MARCH 7 • 2024 | 47
J
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Massie said. She needed to 
get out.
“
Although Hedy was of 
Jewish heritage, she was not 
raised in Jewish traditions,” 
Massie explained. “She was 
more secular and assimilat-
ed. She married Mandl in 
a church and declared they 
were Roman Catholic. I think 
that was likely a business 
decision on Mandl’s part.”
Massie, whose early com-
fort with acting came through 
4-H initiatives, explained that 
Hedy’s religion was some-
thing Hedy learned 
to hide, especially 
when she made it 
to Hollywood. Her 
name was changed 
to Hedy Lamarr 
in the time frame 
most stars changed 
their names. 
Massie did 
Lamarr research 
by reading books 
and watching films 
and believes the 
sad part of Hedy’s 
life is that there 
were large parts of 
herself that she had 
to hide. The play-
wright-performer 
used her intuition 
when writing the show to sur-
mise how Hedy would have 
felt knowing she had come 
from Jewish parents. 
Massie said she believes 
that was part of the reason 
Hedy wanted to support 
the Allied forces and defeat 
Hitler, who banned the Czech 
film Hedy made because of 
Hedy’s Jewish heritage.
“Hedy is an example of 
how we can each accom-
plish so much if we don’t let 
other people tell us what our 
capacity is,” Massie said about 
Lamarr’s work in what is 
known as frequency hopping 
spread spectrum technology, 
important at the time it was 

invented and important now.

DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY 
PERFORMANCE
Judy Loebl, chief program 
officer at The J (JCC), was at 
the helm of offering accom-
modations for the matinee 
performance, which is under-
written by Rose Senior Living 
in Farmington Hills (opening 
this summer), Jewish Senior 
Life, Jewish Family Service, 
Gesher, Dementia Friendly 
Saline and the Brown 
Program. 

“March is Women’s Month, 
so this play is a tribute to a 
woman who never got her 
due recognition but was able 
to escape the Nazis,” Loebl 
said. “I think this will be a 
valuable performance, espe-
cially for seniors, because 
watching a play about Hedy 
Lamarr will be nostalgic and 
important for them.
“We want to bring people 
who are experiencing demen-
tia into the wider community 
and add some meaningful and 
enjoyable activities into their 
lives. We thank the Bruce 
H. and Rosalie N. Rosen 
Foundation for contributions 
to allot for free tickets.” 

Heather Massie as Hedy Lamarr in 
Hedy! The Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr

MISSY 

APRIL 06 / 7:30PM

APRIL 12 / 7:30PM

APRIL 14 / 2:30PM

TICKETS AT 
TICKETS AT 

DETROITOPERA.ORG
DETROITOPERA.ORG

PUZZLE ANSWERS

Solution to puzzle in 2/29/24 issue.

1. The Abraham Lincoln portrait 
on the desk on the left.

2. All text on the TV screen 
on the left.

3. The coaster on the table 
on the right.

4. The gold Star of David in 
the back cabinet.

5. The lanyard/credentials on 
the middle woman sitting 
on the center couch.

