Fiddler on the Roof is returning to The Landing in Caronport this spring as part of a Summer Stage production hosted by Briercrest Onstage, the organization’s first play in three years.
Rich with musical hits such as “If I Were A Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and “To Life (L’Chaim!),” the show is a heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and life, love and laughter.
The musical takes place in a fictional Russian Jewish village during the reign of Tsar Nicholas II.
Tevye is a poor dairy farmer who raises his five daughters with his wife, Golde, according to Jewish tradition. However, his three oldest daughters resist tradition by marrying the men they choose rather than those designated by a matchmaker. Tevye accepts this as long as it does not violate Jewish law.
However, the Tsar’s increasing persecution of Russian Jews leads to the violent disruption of the villagers’ lives and their forced removal. Although they lose their homes and land, Tevye and the villagers persist, preparing to restart their lives elsewhere.
The show debuts on Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m., with extra performances on May 20 and 27 and June 3. There are also Saturday performances on May 14, 21, and 28 and on June 4 at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $17 for adults, $14 for students and seniors, and $6 for children under five, and can be purchased by contacting Briercrest Onstage at 306-756-3250.
The Summer Stage program has hosted performances since 2012, giving students in the arts and music programs, faculty, and residents the chance to perform, explained Nancy Loper, performing arts administrative assistant.
This is the first performance that Briercrest Onstage has held since 2019, after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out any possibility of performing for crowds during the past two years.
“We’re very excited to have it back on now,” she added.
This is the second Fiddler on the Roof production that Briercrest Onstage has performed; the first time was in 2015.
Melissa Wood is Golde, Abigail Miler is the Yente the matchmaker, the three oldest daughters are portrayed by Loper, Kaytlyn Annala and Lily Wiebe, and Sterling Boehm is Motel, a poor tailor who marries a daughter.
“It’s a classic. It’s a good family show as well,” said artistic director Ron de Jager. “I think just the honesty and realness of the leading character and his struggles with everyday life, I think it resonates with people right now … especially after the pandemic … .”
Some issues Tevye faces include struggling to feed his family, working hard and going nowhere, financial hardships, and pulling his cart after his horse is injured.
The Sound of Music and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers were the last shows Briercrest Onstage hosted during its Summer Stage lineup in 2019.
This year, organizers decided to hold one production — a last-minute decision — because they were unsure how the pandemic would affect indoor gatherings this spring, Loper said.
“We’ve been doing rehearsals for about a month now and we only got the OK to go ahead about a month-and-a-half ago, so it’s been a pretty short timeline,” she continued. “But things are really coming together and we’re really excited to open next Friday (the 13th).”
Fiddler on the Roof is a mixture of comedy and drama, Loper added, while it has a great selection of songs that people will enjoy.
“I think we’re just thrilled we can perform again. I think you don’t realize what you have until you lose it,” said de Jager. “So being able to perform for a live audience again is a gift. And I think this is just such a good play to return to the stage after three years of being off.
“We’re pretty excited.”
