Classic 'Fiddler' Opens FCT Season

By Dixie Walters

The Tony Award-winning musical, "Fiddler on the Roof," will kick off Fauquier Community Theatre's new season on Oct. 4.

Set in a fictional village in pre-revolutionary Russia, the play tells the story of Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman and the father of five daughters who is trying to hang onto his traditions and faith even as anti-Semitism and changing social mores begin to engulf him. 

"Tevye is an interesting guy who is caught between two worlds," says the play's director, Scott Heine. "There's a lot of humor in the show, but there's a lot of sorrow too. It's a story about a man dealing with loss and change in his life but holding onto his faith all the way. In fact, faith is probably the definitive characteristic of Tevye." 

Tevye (Walter Loope) and his wife, Golde (Margo Heine), must contend with the actions of their three eldest daughters who seem determined to break with the tradition of the time to submit to a matchmaker (Chantal Campbell) and instead find love on their own terms. Each daughter's choice of husband progressively challenges the traditions of Jewish life, forcing Tevye to accept that his daughters seek a different life than what he envisioned for them.

"Tevye is not excited about any of these marriages. His traditions begin to unravel on him," says Heine, explaining that the first daughter rejects the matchmaker's choice and selects her own husband, the second falls for a revolutionary and the third wants to marry outside the Jewish faith.

Heine says there is "a tremendous amount of humor" as each daughter's romance unfolds. At the same time, "it brings trauma and tragedy to the family." And Tevye and his wife aren't the only ones who feel conflicted. "The daughters also struggle with the dichotomy of staying connected to family and yet knowing there's a point of no return based on their choices." 

Beloved Songs

The angst, humor and poignancy of the play is set to choreography, which accompanies beloved and well-known songs, including "Tradition," "If I Were a Rich Man," "Matchmaker" and "Sunrise, Sunset."

"One of the things that has made this musical so popular is that the music is just outstanding," says Heine, who also directed last season's "The Music Man" for FCT.

The play is based on Yiddish folktales and draws its title from "The Fiddler," a painting by Marc Chagall, whose art often depicted Jewish life in Eastern Europe. The fiddler serves as a metaphor for Tevye's struggles. 

"He's trying to keep his balance, despite the slippery world around him. It's a precarious existence, like a fiddler on a roof. The only thing that keeps him there is faith."

The set of the play also draws its visual inspiration from Chagall's surrealistic style, Heine notes. 

Other featured cast members include Leah Papadopoulos (Tzeitel), Lisa Gullickson (Hodel) and Rachel Yeager (Chava) as the three headstrong daughters whose actions propel the story. Their love interests include Joshua Colliluori (Motel), Joshua Darner (Perchik) and Alex Clark (Fydeka).

Sponsored by Discovery Publications, performances of "Fiddler on the Roof," which is appropriate for all ages, are scheduled for Oct 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20. Curtain time on Friday and Saturday nights is 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $18 (adults) and $16 (students/children and senior citizens) and can be purchased and printed online at www.FCTstage.org or by calling 540-349-8760.

Photo Credit - Leland Shook Photography

Plan your holiday events NOW and include FCT's White Christmas in your plans! If you have family in for Thanksgiving weekend......you can treat them to a fabulous musical right in your own community!

Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin

Directed by Susan Noe

Produced by Sherry Bendt