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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JULY 2016 19 Michael Rothberg today He lost at the very next level and would have gone back to cooking but, in another fluke of good luck, one of the producers of the contest was an acquaintance from Rothberg's earlier trip to Europe – and he needed help. "I got 90 days temporary duty with the contest. I did lighting scenery and sound, writing — everybody was doing everything." After that he scored similar temporary duty at Frankfurt Playhouse that put on shows to entertain GIs (South Pacific, Little Mary Sunshine), then another, smaller Army theater in Heidelberg and then with the 7th Army Soldiers Chorus as a performer — both a singer and guitarist. "The chorus really had some talented people," he said. "There were 40 singers. We performed throughout Germany and France — made an album," all the while he continued his show business education, but, in a situation familiar to every soldier, he ran afoul of the lieutenant in charge of the chorus. "He didn't like my attitude (which was reciprocated) and he kicked me out of the chorus and had me assigned – as a COOK – to his old Quartermaster outfit." When he got to the new unit, the company clerk was rotating out and Rothberg's typing skills came in handy: he became the clerk and never cooked again. For the next year he continued playing guitar and performing and soon teamed up with an Army buddy, Mike Pevzner and Barb Goldberg, the daughter of a civilian Army employee. They became popular with other GIs and German civilians. "We had regular gigs at German clubs in Heidelberg and service clubs. We also played a command performance at the retirement ceremony for General Creighton Abrams. It was a great thrill for us." "If it hadn't been for the threat hanging over my head of being an Army cook, I don't think I would have ventured into performing arts." On top of that, he says, "it gave me self confidence… not to be afraid to try things that I might fail at." Michael and his wife, Dianne, have been residents at Four Seasons for over five years. They moved here after about 11 years at Sun Lakes. "We love it here," he said. In addition to his work with the Performing Arts Club, he is a member of the Ad Hoc Technical Committee and the Amphitheater Committee. He was an avid tennis player for over 50 years but now his love is Paddle Tennis.

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