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

