Reviewed by Sondra
Morishima/Sacramento
Stage & Theatre
Ron Orbach as
Tevye sings "If I Were A Rich Man" from the 2006 Music Circus
production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Photo by Charr Crail.
I
must begin this by making a confession. I am ashamed to admit
this, but I never knew that Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl" was inspired by
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF'S "If I Were a Rich Man."
It was only when I
heard portly Tevye (Ron Orbach) as he lounged on his milk cart that
suddenly the image of a slim blonde appeared in my mind. The
image would not disappear, prancing around the stage throughout the
entirety of the solo. Despite this distraction - which was
derived from no fault in the musical but more a result of the crassness
of modern music - I was still able to enjoy the remainder of the
play. In fact, as it progressed, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, directed by
Glenn Casale, became increasingly more enthralling.
The musical began at a plodding pace with the
opening song "Tradition"
that introduced the town life of Anatevka, a small Russian village, in
which the musical was set, just days before the Russian
revolution. Tevye, the main character, is a Jewish father with
five daughters, all of whom he wants to marry off to an intelligent and
learned Jewish man. His wife Golde (Valerie Perri) only requires
that the man be rich.
The conflict begins when the eldest girl Tzeitel
(Shannon Warne) breaks
tradition by vowing to marry the poor tailor Motel (Richard Israel)
rather than the man chosen for her by the matchmaker Yente (Helen
Geller). The musical really seemed to pick up during "The Dream"
in which Tevye thinks up an elaborate tale to explain why Tzeitel
should marry Motel, who Golde strongly disapproves of. During
this scene the choreography (by Bob Richard) is especially complex and
the erratic movements create a dizzying effect that really embodies the
feeling of a nightmare.
After that episode, Tevye thinks that everything
else will go smoothly
but his careful balance of a peaceful existence, similar to that of a
fiddler on a roof, is rocked by more conflict. His next two
eldest daughters, Hodel (Bets Malone) and Chava (Julianne Katz),
have fallen in love with two increasingly unconventional men. The
remainder of the musical portrays Tevye's reactions to his daughters'
decisions and also the growing political turmoil that is beginning to
affect the peaceful town. All of the actors and actresses fit
their parts well and no one seems to lag behind in skill. They
work well together, complementing each other in duets and even in
trios.
The set (by Michael Schwikardt) and costumes (by
Steven Howard and Bob
Miller) in this production were both very simple, intensifying the idea
that the characters were unpretentious people who owned just the bare
necessities needed to survive. Props were key, adding little
details that really enhanced the set.
Music Circus' production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is
riddled with witty
lines, good songs, and is altogether an excellent performance. If
I have any advice at all to give, I would suggest that you do not
listen to Gwen Stefani any time before seeing Fiddler on the
Roof.
Due to popular demand, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is
playing an extended 12-performance run. While tickets are still
available for the first eight performance, the best seating is
available Friday, July 14 through Sunday, July 16.
Evening performances are Tuesdays through Saturdays
at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. Matinees are Thursdays and
Saturdays at 2 p.m.
Tickets for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and other Music
Circus shows are $49 for Friday and Saturday evenings, $46 for Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings and Saturday matinees, and $37
for Thursday matinees. All ticket prices include a $5 facility
fee. Tickets can be purchased by calling (916) 557-1999, in
person at the Wells Fargo Pavilion at 1419 H Street, Sacramento, and
through Tickets.com. Seven-show
season subscriptions are still available. For more information, visit www.SacramentoMusicCircus.com.
