ARTS&LIFE
THEATER

continued from page 41

42 | MARCH 3 • 2022 

JET Season
The Jewish Ensemble 
Theatre will reopen its 
2021-2022 season with:

Same Time Next Year by 

 Bernard Slade
April 21-May 15

The Full Monty by Terrence 
 
 
 
 McNally and David Yazbek
June 2-26

Amadeus by Peter Shaffer
July 14- Aug. 7

TBD
Aug. 25-Sept. 18

JET’s 2022-2023 Season 

 begins Oct. 6 with the 
 Rocky Horror Picture Show 
Single ticket prices $49/ 
 adult, $47/senior, $42/sub 
scribers. 
 
 Prorated subscriptions are 
 on sale now. All dates and 
 titles subject to change. To 
 reserve, call (248) 788- 
 2900.
 
 JET is at 1124 E. West Maple 
 Road, Walled Lake.

A DETROIT PRODUCTION IN ARIZONA
While bringing The Diary of Anne Frank from 
Detroit to Arizona in 2020 helped Ginn plant 
the seed for the Jewish Ensemble Theatre to 
have an Arizona presence, donors told her 
that they wanted to see jobs created locally 
for Phoenix-area actors and crew. With that 
promise, Ginn was able to secure funding 
from the Burton Family Foundation through 
the Arizona Community Foundation, the 
Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation and 
the Molly Blank Fund through the Jewish 
Community Foundation.
“We had to start from scratch. We had to 
procure every single thing,
” said Ginn, whose 
daughter, Peggy, flew in from England to 
help.
Everything included finding an off-site 
rehearsal space and The Scottsdale Center for 
the Performing Arts for the shows, reserving 
a storage facility for costumes, props and 
set pieces for future Arizona productions; 
reporting to the Actors Equity Association 
with COVID compliance updates, including 
ordering over 1,000 rapid-test kits for the cast 
and crew; and arranging and booking the 
school groups.
In addition to recruiting her Arizona 
friends for help, Ginn relied on Toby 
Haberman of Birmingham, who also has a 
home in Phoenix, to go on prop and fur-
niture-finding expeditions to all the local 
Goodwill, thrift and resale shops.
“We needed to duplicate the Michigan 
set, costumes and props that we now own 
and store for annual use with the Arizona 
production,
” said Haberman, retired owner 
of Haberman Fabrics in Royal Oak who has 
also been very involved with costuming at 
Michigan Opera Theatre. “I found objects on 
our list like a half-barrel that was tossed out 
at a Phoenix boutique. I also made assorted 
props, like a small lace Shabbos table cover 
and burlap potato and rations bags.
”
Ginn also enlisted Haberman to help with 
registration during the local auditions. And 
Toby and her husband, Sam, graciously host-
ed the cast and crew party at their Phoenix 
home after the last performance on Feb. 11.
“When finding the set pieces and props, 
we tried to be as realistic as possible. Not 
only does that create an honest visual image 
to draw the audience into a believable scene, 
but it helps the actors develop their char-
acters when they use or wear something 
that could have actually been from that time 
and place,
” said Haberman.

While Ginn dealt with the production 
logistics, Bremer flew back and forth weekly 
from Michigan to Arizona, assembling his 
Arizona cast and crew while simultaneously 
preparing for the March Diary of Anne Frank 
Detroit production and getting the JET 2021-
2022 season ready to reopen. Fully masked 
rehearsals started Jan. 13 in Scottsdale. 
Twelve rehearsals later, The Diary of Anne 
Frank opened at The Scottsdale Center for 
Performing Arts at a 10 a.m. matinee on 
Jan. 31.
“It was like doing summer stock on ste-
roids,
” Bremer says with a laugh.
With 10 matinee performances, more than 
3,500 students attended, at half-capacity, with 
some schools driving from more than two 
hours away.
“I don’t consider this a field trip. It’s an edu-
cational trip,
” said Ginn. “Eight months ago, 
it was mandated that the Holocaust be taught 
in Arizona [at least twice between seventh 
and 12th grade]. We’re doing something for 
humanity, for all walks of life and all cultures. 
That’s what keeps me going and really gives 
me a purpose. That’s why I joined JET.
”
As a theater lover, parent and former teach-
er, Haberman is also dedicated to the cause.
“Perhaps more than ever, there are lessons 
that need to be taught in an honest, mean-
ingful way. This production helps do that. 
The goal is to serve a crucial history lesson to 
middle school children throughout the com-
munity, from widely diverse backgrounds. 
This is a powerful educational, live-theater 
tool. Live theater done well can have a great 
impact, especially when young people watch 
what might be their first, professional the-
atrical performance, not a digital screen,
” 
Haberman says. 
JET provides every school attending with 
pre- and post-study guides and an evaluation 
form. Following each performance, there is 
an audience question-and-answer session 
with the cast. As a special enhancement to the 
Arizona production, local Holocaust survivor 
Dirk van Leenen attended every talkback and 
interacted with the students.
One of the strongest takeaways after seeing 
the show is that children have a strong inter-
est in finding out about other people’s culture 
and experiences, Bremer says. 
“You can never walk in someone else’s shoe 
or understand other people’s skill in society 
and success in life. It’s been an honor, privi-
lege and responsibility to provide this won-
derful experience to people.
” 

Sam and Toby Haberman hosted the 
cast party at their Phoenix home, with 
JET Arizona Producer Sally Ginn and JET 
Executive Director Christopher Bremer.

