The classic Tony-winning Broadway musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and based on a book by author Joseph Stein follows dairyman Tevye in his struggles to balance tradition with modernity, along with his journey to find his five daughters suitable husbands. The production, which has been a feature-length movie and one of the longest-running Broadway shows in history (debuting in 1964), has now graced the Fox Theatre with the presence of its Broadway revival show.
The choreography, done by Israeli-born Hofesh Shechter, paired with set design by Michael Yeargan, made it easy to be sucked into the world of the show. Along with this, the obvious extensive research into Jewish culture and the chemistry that the entire cast has made viewing an easy, natural experience.
I was completely enthralled by the picture of the world the cast and crew had created. The star of the show, Tevye (Yehezkel Lazarov), never had a dull moment on stage. His humor and comedic timing made him easy to love and impossible to hate, even in his harsh moments. Aside from what felt like a few rushed lines during the first half of the production, his performance did not disappoint.
The sisters Tzeitel, Hodel, Chava, Shprintze, and Bielke (played by the fabulous Kelly Gabrielle Murphy, Ruthy Froch, Noa Lu Barenblat, Jenna Harwood, and Carly Post) embodied the love and laughs that come with sisterhood. Songs like “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” which showed the audience a glimpse into the world of traditional arranged marriages, left me in stitches.
The musical dips into controversial ideas of culture and tradition, posing important questions that leave the audience seeking answers of their own. How many sacrifices to cultural and religious traditions can be made until everything starts to unravel?
I left the show noting that my only real qualm was the fact that our Fiddler (Ali Arian Molaei) never actually mounts a roof. Besides that, I left with a better understanding of Jewish culture and the realization that “Fiddler on the Roof” is a performance about family, love, sacrifice, and TRADITION!
VOX ATL teens had the opportunity to attend “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Fox Theatre, thanks to the generosity of Most Valuable Kids of Greater Atlanta.
You’re right – the fiddler should have actually been seen on a roof! And the humor of the play’s musical numbers certainly brings levity to the complex struggles faced by every generation. As you point out, how far can we deviate from our traditions before society unravels? There’s no answer given in the play, but you wisely recognize that it’s a fine and delicate thread of love and traditions that bind a family together.