FEBRUARY 3 • 2022 | 55

J

ust three weeks before 
opening night of the 
Farmington Players’ 
upcoming production, Tokens 
of Affection, plans changed in 
the biggest of ways. One of 
the leads of the play, Dorne 
Lefere, dropped out due to a 
family emergency.
Director Dave Reinke had 
to make a decision. Reinke 
made only one phone call 
for someone to take on the 
role and learn the entire pro-
duction in just a few weeks: 
Gary Weinstein, owner of 
Weinstein Jewelers of Novi. 
Weinstein has a back-
ground in theater acting 
going back to high school 
and has worked on vari-
ous productions with the 
Farmington Players since 
2004. Weinstein’s store will 
also sponsor the show.
Weinstein originally tried 
out for the role in early 
November but didn’t get the 

part. Two months went by, 
and he received the replace-
ment call from the director 
on Jan. 18, just 25 days before 
opening night.
“(Reinke) expressed to me 
that I was the only phone call 
he made to take the role,” 
Weinstein said. “I took a 
couple hours to think about 
it, what it was going to entail 
and what I needed to do to 
be ready within three weeks, 
and I told the director I was 
in. I really jumped at the 
chance.” 
There are 230 lines 
Weinstein must memorize, 
though he says the memo-
rization actually hasn’t been 
too hard after practicing each 
day since he got the call. 
“Repetition, repetition, 
repetition” is key, Weinstein 
said. 
Tokens of Affection, written 
by Topher Payne, runs from 
Feb. 11-26 at the Farmington 

Players Barn in Farmington 
Hills. The romantic comedy 
follows Frank Garrett, who’s 
stunned by his wife Jackie’s 
decision to leave him after 37 
years of marriage, and sib-
lings Charlie and Claire who 
team up to try and save their 
parents’ relationship. 
“He’s a father of the family 
and he’s been providing well 
for them for years, but the 
wife is feeling like she’s not 
being acknowledged, seen 
or fulfilled,” Weinstein said. 
“So, she wants a divorce. The 
metaphor ‘he doesn’t bring 
me flowers,’ that’s the back-
ground.”
Since 1953, the Farmington 
Players have staged more 
than 200 different musicals, 
dramas, mysteries and com-
edies, all as a community 
theater with 100% volunteer 
membership. Weinstein’s 
store has sponsored many 
Farmington Players produc-

tions in recent years.
Weinstein’s store is also 
running a special promotion 
involving 50-50 ticket sales. 
There will be three winners 
every night, with one person 
taking home the monetary 
prize and all three receiv-
ing gift cards to Weinstein 
Jewelers. They’ll have a 
chance to win jewelry dis-
played in the theater’s lobby 
showcase, or a free service 
from Weinstein, including a 
battery or a cleaning 
and inspection. The 
50-50 winners will 
also be entered into 
a final drawing at the 
Weinstein store for a 
chance to win a brooch 
valued at $1,800. 
In just a few weeks 
of practice, Weinstein 
can already feel the 
connection to the 
character, as it spills 
over to his real life.
“I’m often used by the 
character I perform,” he said. 
“In other words, you take on 
some of the persona of the 
character. Every day right 
now I find myself thinking 
how I can express my love to 
my wife, how I can help out 
a little more, and how I can 
bring her flowers, like the 
metaphor the show is really 
pointing at.” 

ARTS&LIFE
THEATER

Local jewelry store owner takes on 
lead role with three-weeks’ notice.
Last-Minute Lead

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

DETAILS
Tokens of Affection 
runs Feb. 11-26 at the 
Farmington Players Barn 
in Farmington Hills. Tickets 
($22 for adults, $20 for 
seniors) are available now 
at farmingtonplayers.org 
or at the box office: (248) 
553-2955. You can also 
send an email to boxoffice@
farmingtonplayers.org.

Gary Weinstein 
and co-star 
Cynthia Tupper 
during a 
run-through.

DAVE REINKE

Gary 
Weinstein

