In the immortal words of William Shakespeare, "All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players." This edition of the alumni newsletter is all about the performing arts. We interviewed a group of alumni in music, film and theater. 

Although Robert “Robb” Simring (ES ‘79) has one of the most recognizable jobs in theater, you would never recognize him. He has been a bassist for the Boston cast of the acclaimed show Blue Man Group since 1995. “I come from a family of musicians and music lovers, but I credit my teachers at Flatbush for helping me to better my skills. Mr. Gnatt, A”H was one of my piano teachers.”

 

Robb’s road to a life in the music industry was a winding one, “I tried to take the usual path. I went to college with the intention of going to medical school, changed my mind, got a degree in English then took the LSAT thinking I would go to law school. But I got bit by the bug to play music again. I auditioned at Berklee College of Music and was accepted. My parents were not happy, but when they saw how driven I was, they understood that this was my passion.” 

 

As a music and theater veteran, Robb shared, “you don’t work in music for the money or the glamor - this business is a labor of love. Sometimes you’ll have to work another job to make ends meet. But you have to be an optimist and believe in yourself.”

Malka Wallick (ES '04, HS '08) is an actress, writer and producer. Her passion for acting began on stage at YOF when she and a few friends created the high school drama club. Malka recently started her own production company, Girl Gang Productions. She got involved in production to have more sway over the stories that get told.  “It’s such a joy for me to be in the room and get to tell the story. This allows me to have more personal agency and to fight for the art I believe in.” 

 

For Malka, performing is serious business. “Being an artist should be an active choice. Storytelling has the capacity to change the world. It’s a place people learn to empathize and sympathize with others.”

Charles Anteby (HS ‘69) has done it all -  theater, movies, television and commercials. He joined the Screen Actors Guild and Actors Equity in 1979, but his adoration for acting began at YOF. “I got my first taste of being on stage in first grade, then I came to Flatbush for high school and performed in both the English and Hebrew Plays. He spoke about Taming of the Shrew where he played Hortensio and again joined the cast of Oklahoma, where he played Ali Hakim. “I remember Mr. Segal, who directed the plays. He was such a wonderful teacher, so committed to both theater and to our success as students. It really made an impact on me.”
 

Charles shared some moving thoughts on being in the art world. “Sometimes people look at this world and only see the glamor, the parties and the fun, but there’s also a lot of hard work. I love going to work. Once the lights go on or the director shouts ‘action,’ you’re transformed and nothing else matters. You can see Charles on episode 1 of this season of The Patient currently streaming on Hulu.

Janet Chrem Pichotto (HS ‘15) is a member of the music faculty at JBHS. She teaches an innovative class called “Music Technology, Appreciation and History”. She is a graduate of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College with a bachelors degree in Music Education. “When I was in school, I realized as much as I loved performing, I also loved teaching others. My goal in returning to YOF as a faculty member was a commitment to building on the existing foundations and creating more music opportunities for students. I want to help these kids find their path and open their eyes to different facets of the art world.” 

Her most exciting opportunity as a singer happened when she was selected to sing the National Anthem at the New York Mets home game in 2019. You can see a clip HERE. 

Irving Franco (ES ‘02, HS ‘06) is a writer, composer and director of independent films. He got his start at Flatbush and speaks fondly of his memories here.“I was always interested in the arts. I played in the orchestra at Flatbush, and took AP Art with Mr. Novetsky. who was a great encouragement to me when I was a student.” 

 

He studied film and psychology at Brooklyn College while simultaneously developing his scripts. “After college, I took an office job outside of the film industry but I didn’t connect with it and I was always longing for film.” Eventually, with the encouragement of his wife, Alyse, he decided to take a leave of absence and focus on getting a feature film made independently. It was an uphill battle at first but eventually proved fruitful. His first film, Cheerleader, was made in 2016 and is available for streaming on Amazon, and his second film, Adam the First, starring David Duchovny, TR Knight and Larry Pine wrapped up earlier this year and is being distributed by Archstone Entertainment. Irving is currently in development on his third feature film centered on a young Jewish protagonist and her adventures in New York.

 

We asked Irving how he remains grounded in a difficult industry. “My wife Alyse is my greatest supporter, and my love for Torah study, which began at Flatbush, keeps my worldview and daily life rooted in our shared Jewish values.

Mordy Weinstein (ES ‘03, HS ‘07) is a member of the groundbreaking Jewish acappella group Six13. For the past 5 years, he has been serving as the JBHS choir director. Mordy started singing at Shabbat morning tefillah at Kingsway Jewish Center as a child, but he said “I didn’t think of myself as a singer since I was a bit shy as a kid.” When he started high school, he expanded his horizons and performed in two Hebrew plays, Noach: Riding the Wave and Hello Dolly. In his junior year, he was encouraged to audition for the Choir and as the saying goes, the rest is history. His work with Six13 has taken him across the globe, the group has performed in Austria, Costa Rica, Israel and South Africa. The group also had the honor of performing at the White House Chanukah Party in 2015. 

 

Mordy reflected on his career path in the performing arts and his experience in the music industry. “I want more people to know there is a way to make a life with a non-traditional career. You have to forge your own path and it won’t always be easy; but if you can get creative, you can make a career out of it.”

Yeeshai Gross (HS ‘89) is a Tony award winner and Emmy award nominee, he found his passion for being behind the scenes early on. “I started out doing plays before I got to Flatbush. I began building sets and getting involved in directing in high school, with my friend, classmate, and future producing partner, Donny Epstein (HS ‘89).” Yeeshai has produced over a dozen Broadway shows, several off-Broadway shows and motion pictures. He talked about the many different projects he has worked on both large and small, but his work in the Jewish world is what he is most proud of. He has worked with esteemed organizations such as Yad Vashem, Amudim, UJA, Ohel, Selfhelp, Met Council, Emunah just to name a few. He recently finished work on a musical commissioned by the Sephardic Community Center in honor of its 40th anniversary. He served as executive producer for the Emmy-nominated 2004 documentary film, Paper Clips, which follows a group of middle school students and their teachers in the community of Whitewell, Tennessee as they attempt to grasp the enormity of The Shoah. 

 

When asked what he loves most about his work, he talked about how much respect and admiration he has for writers. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with David Mamet, Steve Martin, Neil Simon, and the estate of Eugene O’Neill, among others. For me it’s not about the celebrities or the glamor, it’s about the opportunity to use theater to educate. From concept to tangible is a long time in this business.” 

 

In spite of all his success, he talked about how Flatbush and his commitment to Jewish life keep him grounded in a hectic business. “Flatbush stays with me. The sense of community and belonging, the care for one another. It influences me as a person, as an artist and as a producer.”