Summer Music Theatre Presents Fiddler On The Roof
July 11-29, Empie Theatre. Book by Joseph Stein; Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick; Music by Jerry Bock. Based on Sholom Aleichem's stories by special permission of Arnold Perl.Monday, July 2, 2007 01:59 PM
"Filled with laughter and tenderness. It catches the essence of a moment in history with sentiment and radiance. An exceptional accomplishment." - The New York Times
Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Joseph Stein made Broadway history in 1964 with Fiddler on the Roof, the first musical based on the European Jewish experience. Inspired by the "Tevye, the Dairyman" stories by Sholon Aleichem, the production went on to achieve great success and became one of the most acclaimed musicals of modern Broadway history. Fiddler ran for over three thousand performances throughout its eight-year run on Broadway, a record that the musical held for ten years.
Sholom Aleichem, the master storyteller, folklorist, and icon of Yiddish literature, was born Solomon Rabinovitz in Russia in 1859. In 1905, he fled Jewish persecution and eventually settled in America in 1914, dying two years later. His stories have been translated and produced with great success in countries all over the world, and Fiddler continues to touch audiences of every nationality with its universal story of sacrifice, hope, and love for a family caught in the turmoil of a changing world that would continue to threaten Jewish traditions.
In the little village of Anatevka, Tevye, a poor dairyman, tries to instill in his five daughters the traditions of his tight-knit Jewish community in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Rich in historical and ethnic detail, Fiddler on the Roof lights up the stage with its humor, warmth, and honesty. Its moving story cuts across barriers of race, class, nationality and religion, leaving audiences crying tears of laughter, joy, and sadness.
Directed and musically directed by founding Artistic Directors of Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre Charles Richter and Jeremy Slavin, Fiddler on the Roof reflects the struggle between tradition, oppression, and family alongside a powerful and moving score. "The musical has become a modern classic that transcends specific political or ethnic boundaries. It speaks to issues of family, prejudice, tradition, and change that continue to challenge all of us in significant ways," Richter comments. "The score, deeply influenced by Jewish liturgical and fold traditions, became an iconic element of the contemporary Jewish experience."
Choreographing the production is Karen Dearborn, who has choreographed over 70 works in concert, theatre, and musical theatre including national tours of the Tony Award-winning National Theatre of the Deaf. The scenic design that captures the textures of the 19th century and the emotional truth of these characters' lives is the work of Curtis Dretsch, also a founding Artistic Director. Bob Fahringer takes on the lead role of Tevye, the milkman/philosopher who tries to keep his family together amidst a changing cultural backdrop. A Catasauqua High School English teacher and Drama coach, Fahringer returns to Summer Music Theatre after appearing in many leading roles throughout SMTs 27 seasons, including Jigger in Carousel (1989 & 2006), Fagin in Oliver ! (1984 & 1996), Alfie Doolittle in My Fair Lady , the Poet in Kismet , the King of Siam in The King & I , and numerous roles in SMTs production of the Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. Traci L. Ceschin of Allentown plays Golde. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, Opera Delaware, and with the San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan Company. Locally she has been featured in Civic Theatre's Seussical and Man of No Importance .
Campbell Baird , who designed costumes for last seasons production of Carousel, returns to create the more than 200 costumes for this timeless big stage musical with 55 cast members. "The clothing is specific to the traditions of the Jewish experience that are centuries old," he explains. A vast change from the elaborate and colorful costumes of Carousel, the clothing in Fiddler requires subtle applications of color and pattern and necessitates the technique of distressing in order to give it the look of being "kept, mended, and handed down from one generation to the next." The Russians of this time wore nothing but black everyday, but Baird expands the palette for the stage to allow some variation in color, pattern, and texture. An effect that requires an exorbitant amount of work in order to achieve its simplicity, the characters of Fiddler are tracked throughout the show through their color palettes that identify more than simply who they are - they reveal elements of culture, age, family, and emotion. Lighting the stage, the actors and the costumes to complete the transformation to Tevye's world is professional guest artist John McKernon. He recently designed lighting for the Muhlenberg College's productions of Life's A Dream and Orpheus Descending. He has been an associate designer to Ken Billington for 20 years, including the current Broadway production of Chicago .
The story revolves around Tevyes efforts to match his daughters with traditional husbands. His daughters - Tzeitel (Rebecca Goldstein 09), Hodel (Sarah Primmer 09), and Chava (Joelle Kross 09) - refuse to accept the wishes of the matchmaker, Yente (Liz Wasser 08), and their father. When his eldest daughter, Tzeitel, asks for her fathers blessing so that she can marry Motel (Phil Haas), a poor tailor, Tevye is forced to choose between his daughters happiness and his firmly rooted beliefs. When he decides to go against tradition, he must find a way to tell his wife, Golde (Traci Ceschin). As he watches his daughters grow up and search for love, oppression in the community forces Tevye and his fellow villagers to flee their homes with only their few possessions and their unrelenting faith. A poignant story that remains as relevant in 1965 as it is today, Fiddler celebrates, challenges, and brings to life themes of tradition and culture in a changing world.
The celebrated score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick features musical numbers loved the world over: "Sunrise, Sunset," "If I Were A Rich Man," "Matchmaker," and the unforgettable "bottle dance," to name a few. Fiddler on the Roof won eight 1965 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and it boasted more than 3000 performances during its seven-year run. A great story of love, sacrifice, and hope, Fiddler on the Roof celebrates life with laughter, whispers, tears, and some of the most beloved songs of the American theatre. "The musical," says Richter, "has become a modern classic that transcends specific political or ethnic boundaries. It speaks to issues of family, prejudice, tradition, and change that continue to challenge all of us in significant ways."
Performances for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF are Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., Family Days on Saturdays at 2 p.m. (one free youth ticket is offered for each paid adult/senior ticket on the same show date) and Sundays at 2p.m. Tickets are $32 adult, $28 senior, and $17 youth. Visit www.summerbroadway.org or call 484-664-3333.
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ALSO ON STAGE IN JULY FOR MUHLENBERG SUMMER MUSIC THEATRE: THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES: Now through August 4th in the Studio Theatre, Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance. Musical for children ages 4 to 12 based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen; book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, music by Stephen Flaherty (the team who created Broadway's Ragtime and Seussical!) Shows are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m. Tickets are $9 General Admission.
PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES: July 25 through August 12th in the Baker Theatre, Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance. A high-octane musical that is a blend of country, bluegrass and gospel. Created by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann. Shows are Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and matinees are Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $32 adult, $28 senior, and $17 youth.
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Tickets to all shows of the 2007 season are available by calling 484-664-3333 , visiting the Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance on the Muhlenberg College campus ,or going online at www.summerbroadway.org . The Box Office is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and two hours before each performance. For inquiries on group sales, email [email protected].
