“Fiddler on the Roof” is an Impactful  Timeless Tradition at The Muny

by Pat Lindsey

At a time when Russia is again attempting to overpower people who just want to live in peace, The Muny’s eleventh production of “Fiddler on the Roof” is more relevant than ever. On the homefront, it strikes a chord for those of us who feel the loss of civility, community spirit, and long-held traditions.

Set in Anatevka, a small village in Russia in 1905, the tight-knit Jewish community is struggling to hold on to its traditions while the Russian czar makes threats at the most inopportune moments. The show’s opening ignites the audience with the entire cast on stage singing and dancing to the electrifying “Tradition.”

Adam Heller embraces the role of Tevye with love and devotion. He is the Papa–the father of five daughters who makes us feel every kind of parental emotion. He is also a milkman who supports his family by selling milk and cheese from a wagon. A prayer shawl hangs from beneath his vest and he often engages in conversations with God. Tevye’s simple world is first rocked by his daughters’ desire to marry someone of their own choosing rather than forcing them to follow tradition and marry someone arranged for them by Yente (Cheryl Stern), the matchmaker. Heller’s rich baritone voice and ability to connect with the audience, makes him the best Tevye I’ve ever seen.

Tevye’s wife, Golde (Jill Abramovitz), can be a bit of a shrew at times, but she loves her family. Her love for her husband is questionable, though, until they sing their duet, “Do You Love Me?,” in Act Two. This is Abramovitz’s Muny debut, and, hopefully, the first of many more appearances.

Tzeitel (Samantha Massell) is the eldest daughter who sets off a firestorm when she wants to marry her life-long friend, Motel (Max Chernin) the tailor. When she and Motel finally get up the courage to tell Tevye that they have promised each other to marry, they learn that Tevye has already given his word to Lazar Wolf, the butcher, that Tzeitel will marry him. Tzeitel begs Tevye to allow her to marry Motel and is overjoyed when he reluctantly agrees. Motel then expresses his joy by enthusiastically singing the high-spirited “Miracle of Miracles.”

Just when Tevye begins to believe that life is somewhat normal again, his daughters Hodel (Hannah Corneau) and Chava (Emerson Glick) present him with new dilemmas. Both daughters thrill the audience with their gorgeous voices as they sing, “Far From the Home I Love” and “Chava Sequence.”   If that isn’t enough for Tevye’s conflicted heart to bear, the Russian Constable (James A. Butz) delivers the news that everyone in the village has three days to sell their homes and move out of Anatevka.

A serious book by Joseph Stein and a sparkling score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick mesh perfectly with the more monotone set design by Tijana Bjelajac. Outstanding choreography and intermittent comic relief are highlights of this show. The all-male Cossack-like dancers and the six men who dance with bottles balanced atop their hats are absolutely sensational. Jerome Robbins’s original choreography has been adapted for The Muny stage by Parker Esse.

Rob Ruggiero has performed the masterful task of directing a timeless production of “Fiddler on the Roof” with a made-to-order cast and memorable music by The Muny Orchestra under the direction of Darryl Archibald.

Through all of the trials and tribulations these Russian Jews endure during this period of turmoil, the Fiddler (Max Chucker) is sitting on the rooftops playing his fiddle. He symbolizes the safety of traditions and the uncertainty of breaking them. Without traditions, our lives “would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof.”

If you’ve never seen “Fiddler on the Roof,” this could be the time to begin your own tradition by seeing this positively superb production at The Muny now through July 25. For tickets, go to muny.org or call 314-534-1111.

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