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Page 14 THE SOITHERS ISRAELITE October 5. 1979
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Yeshiva High School Presents...
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Beginning Oct. 21st and lasting for 8 weeks
A program of enrichment studies tor elementary day
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9:30 - 10:30 A.M. “Mishna Club"
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“Introduction to Computer
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Rose-colored Glass
Mel is a mentor and a maverick
by Faith Powell
Mel Glass. The name means
something different to almost
everyone
To actors, Mel Glass is a
mentor, a father-figure—one of
the few directors who will cast
local talent in his plays.
To theater-goers, Mel Glass was
the Barn Dinner Theater. While
he was there, they grew
accustomed to seeing his heavy
frame, bushy black eyebrows and
thick salt and pepper beard
everywhere greeting the guests,
introducing the shows or checking
on last minute details.
To other directors and theater
administrators, Mel Glass is
something of a maverick, daring to
use his little 16' by 16' stage at the
Barn to offer more than “typical
dinner theater fare.”
Recently Glass left the Barn and
began working with the Harlequin
Dinner Theater. It was there that it
happened. Mel was bitten by the
bug again. The acting bug, that is.
After years of directing, he is again
letting the spotlight shine on him.
Glass is portraying Tevye in
Harlequin’s production of
“Fiddler on the Roof.” The
program notes say that the role of
Tevye comes to Glass naturally.
Even the staff is quick to gush,
“Oh, Mel is Tevye.”
Not so, corrects Glass. “People
look at me and say, ‘Hmm, he’s
big, looks like Zero Mostel, sings
passably, is Jewish, he’s Tevye!”’
But the similarity is only skin
deep. By his own admission ne is
not much of a family man, despite
the fact that Glass is the father of
four children (three by his first
wife, and one by his second) and
the grandfather of three.
In a sense. Glass is married to
the theater. It has been a long love
affair. When most young boys
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Glass as Tevye
were reading the sports page. Glass
was devouring the Hollywood and
Broadway columns. His parents
resigned themselves to having a
“show-biz kid” around, but
encouraged him to study
something that he could fall back
on.
This seasoned director is also a
gemologist. Several times during
his early days in theater. Glass
found himself behind a jewelry
counter instead of a curtain. It’s
part of his credo, you see. He
doesn’t believe in “scrounging,
scraping or starving’’ for his art.
“The advice that I give to young
actors,” he says, is “First, set your
table.”
Glass has covered a lot of
ground during his career. In
Columbia, S.C., he organized the
Columbia Actors Guild. He did
“The Fantastiks” in New York and
portrayed a hulking criminal in
“The Desperate Hours” on
Broadway. He’s done summer
stock, community theater, film
and commercials. Perhaps he is
best remembered by the line, “I
can’t believe l ate the whole thing.”
Yes, he was the pajama-clad man
in the Alka Seltzer commercial.
Finally, Glass ended up in
dinner theater. “It seemed to be
‘the thing’ at the time,” he
remembers. Although he loves that
genre, he is tired, he admits of
people coming over to him and
saying, “The show was great but
the chicken was lousy.”
Mel leans forward in his chair,
strokes his beard, and explains,
“Dinner theater has a stigma
associated with it. brought about
by the critics. They think that
logically because we are a dinner
theater, whatever we do will be
merely dinner theater entertain
ment. That is really illogical,”
But now the critics have turned
their pens on him. As proof of his
talent, reviews have been mostly
positive. Playing Tevye was an ego
trip. Glass admits. Another reason
he took to the stage again was that
he hoped that it would help the
financially faltering Harlequin.
Noble as that may sound,
accepting the role presented Glass
with some problems.
‘‘First, l have trouble
remembering lines. I can’t stand
rehearsing, and I never really
exercise my singing voice. Before
we opened I stood backstage
secretly hoping the place would fall
apart and I wouldn’t have to go out
there.”
Harlequin’s future looks
extremely shaky at this point.
Where will Glass go from here?
He may stay in Atlanta, he may
leave. “I’m not trying to be a wise
guy,” he says, “but I think that
would be Atlanta’s loss.” One
thing is for sure, though. The bug
has bitten him good. There are
more roles he would like to do.
And he has had enough of theater
bureaucracy. He has been in the
business too long and knows too
much to let the guys in the vested
suits, tell him how to run his
theater. “It’s hard for me to bend.
I’m getting old.” he muses.
Somehow, an image appears of
Glass, as Tevye in the last scene of
the play, packing up everything
and taking off, optimistically, for
the new world.
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Weekday Luncheon Special $1.49
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• 468 Cobb Pkwy. • Monotto • 428-2209
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