Timeless tale of love and faith comes to the Geyer with ‘Fiddler on the Roof’
A timeless tale of love, faith and modernity is coming to the Geyer Performing Arts Center in Scottdale. “Fiddler on the Roof,” which runs today through Sunday, tackles the tough topics that emerge when tradition clashes with a desire for change.
Set in the heart of a quaint Russian village in the early 20th century, the musical follows Tevye, a poor milkman, who struggles with valued religious traditions like arranged marriage in the context of his own family. His age-old beliefs come under scrutiny when his daughters yearn to follow a different path and marry for love. As Tevye struggles with these familial challenges, he is faced with additional trials as his community comes under attack, forcing the family to leave their village due to antisemitic sentiment.
Director Jill Jassmann-Sharlock said that Fiddler on the Roof has been on her list of shows to bring to the center for a very long time.
“It is one of my favorites and I am thrilled that the Geyer board approved my proposal to direct this one for the 2024 season,” she said.
Randy Olivia, who has been performing since he was an early teen, later studying acting in New York City, said that it’s a role he’s only played one other time in his 30 years of acting. Olivia credits Chaim Topol, an Israeli actor who played the role an astounding 3,500 times from 1967-2009, for his love of the show.
“I fell in love with the play when I saw Topol do it on Broadway and in film. The character is fun and has such an enduring love for his family while at the same time trying to find a balance,” Olivia said, citing the line, ‘A fiddler on the roof sounds crazy, no?’ Olivia explains that it’s a metaphor for life’s uncertainties. “We have to keep our balance with everything,” he said.
Jassmann-Sharlock said that when it came to her vision for the production, she, too, was influenced by Topol.
“I am definitely a purist and wanted to keep it very traditional. I’ve always been in love with Topol’s portrayal of Tevye, so that was my vision,” she said.
Jassmann-Sharlock said that the audience will be impressed with the proficiency of the cast.
“I’m always constantly blown away at every rehearsal with their level of talent and dedication and our ensemble that we call the ‘Fab Fiddlers,’ are just amazing when they all join together in singing,” she said.
Olivia agrees with Jassmann-Sharlock about the musicality of the production and its infectiousness.
“Every time I see ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ someone is singing along,” he said, adding that his favorite song is “If I Were a Rich Man.” Jassmann-Sharlock shares that same love for the classic song. “It’s my favorite song in my favorite scene and I also enjoy the interactions between Tevye and Golde, his wife. They have great chemistry,” she said.
Olivia said that the audience will likely leave with an appreciation for familial love and following one’s heart. Jassmann-Sharlock said that she also hopes that people will understand the life and culture of the Jewish people in Russia in the 1900s.
“It was not an easy time; they experienced great hardship. And, like Olivia, I believe that the audience will connect to the running themes of the show and something to which we all can relate — parents and their children and changing times,” she said.
To learn more about ticket prices, dates and times and to order tickets, visit the Geyer Performing Arts Center website at https://geyerpac.com/.