BWW Blog: Jessica Gould - Otterbein University's FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Enchants Audience

For those of you not familiar with the musical Fiddler on the Roof, it is a show about a Jewish family that lives in a small village called Anatevka in 1905. Tevye, the father of the household, struggles to maintain the family's traditions while three of his five daughters wish to marry for love. During this time, the tension between the Jews living in Anatevka and the Russian Tsar continues to rise.

A few weeks ago, I was able to see this fantastic musical at Otterbein University. I've heard only great things about their theatre program, and I was not disappointed.

What set me up for a great show was when I heard the ensemble sing for the first time in "Tradition". Each voice mixed perfectly with the others, and the harmonies sent tingles down my spine. Dana Cullinane, who plays Yente, the matchmaker, and Fruma-Sarah, the butcher's deceased wife, caused fits of laughter whenever she was on the stage. Connor Allston, who played Perchik, the student, had an amazing singing voice that was lovely to hear. But, the most outstanding part of all, was John Stefano, who played Tevye.

John Stefano is the professor and chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Otterbein University. He has been teaching and directing shows at Otterbein for 47 years! This year, however, Stefano is retiring, which is what makes this show so special. Tevye's role has many monologues and solos that are tailored to only one type of person. Stefano executes these superbly. He delivers his lines with wit and humor and brings all of his effort into his role. Stefano was an absolute joy to watch and I hope he enjoys his last performance with Otterbein.

Otterbein has outgrown its venue, however, the show was so wonderful that it made visiting a smaller theatre worth it. I definitely recommend that others go to at least one of their performances, and I'm looking forward to seeing their show next year.