Interview: Debut of the Month: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's Hayley Feinstein

Fourteen-year-old Hayley Feinstein is making her Broadway debut as youngest daughter Bielke in the current revival of Fiddler on the Roof. Starring Tony nominees Danny Burstein and Jessica Hecht with stunning movement and dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter, the show tells the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family.

Today, the talented young actress speaks exclusively to BWW about making her Broadway debut in this iconic musical.

[NOTE: BroadwayWorld's fabulous photographer Jessica Fallon Gordon captures images of the Broadway stars profiled in our monthly column in a special photo shoot. Check out the pics of Hayley Feinstein throughout the feature!]

FIDDLER takes place in a small Russian village in the early 1900's. Were you familiar with this period of history, or did you have to do some research to understand the story's historical context?

Well from school we had studied it a little in Social Studies so I knew some of it, like everything that happened to them, how they came to America, and I also have ancestors who came from Russia and Poland and other places before they came to America. So I had knowledge of that, but I didn't have much knowledge about how they lived in Europe and things like that, so I had to research it. But it was cool.

How interesting that you mentioned it is in some ways, the story of your own ancestors. Did you use that to help develop your character?

Yes, sometimes I think about, 'what if I was one of them?' I put myself into the perspective of, I could have been in that situation, in fact I would have been in that situation if I had lived at that time in Europe. Being of Jewish ancestry, all my ancestors are from where they were from, so they were in very similar situations. So I think that my life is so different because of the time period I was born in. And in the same way, if they were born in this time period, they might be very similar to me, living a similar life as me. It's kind of crazy.

Yes, definitely something to think about! So let's go back in time a bit. When did you first realize that you wanted to be an actress?

Well when I was like three, I used to enjoy singing in the stroller. I would sing songs from "Annie". And I would be in a supermarket for example, and people would be like, "Oh she should get an agent!" or "She should take classes" So then I started taking classes and really enjoyed it. And then I was able to meet with an agent so it was all kind of unexpected. It wasn't like I was thrown into the world of theater, it was more like something I saw in myself.

How did you find out the exciting news that you were cast in FIDDLER?

It was over the summer. My parents made me believe that they wanted me to try a new ice cream place in Times Square. So we drove to the Times Square area and when we got to the FIDDLER theater they stopped the car and they said, "look out the window" and I said "what? did I get Fiddler on the Roof?" and they said "Yes!" So that's how my parents told me and I was so happy. I was jumping and hugging my sister, it was such an exciting moment. Especially since I had been very close so many times to getting things. Like in MATILDA I was down to the final seven twice, and A CHRISTMAS STORY and other shows, so it was not just the idea of getting the role, it was more about the hard work it took to be at this place in life, it was just really exciting.

And at first it just seemed kind of unreal, but then over the next few days I started to really understand what it was and it really became real. It's funny because sometimes you get things at unexpected moments. There were times when I was younger when I worked really hard and was expecting to be cast in a show but wasn't. But now, I'm a teenager, at a different point in my life and I wasn't expecting it, so it's interesting how sometimes things are unexpected and things will happen when you never expect them to.

Absolutely, that's pretty much the story of life.

It is! But it's also the fun part of life, otherwise life would be boring if everything happened the way you expected it to.

I agree! You're very wise for your age.

Thank you!

Can you take me through a typical day, how you fit in school work and everything else along with the doing the show?

Sure, so basically what happens is I wake up at 6:45 am, and I'll go to school until 2:40 pm. And then I do homework for the next two or three hours, depending on what time the show is. And then I perform in the show and the same thing every day. It's a busy schedule but it's a lot of fun, but it's also a lot of hard work because I go to a very academic school. I'm in 9th grade.

Do you have a favorite song or favorite scene from the show?

I like 'Matchmaker', it's so pretty. And I also like the dream scene, it's super fun, and I like "Far From the Home I Love" which Hodel sings. It's really pretty and it's sad, but it's also so hopeful.

And scene-wise, I like the wedding scene a lot because it starts out super happy and upbeat and then it gets more serious and finally it gets really sad. I love how your emotions keep changing and the vibe of the scene keeps changing. And I also like 'Anatevka' , because they're all reflecting on everything that's happened. They're actually all great scenes, but those are my favorites.

The cast of FIDDLER features some true Broadway veterans. What have you learned from them?

Well Danny [Burstein] has done sixteen Broadway shows and Jessica [Hecht] has been on TV and many shows, but it's interesting because they are so humble about it, you would never know. They're so confident but they're not talky, they're kind and genuine and that's something to really look up to. Even though they've gained success, they understand they have, but they still treat everyone respectfully and kindly and I think that's something that I want to be in my life, no matter what I may achieve. I want to be like they are.

Also, my sisters in the show are all really great role models, they're all really sweet and we have a great bond and we all laugh a lot. It's kind of like a real sister relationship, it's like having a second family. And it's cool to be the baby of that family. Even though I'm at a time in my real life where I'm gaining independence as I get older, it's nice to still be the young one.

What was it like to make your Broadway debut in FIDDLER?

Well I remember when I was about to go on and I could feel my heart racing and I was like, "Oh my God, I'm making my Broadway debut!" And I was so excited and so nervous and I felt so amazing when I was walking up the stairs to make my entrance, because that's such a great way to debut, it's such a grand entrance. And that whole "Tradition" sequence, there was just so much excitement. And I really still feel excited like that in all the shows. It's funny, I feel that way no matter what has happened in my day, I always feel that energy and excitement when I walk on the stage when the show starts.

Also on opening night, I remember thinking about my past. Like when I did the tour of SHREK, I remembered the first night of that show, my heart was pumping out of my chest and I felt similar butterflies as I did this time. So it really brought back a memory of what happened five years ago.

It was also cool because all the people who were making their debuts got to experience it together, so I wasn't alone. It was so nice because there were fifteen of us who were all together debuting and even though we were all different ages and at all different points in our life, we got to go through that same experience together. So that made it really special!

Congratulations to Hayley Feinstein on making her first appearance on Broadway. The American Musical Theatre Academy is also making its debut in New York! Our school has been grooming young performers in London for five years and we are proud and excited to be opening a school in Manhattan. We're happy to support BroadwayWorld's Debut of the Month, since bringing fresh new talent to the stage is what we're all about. Check out our website www.tamta.com - training takes place in New York AND at our school in London for part of the winter term. All our tutors are working professionals."

About Hayley Feinstein: Hayley made her professional theater debut in the First Broadway National Tour of SHREK THE MUSICAL, where she played the roles of Young Fiona, Young Shrek, and Grumpy The Dwarf. Her other professional theater credits include staged readings of The Nine Fathers of Ariel (Ariel) and By Wheel and By Wing(Clara), readings of Table (Kate) and Tough Mother(Andrea), and productions of Rumpelstiltskin (Dragon, Gwendolyn) and A Little Princess (Becky).

Her film and TV credits include Stephen Spielberg's Bridge of Spies, Nickelodeon's animated series "3rd & Bird," "Louie," "Sesame Street," "Team Umizoomi," and NBC's "New Year's Eve with Carson Daly." Hayley has performed at Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks halftime soloist) and Carnegie Hall, and at various benefits to raise funds for charities, including UNICEF, Newtown, Kids In Distressed Situations, Mayor Bloomberg's Education Nation, and The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. She can also be heard as part of the children's chorus in The Polar Express Album and in numerous voiceovers.