APRIL 20 • 2023 | 49
that says we’re here to have
fun.
”
Thomakos, who holds a
bachelor’s in theater from Kent
State University in Ohio and a
master’s in theater from Wayne
State University, has worked
freelance and headed the Water
Works Theatre Company (now
Shakespeare Royal Oak). Most
recently, he was in charge
of stage instruction at the
Louisiana School for Math,
Science and the Arts.
The cast he chose for Private
Lives, which is about second
marriages and second chances,
includes Dennis Kleinsmith
(Victor Prynne), Josef Sfair
(Elyot Chase), Jeannine
Thompson (Amanda Prynne),
Arden Walker (Sybil Chase)
and Leanne Young (Louise).
The inaugural production
season, scheduled for more
than a year, moves on to fea-
ture the following plays: John &
Jen (July 7-23), Cadillac Crew
(Sept. 29-Oct. 15), Tally’s Folley
(Dec. 1-17), The (Curious Case
of the) Watson Intelligence
(April 5-21, 2024) and It’s Only
Life (July 12-28, 2024).
Although Inspired is not a
Jewish company, Thomakos
said he is looking forward to
presenting productions with
Jewish themes and/or devel-
oped by Jewish creative teams
for productions that run inter-
mittently.
“I absolutely plan on produc-
tions written by Jewish authors
or covering Jewish themes,
”
said Thomakos, a West
Bloomfield resident who also is
anticipating offering adult and
young pople acting classes as
supplemental to the mainstage
offerings.
“What’s important to me is
that I’m telling stories from a
wide variety of viewpoints.
“My priority is finding sto-
ries that are well written and
basically fun for the actors to
act and fun for the audiences
to watch. If they happen to be
new scripts, awesome. We’re
doing three Michigan pre-
mieres in our first season.
”
John & Jen, the second
production for instance, was
presented in New York and
has a Jewish creative writing
team: Andrew Lippa, who
grew up in Oak Park, and
Tom Greenwald. It is a musical
about a sister and brother and
then about the sister and her
son. It will star Equity actors.
Ironically, Thomakos recent-
ly learned he has 50 percent
Jewish heritage in his back-
ground. His wife gave him an
ancestry test, and he learned
about his lineage.
“I never knew my father, and
I’m really interested in explor-
ing this part of me,
” he said. “I
have relatives who are Jewish,
and they’ve encouraged me to
talk to a rabbi. I’m really eager
to do that.
“I’m excited about learning
about myself and this part of
myself that is totally new to
me. It’s interesting that this
has happened at a time when
I feel antisemitism is on the
rise. It makes me more eager to
explore my heritage.
”
Thomakos, who has been in
the audience for JET produc-
tions, said that it is very rare in
Michigan to find a theater set-
ting in place. He is grateful to
JET for helping him with this
fresh opportunity and plans
on alternating classic plays and
new writing.
“If you’re a new play-
wright, send me a script,
” said
Thomakos, who presents the-
ater classes on YouTube. “I ‘d
love to read it. My priority is
going to be the story, the char-
acters and the excitement.
”
SEASON SPONSOR
SPRING DANCE SPONSOR
The State Ballet of Georgia
Direct from the Opera & Ballet State Theatre in the capital city
of Tbilisi, dancing Balanchine’s Serenade & Concerto Barocco
Accompanied by the Detroit Opera Orchestra
TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY!
Saturday April 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday April 30 at 2:30 p.m.
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