The Munster Theatre Company (the Performing Arts Department of Munster High School) is pleased to present the classic musical, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. The Artistic Staff includes: Larry A Brechner Producer/Director; Carol Lynn Brechner as the co-Producer/Director/; William Woods Music/Orchestra Pit Director; Laurel Demkovich as Student Director/Choreographer; and Maddie O’Dea as Assistant Director.
Fiddler on the Roof is a bittersweet tale. The story is set in a small village in the Ukraine during the early 1900s in the pre-revolutionary days of Tsarist Russia. The plot centers around the changing traditions faced by Tevye (Steven Caraher), a poor dairyman, his wife Golde (Colleen Kifer) as each of his three eldest daughters, Tzeitel (Morgan Papesh), Hodel (Peyton Tinder), and Chava (Camille Jancosek) each breaks further with the “old ways.”
Yente (Judie Muhrez), the village matchmaker brings an offer Golde of a match for Tzeitel, with the old butcher, Lazar Wolf, (Daniel Straka). The young tailor Motel (Thomas Speranza) and Tzeitel have already pledged their love. They beg Tevye not to force her into the arranged marriage and reluctantly, he agrees. Perchick (Drew Adams), a radical student, wanders into the story and soon Hodel and Perchik also discover their love. Perchik must leave for a political demonstration in Kiev; is arrested and sent to a Siberian labor camp. Hodel is torn, between “home and him,” but leaves her family to marry him there.
Finally, the bookish Chava meets the Russian, Fyedka (Casey Terry), and against all tradition, they secretly marry against Tevye’s wishes, where he disowns Chava for “marrying outside the faith.” In the final blow their traditions; the Jewish villagers are finally forced to leave the beloved town of Anatevka by orders delivered by the local Constable (Rohan Chatterjee), who reluctantly must carry out this pogrom order.
The Munster Theatre Company production will also feature, Josh Shalen, Elliott Fus, Billy McDunn, Rebecca Karnezis, Emma Nossem, Ethan Courtney, Brianna Dittmer, and Brandon Yager.
Joseph Stein wrote the script, based on the stories by Sholem Aleichem. Combined with a beautiful musical score by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, the show features musical favorites like “If I Were a Rich Man”, “Matchmaker, Matchmaker”, “Sunrise Sunset” “Tradition” and many more. The original Broadway production was brilliantly directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, and was the longest running show until A Chorus Line.
Fiddler on the Roof is truly a musical for all ages with a universal story about the indomitable spirit of a people, who bravely face adversity and changing traditions.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will run Thursday, May 1; Friday, May 2; Saturday, May3 at 7pm, and Sunday, May 4 at 2pm in Munster Auditorium. Tickets are $7 at the door (senior and student tickets $5).
Tickets are available at the Auditorium Box Office on performance nights or in advance by calling:
(219) 838-2235, by email at apkinser@munaud.org.
