46 | JANUARY 19 • 2023

ARTS&LIFE
THEATER

I

t’s no secret in the theater world that
plum roles for women of a more mature
age are very scarce.
“There are either parts for the ingenue
or some really old granny,
” says Cantor
Rachel Gottlieb Kalmowitz of
Temple Beth El in Bloomfield
Township.
When she saw an audition
notice for the David Shire and
Richard Maltby Jr. musical
Baby at Ridgedale Players in
Troy, Kalmowitz was all in.
“Baby had a main role that
was finally right for me, and I
don’t have to cover my gray hair
to do it,
” Kalmowitz, 51, said. “I
get to explore a lot of emotion
in this show. It’s really nice to
create this character with all of
her complexities.
”
It’s been nearly 20 years since
Kalmowitz, who has her bach-
elor’s and master’s degrees in
voice performance and was an Equity actor
in New York City, has been on stage in a

full theatrical production. But the subject
matter of Baby really hit close to home for
Kalmowitz. With the full support of Rabbi
Mark Miller, Rabbi Megan Brudney and
her other colleagues at Temple Beth El,
Kalmowitz has been managing her full-time
responsibilities at Temple Beth El and at
home to make rehearsals and performances
work. There have been no rehearsals on
Shabbat but, during the three weekends of
performances, Jan. 20-Feb. 5, Kalmowitz will
be using her vacation time.
Temple Beth El Rabbis Miller and
Brudney and pianist Jim Gabriel have
already bought their tickets to the show.
Temple Beth El Sisterhood is bringing a
group to the final performance.
Baby spotlights the pregnancy ups and
downs of three couples in their 20s, 30s
and 40s. Kalmowitz and Chris Bateson play
empty nesters who are shocked to find out
that Kalmowitz’s character, Arlene, is unex-
pectedly pregnant after a romantic anni-

versary weekend.
For Kalmowitz, the parallels between the
character Arlene and herself are uncanny.
“
Although my life worked out differently
from Arlene’s, in that she’s been married for
20 years and has three kids in college, Arlene
gets pregnant at the age of 43. I’ve been mar-
ried for almost 15 years and got pregnant
when I was 40, following three miscarriages,
”
says Birmingham resident Kalmowitz.
Kalmowitz and her husband, Carey, have
an 11-year-old daughter, Ilana, who shares
the love of dance and theater with her mom
and sings with her mom at Temple Beth El
and in the youth choir.
“
As Arlene in the play, I sing that ‘I’ll be 60
when she’s 20,
’ and, in real life, that’s how it’s
worked out. I am so grateful to have a beau-
tiful, healthy daughter.
”
In the play, one of the couples has a mis-
carriage. Another has infertility issues.
“These are important issues that comes
up in the play. I think that many women feel

Cantor Rachel Gottlieb Kalmowitz
to perform in the musical Baby.

From the
Pulpit
to the
Stage

Cantor
Rachel
Gottlieb
Kalmowitz

Julie Smith
Yolles
Contributing
Writer

Rachel Gottlieb
Kalmowitz and Chris
Bateson star in Baby
at Ridgedale Players
in Troy Jan. 20-Feb. 5

DETAILS

Baby the musical runs weekends Jan. 20-Feb. 5. Reserved tickets are $22
and $20 for students and seniors.
• https://bit.ly/3XlyDSb
• Ridgedale Players, 205 W. Long Lake Road, Troy
• Box Office: (248) 988-7049

PHOTO BY BLAINE SIESSER PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO BY 4 SCOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY