention,
stheatre.com.

Nate Bloom
Special to the
Jewish News

Shalom, Harry

AIL

Daniel
Radcliffe

Jason Isaacs

56

July 14 • 2011

Opening Friday, July
15, is the final film in
the Harry Potter film
series, Harry Potter
and the Deathly
Hallows, Part 2. The
epic finale pits the
forces of good wiz-
ardry, led by Harry
(Daniel Radcliffe),
against the follow-
ers of evil wizardry,
including Lucius

Malfoy, played by Jason Isaacs, 48.
Take out the wizardry part, and the
plot is reminiscent of many biblical
stories. So I guess it is appropriate that
two Jewish actors appear on opposite
sides of the good/evil spectrum.
Radcliffe, who will turn 22 on July
23, is the son of a Protestant father
and a Jewish mother. While he is sec-
ular, he also says he is "very proud to
be Jewish." He's not proud, however,
of having a problem with alcohol.
He recently said he quit drinking
entirely about a year ago. His problem
never was reported in any media out-
let so Radcliffe's revelation came as
news; it was a genuine case of a celeb
talking about his problem in the hope
that others with substance abuse

issues would follow his example.
Isaacs has emerged, in middle age,
as an almost superstar actor in the
U.K. with his starring role in a just-
aired, super-popular BBC miniseries
about a soulful private detective. Last
month, The Observer, a serious Brit
paper, said: "Isaacs has won his pro-
motion to officially approved national
lust object."
There is speculation that his new
NBC series, Awake, set to start in
January 2012, may make him an
American star. The pilot has been
praised as engrossing and very smart.

has worked in an ever-evolving variety
of media, including textiles, photography,
jewelry design and water and oil painting.
Now a resident of Sedona, Ariz., she has
created her first fabric design collections:
"Pathways," based on her extensive travels
in Africa, and "Every Living Thing:' a cel-
ebration of nature. To see examples and
to order, go to maryfisher.com ; for more
information, call (928) 282-5960 or email
support@maryfisher.com.

FAMILY FUN

The Detroit Institute of Arts hosts Wild
Swan Theater of Ann Arbor's production
of Frog and Toad, geared for theatergoers
ages 3-8 and based on stories of the same
name by Arnold Lobel, 2 p.m. Sunday, July
17, in the Lecture Hall. Free with museum
admission: $8 adults, $6 seniors, $4 children.
(313) 833-7900; dia.org .

WHATNOT

The Detroit Garden Cruise, 9-4:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 17, is a tour of gardens designed,
planted and/or inspired by Deborah Silver
of Detroit Garden Works. All proceeds will
benefit the planting and educational pro-
grams of the Greening of Detroit. Tour only:
$35; tour and cocktail reception: $50. (248)
355-8080; detroitgardenworks.com .
The Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber's
eighth annual Vine & Dine food and wine
extravaganza is scheduled for 6-9 p.m.
Wednesday, July 20, at the Birmingham
Bloomfield Art Center. A portion of the
proceeds will benefit Gleaners Community
Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan.
Tickets are $65 per person; special corpo-
rate pricing is available. 1516 S. Cranbrook
Road, Birmingham. (248) 644-1700, ext
24; bbcc.com. II

Email items to Gail Zimmerman at

gzimmerman@thejewishnews.com .

LA"'
Michael
Chabon

!

Creative Couple

Novelist and screenwriter Michael
Chabon, 48, and his wife, novelist

Ayelet
Waldman

Ayelet Waldman, 46,
are writing a musical
about a real-life, non-
profit organization,
826NYC, which funds
writing programs in
the public schools
by selling costumes
of comic superstars
via the Internet and
a Brooklyn store
(Brooklyn Superhero
Supply Company).
The couple also are
working on an HBO
pilot about a group
of magicians who use
their skills to battle
Hitler.