CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — Chambersburg Community Theatre presents what could easily be mistaken for a professional-level production of “Fiddler on the Roof” this weekend (June 25-28) at The Capitol Theatre Center, 159 S. Main St.
History & storyline
The show is inspired by the stories of Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich (better known as Sholem Aleichem), a Jewish author who lived under the oppressive Russian Empire before eventually immigrating to the United States. The original 1964 Broadway production was nominated for 10 Tony Awards and won a whopping nine, including Best Book of a Musical (Joseph Stein), Best Original Score (Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick), Best Producer (Harold Prince) and both Best Direction and Best Choreography (Jerome Robbins).
The impact of “Fiddler” on audiences during that original run must have been profound. For many Jewish Americans, this was a true survival story reflecting the experiences of parents or grandparents who fled the Russian pogroms (pronounced pow-gruhm and meaning “devastation” or “riot” in Russian) at the turn of the 20th century. For goyim, especially those who served in World War II, this show offered a broader education on the displaced people they had recently witnessed in ghettos and death camps across Europe.
Decades have passed, and while the characters may now represent great-grandparents or beyond, the show remains deeply relevant. As noted in the curtain speech before CCT’s performance, “Fiddler on the Roof” has been performed somewhere in the world every single day since its debut.
“Fiddler” centers on Tevye (played by M.F. Levine), a man rich in spirit but poor in pocket, alongside his commanding yet devoted wife, Golde (Kathleen Davison, appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association). The pair is raising five daughters, Tzeitel (Elise Wright), Hodel (Holly Gouge), Chava (Jovie Delgado), Shprintze (Ariabella Dimino) and Bielke (Olivia Snowberger).
The oldest three are beginning to set their sights on marriage – only they appear determined to break the tradition of going through Yente (Jill Marshall-Work), the official matchmaker. Each romantic prospect gives Tevye more heartburn than the last: Motel Kamzoil (Evan Forberger), the tailor who cannot afford a sewing machine; Perchik (Noah Collins), the Marxist revolutionary; and Fyedka (Robert Bond), an outsider to the faith.
CCT’s production
CCT’s cast displays a tangible chemistry, which is no surprise given how many actors share relationships on and off the stage. Levine delivers a boisterous performance as the protagonist Tevye: commanding the stage with over-the-top movement and a perfect vocal resonance that effortlessly transports you to his world. Yet, he also beautifully conveys Tevye the antagonist, a shrunken down man wrestling his internal weakness and struggle with tradition and faith.
Davison provides a rock-solid counterbalance, offering an authentic, straight-from-Crown-Heights accent paired with impeccable facial expressions and deliberate movements suited to her character’s era and limitations. The break in her no-nonsense demeanor during “Do You Love Me?” reveals raw tenderness for her husband of 25 years.
Other dynamic performances include: Forberger, capturing a bashful, peculiar young Motel ultimately transformed to joyous confidence in “Miracle of Miracles;” Delgado, harnessing hopeless romanticism in her longing vibrato; and Bond, sending a chill across the theater with his striking vocal interjection in “To Life.” It is also worth noting that B.J. Hile, playing Lazar Wolf, shines a different light on a character that most audiences dislike. He brings a genuine interest and gentleness in speaking of and in interactions with Tzeitel, steering away from the usual “creepy old man.”
The 18-piece pit orchestration is delivered with the precision of a studio soundtrack, but boasts the acoustic depth unreplicable by recorded music, all mixed in a flawless balance with the ensemble’s powerful sound throughout, but especially during “Tradition” and “Sabbath Prayer,” which convey the main theme. In what can be a lengthy show, CCT’s pacing is brisk enough to keep audiences continuously engaged, aided by simple, yet highly effective settings.
Choreography appears effortlessly in sync; the lively, competing movements between family members (mamas, papas, sons and daughters) in “Tradition” effectively communicate their unique societal roles. Visually, the dark backdrop and array of muted neutral tones among the ensemble make the principal actors’ drab outfits pop, highlighting the story’s subjects. Even Tevye’s cap casts dramatic shadows that emphasize Levine’s facial expressions.
There are so many messages from this show that continue to be pertinent to everyday discussions: Perchik’s “bold” ideas of gender equality and redistribution of wealth, the unfortunate truth that a loud minority continues to target the Jewish people as scapegoats, and the delicate balance between cultural integration and assimilation. Knowing what lies ahead for the Jewish people over the remainder of the 20th century sets a dark shadow over the characters’ futures, leaving audiences desperately hoping that everyone will be okay despite knowing the historical reality.
Bottom line: you are certain to experience the full range of human emotions in this production. I would wager that this is the absolute must-see show of our local summer lineup.
–Claire Martin, special to LocalNews1.org
Full CCT credits:
Pit Orchestra – violins (John Cooper, Amanda Bietsch), viola (Amber Stottlemyer), flute (Jessica Walter), reeds (Tina Sievers, Marcella Diehl, Scott Ziegler, Kelly Leitzel), trumpets (John Pursell, Maria Delaney, Donn Schoonover), horn (Ben Delaney), trombone (John Bewley), euphonium (Steve Trevitz), bass (Marcus Rauhut), guitar (Dominic Kipe), piano (Elise Bordner), percussion (Bill Sievers).
Production – directors (AimeeBeth Davis, Moira McClung), stage manager (Moira McClung), choreographer (Erin Adams), music director (Vanessa Murawski-Farrell), set design & construction (Bryan Griffin), sound design (Chance Reecher), light design (M.F. Levine, David McFeely), tech and stage crew (Joellen Brezler, Kaya Eller, David McFeely, Dylan Hull, Chance Reecher).
Cast (by order of appearance) – the fiddler (John Cooper), Tevye (M.F. Levine), Yente (Jill Marshall-Work), Avram (Aron Fitzgerald), Nahum (Caleb Fowler), Lazar Wolf (B.j. Hile), The Rabbi (Sean Snowberger), Mendel (Yeshua Berrios Malpica), Golde (Kathleen Davison), Tzeitel (Elise Wright), Hodel (Holly Gouge), Chava (Jovie Delgado), Shprintze (Ariabella Dimino), Bielke (Olivia Snowberger), Motel Kamzoil (Evan Forberger), Mordcha (Greg Plasterer), Perchik (Noah Collins), Constable (Bryton Zook), Fyedka (Robert Bond), Grandma Tzeitel / Dance Captain (Sarah Voight), Fruma Sarah (Christa Fowler), Shaindel (Lauren Zook), ensemble (Melanie Carbaugh, Anna Fowler, Sally Herritt, Elijah Hipkins, Heather Kline, Joanne Parks-Davison).
“Fiddler on the Roof” is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
