Shows

There was a dramatic "curtain speech" after Sunday night's special Actors' Fund performance of "Lansky." Mike Burstyn, who shakes the rafters at the Odyssey Theater in West L.A. playing the powerful-pitiful Meyer Lansky, followed the (nightly) standing ovation with this dramatic tribute to the Actors' Fund: "In 1995, my first wife, Edie, was in her 4th year of her brave battle against ovarian cancer at New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital. The enormity of the hospital and medical bills became insurmountable. It was the Actors Fund that came to our rescue. As it has for others in our business for the past 125 years. If not for their financial and moral support, we probably would have had to sell our home. Unfortunately, Edie died that year, but she was comforted by the fact that we would survive financially, thanks in large part to the efforts of the wonderful people at the Actors Fund." Among those on hand to support--and applaud-- was Norman Lear, who reminisced with Burstyn on their first meeting in Israel 30 years ago. Another guest was Israel Consul Deputy for Information Gilad Milo. Lansky had been refused Israeli citizenship and forced to return to the U.S. (a decision agreed to by today's Consulate, which noted the play honestly represents what happened in 1973 just before the five-day war).

"Lansky" has its eyes on Off B'way, and negotiations are ongoing with the Actors Temple, says Burstyn, who also produces with Dan Israely. Joe Bologna, who wrote "Lansky" with Richard Krevolin, tells me they will adjust for the bigger move after the play winds at the Odyssey, Sept.9. Meanwhile Bologna and wife Renee Taylor re-play "If You Ever Leave Me, I'm Going With You," Sept. 7-8-9 at the Sun Coast in Vegas and will next tour, joined by Lainie Kazan, in another of his laffers, "Bermuda Ave. Triangle." Bologna, philosophically says, "We (he and Renee) don't have to wait for the phone to ring. We create our own work. We're fortunate. Every night, when the curtain goes up, we say, 'Thank you, God'--and, no matter what has gone on backstage-- we're in love again."

Mike Burstyn plays the titular allergist to Valerie Harper's angst-ridden wife in the 41-city national tour of The Tale of Allergist's Wife, producers announced.

Burstyn's credits include Ain't Broadway Grand on Broadway (Outer Critics Circle nomination), the Encores! concert staging of Fiorello!, plus Barnum, Inquest and The Megilla. Off-Broadway he appeared in The Rothschilds (Drama Desk nomination) and The Prisoner of Second Avenue. He toured in Jolson. Fluent in eight languages, he has enjoyed a distinguished international career, including appearances on Dutch TV, in the Dutch production of Barnum and in major venues such as London’s Paladium. He is considered one of the major stage, screen and recording artists of Israel.

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