 Fiddler on the Roof.
Music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.
Director: Diane Haylor
01494 510086 (evenings only)
Musical Director: Marc Pizer
01494 464654 (evenings only)
A huge thank you to everyone who came to the auditions for “Fiddler On The Roof”. The standard was extremely high and the audition panel was spoilt for choice. My thanks to all the panel for giving up their Sunday to come and help. Unfortunately, as in all auditions, only one person can be given the role, so my commiserations to all those who were unsuccessful. I do hope you will still be part of the show, which promises to be great fun, especially now that David Parsonson has confirmed that he will be the choreographer. We have an exceptionally good principal line-up and a very strong chorus – although some more would be welcome - especially young(er) men - (those playing Russians needn't have beards!) There are a couple of smaller speaking male roles unfilled – please contact me if you are interested.
Rehearsals start straight away and I am really looking forward to working with HAODS. On with the show! - Diane Haylor
CAST
TEVYE RAYMOND BURTON
GOLDE JULIE HUNTINGTON
TZEITEL KATE MASSEY
HODEL HELEN WIGMORE
CHAVA CLAIRE WALLIS
MOTEL HOWARD TIMBERLAKE
PERCHIK GARETH SAUNDERS
FYEDKA MATT BUNKALL
YENTE WENDY HUNTLEY
LAZAR WOLF TIM SLOANE
RABBI MARTIN JARVIS
GRANDMA TZEITEL BARBARA HEAD
NACHUM, the begger RODDY WEST
More, including the Russians and Chorus, to be added
The Story
Fiddler on the Roof was originally entitled Tevye. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye the Milkman) and other tales by Sholem Aleichem which he wrote in Yiddish and published in 1894. The story centers on Tevye, the father of five daughters, and his attempts to maintain his family and religious traditions while outside influences encroach upon their lives. He must cope with both the strong-willed actions of his three older daughters—each daughter's choice of husband moves progressively further away from established customs—and with the edict of the Tsar that evicts the Jews from their village.
The musical's title stems from a painting by Marc Chagall, one of many surreal paintings he created of Eastern European Jewish life, often including a fiddler. The Fiddler is a metaphor for survival, through tradition and joyfulness, in a life of uncertainty and imbalance.
The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, was the first musical to surpass the 3,000 performance mark, and it held the record for longest-running Broadway musical for almost 10 years until Grease surpassed its run. The production earned $1,574 for every dollar invested in it.
The show was highly acclaimed and nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning nine, including Best Musical, score, book, direction and choreography. It spawned four Broadway revivals, a successful 1971 film adaptation, and has enjoyed enduring international popularity.
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