Spring Variations - Sarasota Ballet

April Luncheon HighlightsThe April Friends’ luncheon featured an enlivening encounter with Zev Buffman, the President/CEO of Ruth EckerdHall in Clearwater. Zev was instrumental in bringing the “John Ringling Circus Nutcracker” to Clearwater. He regaledthose in attendance by sharing some of the biographical milestones during his more than six and a half decades career.Born in Israel when that country was gaining its independence, his military service there fostered the discipline that hesays has served him well. It also started him on his theatrical career since during the “cease fires,” he honed his comicskills by performing imitations – especially Cagney, “Duke” Wayne and Danny Kaye. The enthusiastic reception he receivedconvinced him to go to Hollywood to “become a star.” Unfortunately, his language skills, which included French,German, Hebrew and Arabic, did not include English because, he pointed out, to an Israeli at that time, “the Englishwere the bad guys.”Following his first role as a German guard in the original theatrical production of Stalag 17, he was contacted by oneof Hollywood’s elite producers for what he thought was a film role. Instead, he found himself singing Israeli war songsat fundraising events for the UJA (United Jewish Appeal). One of the film roles he did manage to get was as a foil forJack Palance. The script called for him to be killed by Palance, who apparently took the part a bit too seriously - Zevended up unconscious!He also performed a bit part in “The Ten Commandments,” which provided another anecdote. Unbeknownst to Zev, amember of the film crew shared the name “Cecil,” with the film’s producer, Cecil B. DeMille. Zev heard some of theactors shouting “Hey Cece,” and assumed they were trying to get Mr. DeMille’s attention. When Zev noticed that thetext on the sarcophagus in one scene was written in modern Hebrew and not in ancient Aramaic, knowing that Mr. De-Mille was a stickler for authenticity and wanting to alert the producer, he called out “Hey Cece!” That was NOT a goodidea… but Zev managed to talk himself out of being fired from the film and instead was given the task of serving as Mr.DeMille’s “eyes and ears” for ancient languages.Zev got to know Elizabeth Taylor and, while she was living in Washington, proposed that she star in a revival ofThe Little Foxes – provided she lose 50 pounds! She did and the show sold out for 6 months. He then proposed to Ms.Taylor that she star in Sweet Bird of Youth, but she decided to perform Private Lives with Richard Burton instead.That proved to be a disastrous decision so Zev soon after virtually kidnapped Ms. Taylor and checked her into the BettyFord Clinic. Taylor eventually realized that he had done her a huge favor and they remained friends until her death.Following a tantalizing hint of his hopes to parlay his producing experience into touring possibilities for The SarasotaBallet, Zev closed in the time-honored vaudeville tradition: leaving his audience hungry for more.Sandy Cowing, Peter & Jean HuberKathy Gibby, Richard & Helen MarchZev BuffmanGudrun & JorgenGraugaardPhotos by Shirley BlairOris Webb, Lorraine Goscinski,& Peggy SweeneyLydia LandaJason Webb