Fiddler On The Roof: The Tradition Lives On – David Stringer, Publisher

Hearing again those magical, mesmerizing tunes from “Fiddler On The Roof”, it’s hard to believe that one of Broadway’s greatest musicals is now over sixty years old.  And still going strong. In last night’s revival of Broadway’s 1964 smash hit at the Yavapai College’s Jim & Linda Lee Performing Arts Center, “Fiddler”  was never in more devoted hands.

The original Broadway production starring Zero Mostel as Tevye won nine Tony awards including Best Musical,  Best Director–Jerome Robbins, Best Score-Jerry Bock,  and Best Book-Joseph Stein. It was the first Broadway musical to run for over 3000 performances. On my first visit to Broadway as a teenager in 1965, it was still selling out.  The 1971 Norman Jewison film adaptation staring Chaim Topol, was the highest grossing movie of the year and was nominated for eight Academy awards, winning three. The show went on to Broadway revivals in 1976 and 1981 and  continues to tour internationally. It remains one of the most popular shows in the American musical repertoire.

In a musical, the music is the thing. But Fiddler’s enduring appeal is also based on a strong book—a set of stories about  19^th century shtetl life by Russian-Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem.  Aleichem  was born in the Oblast  of  Kiev in 1859,  and was himself a product of shtetl life. His short stories about Tevye the Dairyman, full of humor, pathos and memorable characters  were translated from Yiddish to other languages  and were widely recognized for their literary merit during Aleichem’s lifetime. Like  the fictional Tevye in Fiddler, Sholem Aleichem  eventually emigrated to America where he died in 1914.

By way of background, beginning in the late 18^th century, the Czars of Imperial Russia gave refuge to Eastern European Jewry in Russian lands in an area known as the  ‘Pale of Settlement’ which  encompassed eastern Poland and  Ukraine. The writer of the musical, “Fiddler On The Roof”, Joseph Stein, was inspired by Aleichem’s bittersweet short stories about the imaginary village of Anatevka and the poor milkman, Tevye, blessed with three daughters of marriageable age and a shrewd, sharp tongued wife, Golde. The narrative of Fiddler is rooted in the history, culture and traditions of Eastern European shtetl life. But its enduring popularity is best understood as a Jewish story with universal themes.

Photo: At the table: Lazar Wolf (Rob Kaufman) and Tevya (David Evans) seal their agreement

The high production quality of the 1971 film adaptation of “Fiddler on the Roof” has spoiled for many of us what the show should look like. But the local production of Fiddler showcased at the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center fully lives up to the traditions of this great American musical. From the first melancholy notes of the  violin solo  of Tevye’s “Tradition”, to the rousing ensemble of the closing  “Anatevka”,  the live orchestra under the direction of Chris Tenney, brings  the score of  ‘Fiddler’  to life with fidelity and charm.

The entire cast is made up of local talent, many recognizable veterans of other productions. The lead role of Tevye, is a star turn by David Evans, who brings a strong baritone voice, dramatic range, and humorous touches to a character who finds his way into nearly every scene. Grace-Anne Olsen lends her fine mezzo soprano to the role of Golde, Tevye’s clever wife.

Maxx Bouchard presents an excellent Motel the Tailor, a role that calls for disciplined understatement in the early scenes and later dramatic growth as he finds the courage to demand of Tevye the hand of his oldest daughter. A shout out should also go to a major non-speaking character, the Fiddler himself, played by the talented young Kyle Utzke, a sophomore at Tri-City Prep,  who makes his violin sing and mimes his stage scenes as Tevye’s conscience with quiet grace.

The costumes, set design and choreography are all remarkably well done.  Anatevka never looked more authentically rustic.   David Evans, who plays Tevye, also served as the set designer for the big production numbers that I can only describe as awesome.  A well rehearsed cast under the direction of Dr. Craig John Ralston kept the opening night audience joyful and rapt.

Photo: From left to right, Kyle Utzke (the Fiddler), David Stringer, Grace-Anne Olsen (Golde), David Evans (Tevya), and Maxx Bouchard (Motel the Taylor)

Yavapai College’s Performing Arts Center’s production of “Fiddler On The Roof” runs this weekend and next with Friday evening performances at 7pm and Saturday and Sunday matinee’s at 3pm. Tickets may be purchased thru the box office at 928.776.2000 or online at https://www.ycpac.com