48 | APRIL 20 • 2023 

ARTS&LIFE
THEATER

J

eff Thomakos built a varied perfor-
mance and teaching career involving 
theater, and that included appear-
ances for the Jewish Ensemble Theatre 
(JET). When he learned JET was closing, 
Thomakos decided this would be a chance 
to realize his dream of establishing a stage 
company.
Putting his money together to rent the 
Walled Lake building that held JET and 
to buy the stagecraft structures used by 
JET, Thomakos is in charge of the Inspired 
Acting Company as he takes on the position 
of producing artistic director.
The first play of the professional and 
nonprofit company is the Noel Coward 
comedy Private Lives, which runs April 21 
through May 7.
“JET was definitely a victim of bad timing 
in the sense they had just moved into a new 
space, and COVID hit them at the worst 
possible time,
” said Thomakos, 50, who 
had lived in Michigan, moved away and 
recently returned as his wife, Katja, accepted 
a position as fundraiser for the Cranbrook 

Institute of Science. 
“Jewish Ensemble gave us a reasonable 
price for their risers, seats, curtains and 
things that would have cost triple if I had 
bought them new. I’m very grateful to Chris 
Bremer, JET executive director, and the 
Jewish Ensemble Theatre for being support-
ive to my theater.
“My approach is to create plays that 
inspire actors to do their best possible work 
and inspire audiences toward making a 
better world. I think it’s most important that 
the work is high quality.
”
In choosing the first play for the company 
that takes its name from feelings of profes-
sional and personal inspiration, Thomakos 
felt that Private Lives would be fun and high 
quality in an area of Oakland County that 
could use live theater.
“We were looking for something that was 
both challenging and fun, and we think 
Private Lives is a world classic and one of 
the funniest comedies ever written,
” said 
Thomakos, who’s directing the show. It’s 
challenging for our actors and something 

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Details

Private Lives will be presented April 
21-May 7 by The Inspired Acting 
Company, 1124 E. West Maple, 
Walled Lake. $35. (248) 863-9953. 
inspiredacting.org.

Inspired Acting 
Company reads 
through the script.

New Theater 
Company Debuts

Artistic director thanks Jewish Ensemble 
Theatre for helping to get it started.

Jeff 
Thomakos