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May 7, 2004/Iyar 16 5764, Vol. 56, No. 33
Arts series closes season
JENNIFER GOLDBERG
Staff Writer
Temple Beth Israel's Cultural Arts Committee will close its 2003-04 Cultural Arts Series with a production of "Bye Bye Birdie" Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16.
The committee's inaugural season has exceeded expectations, says chairman David Hock, who also is the director of "Bye Bye Birdie."
"We've had incredible success and great turnout," he says, "so we seem to be on the right track."
The 2003-04 season so far has comprised "Musica Nova," a symphonic concert of music that was banned by the Nazis; the Cantors' Cabaret, an evening of opera, show tunes and torch songs starring Cantor Mikhal Shiff-Matter of Temple Beth Israel and Cantor Roz Barak from Temple Emanuel in San Francisco; and "Leonard Bernstein: Sacred and Secular Sounds," a concert celebrating the work of the legendary composer.
Expectations are also high for this latest production, which blends Jewish and non-Jewish community members together for two performances of the classic musical.
"Bye Bye Birdie" tells the story of Conrad Birdie, a rock 'n' roll heartthrob about to go into the Army; his agent, mild-manned Albert Peterson; and Albert's secretary and girlfriend Rose Alvarez. Rose concocts Birdie's final publicity stunt - a goodbye kiss from an All-American teenage girl - and Kim MacAfee of Sweet Apple, Ohio, wins the honor. Suddenly, the town of Sweet Apple is thrown into a tizzy as Birdie, Albert, Rose and Albert's meddling mother, Mae, arrive for the big event.
"The leads are just phenomenal," says Hock. Dana Atwood, a chorus member in Temple Beth Israel's 2003 production of "Milk and Honey," holds the lead role of Kim MacAfee. "People are just going to be blown away when they hear Dana sing."
Arizona Jewish Theatre Company founder Janet Arnold plays Mae Peterson, Albert's controlling mother.
"We are portraying her as the consummate Jewish mother," says Hock. "Janet is hysterical. She will have people rolling in the aisles."
Hock also says that Arnold's expertise in the theater makes her a valuable asset to the production.
"It's a challenge for a director to find a way to keep her stimulated and enthusiastic, because she's got her own theater, it's what she does, but her and I have a blast. She's just been great to work with."
Rounding out the leads are Chris Ciccarelli as Albert Peterson, Liora Danine as Rosie Alvarez and Jamie Wedow as Conrad Birdie.
The committee was formed last summer for the purposes of "helping Cantor Mikhal organize all the cultural programming she wanted to do," says Hock. The committee's target audience is not just Temple Beth Israel members or local temple members in general, but the entire Valley community.
"The goal is to bring a broader spectrum of Jewish cultural programming to the Valley and to Temple Beth Israel," he states. "We're just trying to enhance the cultural choices that everybody has."
The lineup for next season's Cultural Arts Series is still being decided, but the committee is looking into a number of options, including a night of Sephardic music, more cabaret-style entertainment and another musical.
As for "Bye Bye Birdie," Hock promises "great entertainment for the whole family.
"You're going to get the full Broadway musical experience - lights, sets, costumes, talent, production numbers and special effects," he says. "You get bang for your buck, and it's worth every penny."
Details
- What: "Bye Bye Birdie"
- When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 15 and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 16
- Where: Temple Beth Israel, 10460 N. 56th St., Scottsdale
- Cost: $17-$22 Call: 480-951-0323
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