Fiddler on the Roof, is one “darling, touching, beautiful, warm, funny, inspiring work of American theatre,” forwards Music Theatre International, and the Northwest Christian High School Theater Department agrees, opening its doors for another season on the weekends between March 13th and 21st, 2014.
Based on a collection of Yiddish short stories about family traditions, Fiddler on the Roof presents the lessons of regret and optimism set in a poor Jewish village near the early 1900’s. Anatevka is a small place somewhere in Czarist Russia, and its incomparable Dairyman tells his story. Tevye aims to teach five strong-willed daughters the important values of their tight-knit Jewish community, but he first must navigate the free-flowing opinions of its members. There is his wife, Golde, and her cohort, Yente the matchmaker. Next comes along Lazar Wolf, Anatevka’s feisty butcher. Never far removed are self-entertaining businessmen and beggars. Then as villagers and Jewish religious leaders comment on every matter, the entire village’s young people seem to find means to challenge deeply held traditions of Anatevka’s old ways. Soon, Tevye discovers outside opinions in the face of the changing social values.
Filled with unforgettable songs, like “Sunrise Sunset,” If I Were a Rich Man,” and “Matchmaker,” the original Broadway production won nine Tony Awards, ran for 10 years, and was performed before more than 3,000 audiences. It has had a very successful film adaptation and continues to enjoy great international popularity. Fiddler on the Roof finds a way to capture pure heartaches of life with both laughter and sentiment interpreted as the way to cope with adversity.
A junior at Northwest Christian, Noah Raver plays Tevye; senior Vanessa Amado plays Golde. The five daughters are played by Sadie Garner, Chloe Baughn, Abby Peterson, Alexandrine Perkins, and Olivia Roth; Chris Wray plays Lazar Wolf, Kaleigh Gable plays Fruma Sarah, and Yente is played by Stephanie Brown. The Principle characters are supported by a cast of 48 other middle and high school students.
Fiddler on the Roof will play on Thursday, March 13th at 7:00 p.m. The show will also be presented on Friday, March 14th; Wednesday, March 19th; Thursday, March 20th ; and Friday, March 21st . Curtain time is 7:00 p.m. A Dinner Theater Benefit Performance will be presented on Saturday, March 15th at 6:00 p.m. Cost is $35.00 per person. A matinee performance will be available on Sunday, March 16th at 3:00 p.m.
All shows will be presented in the Northwest Christian Chapel at the school’s Upper Campus at 5104 E. Bernhill Road in Colbert.
Admission to Fiddler on the Roof is $10.00 for adults and $8.00 for students (0-18 years).
For ticket information, go to www.nwcs.org.
