The discussion was lively as participants in the audience traced their direct lineage to the very same villages and retold the journeys their ancestors took to settle in Maine-coming at first as “strangers in a strange, new place” and then finding home and community. Scholar Anna Wrobel provided historical background both broadly (1860s-1910s industrialization, migration, globalization of Eastern Europe) and more specifically, including quotes about life in the shetls from the autobiography of Sholom Aleichem, who wrote the “Tevye the Milkman” stories on which Fiddler is based. Last week more than 50 people gathered at “the J”, as it is affectionately known, for the talk “’Laden With Happiness and Tears’ – Fiddler on the Roof in Historical Context”. Fiddler gave Ovations the opportunity to once again partner with the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine. During this time of rampant anti-Semitism, celebrating and honoring Jewish culture is not only cause for jubilation, it’s essential. Over the ensuing decades, its numerous revivals – from the Great White Way to London’s West End – have been honored with even more nominations and awards.įiddler’s powerful themes of tradition, repression, prejudice and diaspora continue to evoke common ground for audiences - wherever they are and from wherever they came. Once again, Fiddler shows us how art is timeless, powerful and necessary in society.Īfter nearly eight years and 3,300 performances since its 1964 opening, Fiddler became at its time the longest-running show on Broadway, winning nine Tony Awards including best musical. "Ultimately, you learn a huge amount about the human experience from going back to them," Sher said.A beloved work of musical theater, Fiddler on the Roof is more relevant and vital than ever. Punctuated with dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter and Broadway classics, at its core, the national touring production of "Fiddler on the Roof" remains the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family. The cast features Jonathan Hashmonay as Tevye, Maite Uzal asGolde, Andrew Hendrick as Lazar Wolf, Mary Beth Webber as Yente and Leah Platt as Tzeitel. Still front and center in this beloved theatrical masterpiece are the themes of generational conflict, the tensions between holding fast and letting go, the demands of the past, and the urgency of change. You'll notice innovation in “Fiddler” in the show's look, the sets, costumes, staging, and choreography, but the text and score won't change. While a revival may be freshened up to reflect current times, there is an importance in preserving what audiences love about a show like "Fiddler on the Roof." On the flip side, Sher is careful to balance the old with the new. "What does it feel like to lose your home and traditions? Maybe you'll leave the theater and talk about that with your family," he said. Villagers Scott Willits, Eddieomar Gonzalez Castillo, and Honza Relichovsky in the North American Tour of "Fiddler on the Roof." "And now in 2022, the refugee crisis is still relevant to the production, with the migration and displacement of people due to the war in Ukraine, the climate crisis, and famine across the world."ĭelving deeper into issues the audience may not have thought about is one ingredient in Sher's secret sauce of revivals. It's how we made the show relevant to the times," said Sher. "With the crisis in Syria as the backdrop, we were able to update the original story of a family being forced from their home in Russia. In 2015, when Sher began work on the revival of "Fiddler on the Roof" for its 50th anniversary, the world was in the midst of the Syrian refugee crisis. "The starting point whenever you do an interpretation of a great previous text like 'Fiddler' is to look for some kind of immediate significance right now." There is making new work and new stories and there is going back into our past and revisiting great pieces," Sher told the USA TODAY Network. Yehezkel Lazarov Tevye in the North American tour of "Fiddler On The Roof."
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