AUGUST 19 • 2021 | 53

English and acting studies, 
and he entered his path for 
the future.
“I’m attracted to theater 
by the collaborative process 
and getting to engage with 
a different person by devel-
oping a character,” he said. 
“I’m always the most thrilled 
when I’m creating together 
with others. The art of theater 
speaks to me in a way that no 
other art form has.”
In working at JET, Keller 
also feels a connection to his 
Jewish roots explored only 
recently. He learned about 
some religious traditions 
through Hillel programs at 
Wayne.
Keller’s most recent pro-
fessional acting work has 
been in High School Musical 
at the Ringwald Theatre in 
Ferndale and It’s a Wonderful 
Life at the Riverbank Theatre 
in Marine City.
Also a writer, he has had 
two plays produced through 
Wayne State programming: 
Something Gay: A Brief Hookup, 
which is about relationships 
and online dating, and Front 
of the House, which was a 
Zoom presentation about 
restaurant workers on the 
last day the restaurant is in 
business.

OUTDOOR THEATER
“The first time I actually 
directed and wrote was for 
the outdoors,” said Keller, 
whose day job has to do 
with freight forwarding, 
making sure that goods are 
handled according to cus-
toms regulations. 
“I self-produced a 
new translation of Spring 
Awakening performed in a 
courtyard at Wayne State. It 
was part of my thesis, but it 
was not attached to the uni-
versity. Doing outdoor theater 
is a fun experience because 
there are the elements that 
also need attention.” 

The musicians setting the 
play to music appeared for 
JET’s production of Cabaret 
— Stacy White (keyboards), 
Lee Cleaveland (guitar), 
Kevin DeClaire (saxophone), 
Jake Andrzejewski (bass) and 
Sam Andrzejewski (drums).
“I’m excited to be outside 
for our first professional 
show since the pandemic and 
glad it is in conjunction with 
the Walled Lake Downtown 
Development Authority,” said 
Christopher Bremer, JET 
executive director. “What 
better way to end the sum-
mer than with community 
involvement?” 

JET SCHEDULE
If it rains on Friday, audience 
members, asked to bring 
their own chairs, will be 
given tickets for Saturday. 
If it rains on Saturday, the 
tickets will be for Sunday. If 
it rains on Sunday, audience 
members can use their tick-
ets for another upcoming 
production — The Rocky 
Horror Show (Sept. 30-Oct. 
24), Same Time, Next Year 
(Nov. 4-28), The Full Monty 
(Dec. 9-Jan. 2) and Amadeus 
(March 18-April 10).
“It’s been incredibly dif-
ficult during the pandemic 
even with Zoom readings,” 
Bremer said. “Theater is 
meant to be live in front of 
people gathering and having 
a shared emotional experi-
ence. 
“Still, we are very proud of 
one Zoom program we took 
to youngsters in other states 
who otherwise may not have 
the opportunity to ask ques-
tions about the Holocaust. It 
was an interactive experience 
with an actress portraying 
Anne Frank in hiding.”
As Bremer looks forward 
to a return to live theater and 
the music of Grease, he said, 
“I’m hoping people get up 
and dance.” 

OLYMPIC ROUND-UP 
The Tokyo Games featured 
22 Jewish athletes from 
the diaspora as well as the 
90-member (Jewish) Israeli 
team. The individual Israeli 
medal winners are Artem 
Dolgopyat, gold in artistic 
gymnastics; Linoy Ashram, 
gold, rhythmic gymnastics; 
Avishag Semberg, bronze, 
taekwondo. The Israeli 
mixed judo team (men/
women) won a bronze team 
medal. Its “one medal,” but 
all 11 team members get a 
medal to take home. 
 The Diaspora medal win-
ners are Australia, Jessica 
Fox, gold in women’s kayak 
slalom, (and) bronze in 
women’s canoe slalom; 
Ukraine: Elina Svitolina, 
bronze, women’s tennis 
singles; United States: Sue 
Bird, gold, women’s basket-
ball; Alix Klineman, gold, 
women’s beach volleyball; 
and Nick Itkin, bronze, 
team foil (fencing).
Do check out my articles 
on the Olympics posted 
on the Detroit Jewish 
News website on Aug. 5. 
(Meet the 2020 Olympic 
Members of the Tribe). I 
give credit to Jewish Sports 
Review, a print publication 
that shared its research 
with me. 
Linked to my “Meet” 
article is an article about 
the Review. It explains why 
Jewish sports fans should 
subscribe to the Review, a 
“labor of love.” 
 Flag Day opens in the-
aters on Aug. 20. It stars 
Sean Penn, 60, as John 
Vogel, a big-time con art-
ist who has been busted. 
Penn’s real-life daughter, 
Dylan Penn, 30, has a 
co-starring role as John’s 
adult daughter, an artist 
who struggles to come to 
terms with her father’s crim-
inal past. 

 Sean’s other child, 
Hopper Penn, 28, has a 
much smaller supporting 
role. This film got so/so 
reviews when it played the 
Cannes Film Festival.
The White Lotus, an 
original, six-episode HBO 
comedy/thriller series, 
concluded last Sunday, 
Aug. 15. It got quite good 
reviews. It follows, over the 
course of a week, a group 
of rich folks vacationing at 
a swanky Hawaii resort. 
Earlier this year, I noted 
that “newcomer” Fred 
Hechinger, 23, would fol-
low his big roles in the 
Tom Hanks’ film News 
of the World and The 
Underground Railroad (an 
Amazon series), with a role 
in The White Lotus. 
But, due to an over-
sight, I didn’t “flag” him 
and White Lotus before it 
began streaming. He has 
a major role in Lotus as 
(guest) Quinn Mosbacher, 
the socially awkward 
17-year-old son of (guest) 
Nicole Mossbacher, the 
CFO of a Google-like com-
pany.
(Real-life) comedian Lenny 
Bruce (1925-1966), who was 
a fairly prominent charac-
ter in the first two seasons 
of the fictional Amazon hit 
series, The Marvelous Mrs. 
Maisel, will return in the 
upcoming season 4. Filming 
has been completed, but 
no release date is yet set. 
The principal cast will all be 
returning. Jackie Hoffman, 
60, an actress and stand-up 
comedian who often does 
Jewish-themed material, will 
appear in Season 4. 

CELEBRITY NEWS

NATE BLOOM COLUMNIST

ARTS&LIFE

Linoy Ashram wins gold.

LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/TIMES OF ISRAEL

