ACE production brings ‘bittersweet story’ to stage
By Yael Menahem
Oregon Daily Emerald
For people who feel that they
have lost touch with their her
itage, “The Last Night of Bally-*
hoo,” presented by Actors Cabaret
of Eugene, may be an enlightening
experience.
The Alfred Uhry play is set in
1939 Atlanta, on the eve of World
War II and the world premiere of
“Gone With the Wind.” Despite
these historic events, Atlanta’s
elitist German Jews are much
more concerned with who is go
ing to Ballyhoo, the social event of
the year.
The storyline is based around
the lives of the Freitags, a fifth
generation, extremely wealthy
Southern Jewish family. Since liv
ing in America, they have lost
sight of their religion—they cele
brate Christmas with no regard
that the holiday relates to Jesus,
not Judaism. With the help of a
stranger from New York named
Joe Farkas whom Adolf Freitag
hires to work in his factory, the
family rediscovers their faith.
The play’s artistic director Joe
Zingo says he remembers seeing a
performance of “Last Night in Bal
lyhoo” in New York City and re
calls how strongly the show affect
ed him personally, considering his
own family’s history.
Zingo’s parents came to the
United States from Italy, and the
director was the first in his family
to be born in this country. Zingo
believes that a lot of his heritage
was lost as America assimilated
his family, so after his exposure to
the story, he knew he wanted to
direct “Ballyhoo.”
“I have to do this [play] because
it’s something that rekindled, for
me, this exploration,” Zingo says,
referring to a need to reconnect
with his ancestry.
Zingo also recognizes how far
removed the Freitag family is from
being Jewish in the play’s plot,
and this realization is not lost on
Adolf, the head of the family. After
his older brother dies, Adolf takes
over the family business.
Actor John Muellner, who plays
Adolf, feels that his character has
no regrets about leaving behind a
life of his own to help his broth
er’s widow by taking over the
company his brother left behind.
“He loves his family, [he] takes
cares of them, but he just wants to
be left alone,” Muellner says.
“ [His approach] is ‘I do my work, I
come home, so leave me to my pa
per and my fat foods.’”
Though the degree to which the
family is far removed from its reli
gion is" obvious to Adolf, he hires
Joe to help him with the company
and eventually to aid the family in
rediscovering their faith.
Joe is a Brooklyn native of East
ern European heritage and is also
Jewish. Some members of the Fre
itag family, especially Adolf’s
widowed sister Beulah, feel that
Joe is not of the best social stand
ings.
Yet, it is Joe who finally brings
cultural awareness to the Freitag
family.
“[It’s] a bittersweet, little story,”
he says. “The characters are lov
able, they’re great to get involved
with, and it’s very funny. And at
the end you see that all you’ve got
to do is be yourself. ”
“The Last Night of Ballyhoo”
opens Friday at the ACE Annex,
3910th Ave. and continues Satur
day night. Future shows are
Courtesy of Actors Cabaret of Eugene
“The Last Night of Ballyhoo” is a complex tale of rediscovering one’s family heritage.
scheduled for Jan. 28-29, Feb. 4-5,
11-12 and 8-19. Those shows be
gin at 8 p.m., with a Jan. 23 mati
nee slated for a 2 p.m. start.
Tickets are $14 in advance with
a limited number of student and
senior tickets available at $10. All
tickets are $17 on the day of the
show. Call the theater box office
number 683-4368 for reservations.
Whether you’re in the mood for mac and cheese or
alligator, Montage offers late night dining in a great
atmosphere
By Yael Menahem
Oregon Daily Emerald
Southern comfort food, served
with style, has arrived in Eugene.
The popular Portland-based
Montage has opened in town
and, luckily for locals, the restau
rant offers good, fairly priced
food to produce a full stomach, a
great atmosphere and a late din
ner experience.
Montage’s Cajun menu offers
some meals diners might already
know and a few selections fished
out from the bayou, perhaps not
as typical.
Ever hear of gator bites? Yes,
those are made from alligator.
The more daring types can try
them cajun-seared for $8.50. Or
maybe sample the spicy frog legs,
sauteed with sauces and served
with black bread for the same
price.
For the budget-minded, if you
think that Kraft’s Rugrats-shaped
macaroni and cheese is the ulti
mate meal, then you haven’t had
Montage’s Old Mac meal, pre-^
pared with garlic, heavy cream
and Parmesan. A side of warm
combread and vegetables comes
with the dish for only $4.
Other dinner items include dai
ly fish specials, pan-fried oysters,
blackened catfish and, of course, a
variety of jambalayas. The
Louisiana rice dish is filled with
onion, celery, tomato, herbs, garlic
and cajun gravy and is topped off
with vegetables and combread on
the side. For various prices, add
chicken, catfish, rock shrimp or al
ligator to the stew.
My adventurous dinner part
ner had the alligator and loved it,
but there’s also a selection of
inviting linguine dishes for those
who want to play it safe.
If you’re still itching for a rich
dessert after the main course, try
the bread pudding with Grand
pa’s bourbon anglaise — you
won’t regret the decision. There’s
also chocolate po du creme with
shortbread cookies, key lime pie
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or Mississippi mud pie, all priced
at $3.50.
The atmosphere in the restau
rant is gothic style but inviting
and friendly. The walls are paint
ed in a rich burgundy and mas
sive contemporary paintings
hanging in the restaurant reflect
religious images.
The waiters wear white jackets
with the word “Love” embroi
dered on one sleeve and “Hate”
on the other. They must gravitate
toward the “Love” sleeve because
Montage’s service is relaxed and
friendly.
Our server spent time chatting
with us about the owner’s current
renovations of the former popular
dance club Perry’s, previously lo
cated downstairs from the restau
rant.
The new club won’t open for a
few more months, but the new
speakers, DJ booth, bar and art
pieces — complete with flames
painted on the walls — sound ex
tremely inviting. Especially for
those who like to hang out at a bar
until 3 a.m.
Montage, located at 959 Pearl
St., is definitely a recommended
restaurant, with no other of its
kind in Eugene. The establish
ment is open seven nights a week
from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., so if that
craving for macaroni and cheese
hits at two in the morning, you
know where to go.
Montage is also open for lunch
Monday through Friday, from
11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Catharine Kendall Emerald
Eugene’s new eatery, Montage, offers
Cajun-style food at a pretty decent
price. Kathi and Tom Denton (bottom
photo) dine out; the restaurant is open
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Conscious Productions presents
The Gongos
Friday, January 28
8 pm
Agate Hall (18th & Agate)
$ 12 advance: Tickets available
at EMU Ticket Office, Face the
Music, House of Records, and
all Fastixx. $ 15 at the door