April 23, 2013... The Festival Theatre stage will transform into a small Jewish village through the heartwarming tale of hope, faith and tradition that is Fiddler on the Roof. One of Broadway’s longest-running and most celebrated musicals begins previews in Stratford on Tuesday, April 23, marking the first performance of the 2013 season.
The production is directed and choreographed by Donna Feore, who returns for her 19th season at the Festival, having helmed such much loved productions as Oliver!, Oklahoma!, Cyrano de Bergerac and last year’s You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
“This is a classic musical with extraordinary heart,” says Ms Feore. “Tevye is not only dealing with change and uncertainty within his family, he is also dealing with uncertainty in the world around him. I think that is why people are so moved by this piece. Life is always changing. Like the fiddler on the roof, it’s unstable, and it’s about finding balance.”
In a playbill built around themes of community, Fiddler on the Roof is a natural fit.
“In putting together this season, I was particularly drawn to exploring the idea of cultural belonging: communities divided and how they bridge those gaps,” says Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino. “This is an iconic story of a community driven apart by the pressures of a changing world, but also one of bringing people together – a notion it takes beyond the stage by inviting us all to be Jewish, if only for a couple of hours. The combination of music and dance, humour and warmth makes Fiddler on the Roof a timeless work of art within the musical genre and a great night out at the theatre.”
Based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem, with book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, the Tony Award-winning musical was originally produced on the New York stage by Harold Prince and directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins. The rousing, unforgettable score, featuring such beloved songs as “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “Sunrise, Sunset,” will be brought to life in this production by an outstanding cast working alongside acclaimed Musical Director Shelley Hanson in her Stratford debut.
Two familiar faces from Festival seasons past make a welcome return in the musical: Scott Wentworth as Tevye and Kate Hennig as his wife, Golde. The cast also features Jacquelyn French as Hodel, Keely Hutton as Chava, Gabrielle Jones as Yente, André Morin as Motel, Mike Nadajewski as Perchik, Paul Nolan as Fyedka and Jennifer Stewart as Tzeitel.
Joining Ms Feore and Ms Hanson are Tony Award-nominated Set Designer Allen Moyer, Costume DesignerDana Osborne, Lighting Designer Michael Walton, Sound Designer Peter McBoyle and Fight Director John Stead.
Fiddler on the Roof Forum Highlights
The Forum, the new festival within the Festival, is a series of activities and events designed to make a visit to Stratford an immersive, all-encompassing cultural experience. Through debates, talks, concerts, comedy nights, hands-on workshops and more, The Forum will offer theatregoers more ways to discover and examine the themes running through this season’s productions.
Themes related to Fiddler on the Roof will be explored through several Forum events, including: Tradition and the Jewish Composer, a concert by the ARC Ensemble (Artists of the Royal Conservatory) introduced by Artistic Director Simon Wynberg; Breaking with Tradition: Fiddler on the Roof and the 1960s Generation Gap, a talk by Marlis Schweitzer, associate professor of theatre at York University; andFiddler’s Fortunes: The Mighty Afterlife of a Broadway Musical, a talk by Alisa Solomon, director of the Arts and Culture concentration in the MA program at Columbia Journalism School.
Support for the inaugural season of The Forum is generously provided by Kelly and Michael Meighen and the Province of Ontario, in partnership with the University of Waterloo, with media sponsorship provided by The Walrus. Support for the Speaker Series is generously provided in memory of Dr. Philip Hayman.
Fiddler on the Roof is co-sponsored by Union Gas Limited. Production support is generously provided by the Harkins Family in memory of Susan Harkins and by Celebrate Ontario.
Stratford Direct, the new daily return private bus service between Toronto and Stratford, begins May 1. Departing once daily from May 1 to 25 and October 1 to 20 and twice daily from May 27 to September 29 (on performance days only), the round trip costs only $20.
Support for Stratford Direct is generously provided by The Peter Cundill Foundation.
The Stratford Festival’s 2013 season runs until October 20, featuring Romeo and Juliet, Fiddler on the Roof;The Three Musketeers, The Merchant of Venice, Tommy, Blithe Spirit, Othello, Measure for Measure,Mary Stuart, Waiting for Godot, Taking Shakespeare, and The Thrill, along with more than 150 events at The Forum.
Cast (in alphabetical order)
Alfons…………………………………...........
Gavril Kanevski………………………………... Gabriel Antonacci
Levi Hayes……………………………………... Matthew Armet
The Fiddler…………………………………….. Anna Atkinson
Fruma-Sarah…………………………………....
Nachum………………………………………...
Mashel……………………………………….....
Benesh…………………………………………. Sean Dolan
Hodel…………………………………………... Jacquelyn French
Grandma Tzeitel……………………………….. Barbara Fulton
Bielke, alternating.……………………………..
Yussel………………………………………….. Sean Alexander Hauk
Shaindel………………………………………...
Golde…………………………………………... Kate Hennig
Avram………………………………………….. Larry Herbert
Bielke, alternating……………………………… Effie Honeywell
Chava…………………………………………... Keely Hutton
Rifka…………………………………………… Robin Hutton
Zeff Orenstein…………………………………. Galen Johnson
Yente…………………………………………... Gabrielle Jones
Swing………………………………………….. Julia Juhas
Clarinet Player….……………………………… Gary Kidd
Mordcha………………………………………..
Shprintze……………………………………….
Mendel………………………………………… Robert Markus
Motel…………………………………………..
The Rabbi……………………………………... Sam Moses
Perchik………………………………………… Mike Nadajewski
Swing………………………………………….. Nicholas Nesbitt
Fyedka…………………………………………. Paul Nolan
Charna…………………………………………. Katrina Reynolds
Swing………………………………………….. Jennifer Rider-Shaw
Lazar Wolf…………………………………….. Steve Ross
The Constable…………………………………. Brad Rudy
Sasha…………………………………………... Julius Sermonia
“To Life” Tenor……………………………….. Lee Siegel
Itsaak……………………………………….…..
Tzeitel………………………………………….
Tevye………………………………………….. Scott Wentworth
Artistic Credits
Director and Choreographer…………………... Donna Feore
Musical Director………………………………. Shelley Hanson
Set Designer…………………………………… Allen Moyer
Costume Designer……………………………... Dana Osborne
Lighting Designer……………………………… Michael Walton
Sound Designer………………………………... Peter McBoyle
Fight Director………………………………….. John Stead
Producer………………………………………..
Casting Director……………………………….. Beth Russell
Creative Planning Director……………………. Jason Miller
Associate Choreographer……………………… Kerry Gage
Associate Conductor…………………………... Marilyn Dallman
Assistant Director……………………………... Ann Baggley
Jewish Culture Consultant…………………….. Dr. Darren C. Marks
Assistant Set Designer………………………… Brandon Kleiman
Assistant Costume Designer…………………... Alix Dolgoy
Assistant Lighting Designers………………….. Sean Poole, Tristan Tidswell
Assistant Fight Directors……………………… Geoff Scovell, Anita Nittoly
Dance Captain………………………………… Stephen Cota
Fight Captain……………………………….…. Brad Rudy
Stage Manager………………………………… Cynthia Toushan
Assistant Stage Managers……………………... Krista Blackwood, Melissa Rood, Zeph Williams
Production Assistant…………………………... Linsey Callaghan
Production Stage Manager……………………. Margaret Palmer
Technical Director………………………….…. Jeff Scollon
StarBuzzOnline.com
No comments :
Post a Comment
Your comments are welcome.