There are no miracles in JET comedy – only fine theater
Have you ever been to a meeting where everyone else seemed to know something that you didn't? And because of that, you felt one step behind the rest of the pack before the meeting even got underway?
That's how I feel sometimes when I walk into the DeRoy Theatre on the campus of the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield where the Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company stages its productions.
You see, part of JET's mission is to produce shows that explore issues of humanity and community, but from a Jewish perspective. And if you haven't guessed by now, I'm not Jewish.
That means I often feel like I'm on the outside looking in when audiences roar with laughter at Yiddish and Hebrew terms scattered throughout some of the plays JET produces.
Luckily for me, however, cyberspace is filled with numerous online dictionaries I can consult whenever I have the need to "get the joke" – or better yet, to more accurately convey certain plot points in some of my reviews.
Does that hinder my enjoyment of JET's Jewish-themed plays, you might be asking yourself? Not in the least! In fact, it's a wonderful learning experience -which, if you think about it, is what JET's much heralded Campaign Stop Hate is all about!
Take JET's current play, for example: "Nobody's Gilgul."
Until I attended the press opening of Lois Roisman's charming comedy, I was unfamiliar with the term "gilgul." More importantly, I was fairly clueless about Jewish teachings regarding the afterlife.
I mean, who knew that the day-to-day operations in Paradise are run by three roller-skating rabbis?
In actuality, "Nobody's Gilgul" is a warm, inventive and insightful look at how society has changed throughout the centuries, particularly the roles of women in Jewish culture.
And if there's anyone who can change the minds of three ancient rabbis, it's a Jewish female lawyer without a soul!
Ancient Jewish writings state that the human soul cycles through many lives until all loose ends have been cleared up – that is, until enough good deeds have been performed to atone for past sins. Only then can a soul enter Eden for all eternity.
Such is the case for Eva, a soul that has been waiting 200 years for the chance to complete its journey. A cry for help from a woman attorney, however, might finally be the chance the ancient soul has been waiting for.
Lily, the good rabbis discover, was accidentally born without a soul. So with some heavy campaigning by Eva – and the desire to cover up their mistake before You Know Who discovers it – the rabbis allow Eva to go to Earth to fulfill her mitzvos – her obligations.
The world has changed greatly in 200 years, Eva and the rabbis learn. Letters can now be sent through the air – we call it faxing – and the monthly menstrual ritual practiced for thousands of years has been replaced by a modern-day miracle – the tampon.
But more importantly, there's been a sexual revolution. Should a woman – Eva – continue searching for her Adam in order to have his baby, thereby allowing her to enter Eden at her husband's feet? Or should women be allowed to enjoy their bodies – and the bodies of however many men they choose – without the benefit of marriage?
So what's a gilgul to do?
What's impressive about Roisman's script is that it thoughtfully – and humorously – challenges traditional religious beliefs and practices without unnecessary histrionics; she neither condemns the past nor overly hypes the present.
Instead, she frames the discussion through the eyes of both: The three rabbis represent traditional Jewish teachings, while Lily's three friends – her shrink, her gay beautician and her aerobics instructor – are their modern-day counterparts who reflect today's secular humanist point of view.
Could both sides of the equation be equally valid, Roisman asks us to consider? Or better yet, is yesterday's sin today's virtue?
In presenting the professional premiere of "Nobody's Gilgul," Director Nancy Kammer has breathed life into Roisman's words, concepts and characters. She allows the story to unfold according to its natural ebbs and flows – and her staging makes great use of Monika Essen's beautifully conceived – and really cool – set.
Best of all, Kammer has a great eye for casting!
Meredith Manners, in her JET debut, is superb in the role of Eva. This is an actress who is equally adept at melting your heart with her wide-eyed innocence as she is at making you laugh with every 21st century discovery she makes.
Also wonderful is Robin Lewis-Bedz who plays Lily. She's equally adroit at playing the fierce feminist attorney as she is the befuddled woman who's not quite sure what to make of the story Eva thrusts upon her.
And those three rabbis? They couldn't be better, thanks to fine performances by former Detroit TV legend Johnny Ginger, Stan Newman and Bill Premin. Why they are on skates remains a mystery – but somehow it just makes sense!
Nobody's Gilgul Staged Wednesday through Sunday by the Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company at the Aaron DeRoy Theatre, 6600 West Maple Rd., West Bloomfield, through Jan. 4. Tickets: $22 – $32. 248-788-2900. http://www.jettheatre.org.
The Bottom Line: A heavenly evening of live theater!
St. Dunstan's Guild to maximize power of internet technology for mega fundraising
BLOOMFIELD HILLS – For Michigan residents, the house of your dreams could just be a click and a phone call away. St. Dunstan's Theatre Guild of Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills, one of the premier community theatres in the nation, is launching the first-ever statewide house raffle.
There will be 15,000 raffle tickets at $100 per ticket available immediately simply by visiting the AmericanHouseRaffles.com website, clicking the state of Michigan and calling toll free 866-WIN IN MI (946-4664).
Proceeds from all ticket sales will benefit the non-profit organization.
This mega-raffle, which uses the unique website to leverage the power and expansive outreach of the Internet, is open to all Michigan residents 18 years or older. Ticket purchasers have the chance to win $400,000 towards the purchase of the winner's dream house anywhere in the US, including Alaska and Hawaii or $300,000 cash, as well as 250 other cash prizes. The chances to win a prize are 1 in 100 or better, including an "Early Bird" drawing in mid-January with chances of winning 1 in 20. These early winners are also still eligible for all remaining prizes.
The raffle ends at 5 p.m. February 28, 2004 and the Grand Prize Drawing, including the 150 additional cash prizes, will be held at 5 p.m. February 29.
"We have turned to this breakthrough concept to raise desperately needed funds in a novel and exciting way," observed Gary Jones, St. Dunstan's Theatre Guild president. "The AmericanHouseRaffles.com technology allows us to tap into a huge statewide audience of potential participants – and thereby raise significant monies to help continue our work in serving the community. Just go to the site, click to the state, call toll-free 1-866-WIN IN MI (946-4664) and buy. It's also a great time of year to be offering this – a ticket can make an excellent holiday gift."
