Brad Oscar Leads Barrington Stage Company's FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, 6/13 - 7/14

Fiddler on the Roof, kicks off Barrington Stage Company's 2012 Mainstage Season for a five week run from June 13 through July 14. The award-winning regional theatre in downtown Pittsfield celebrates its 18th season in the Berkshires under the leadership of Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, and TriStan Wilson, Managing Director. Directed and choreographed by Gary John La Rosa, with music direction by Darren R. Cohen, Fiddler on the Roof will have an official opening night on Sunday, June 17 at 5pm.

A timeless classic, Fiddler on the Roof features a score by Jerry Bock (music) and Sheldon Harnick (lyrics), with a book by Joseph Stein, based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem. One of the beloved musical scores in the history of the American theatre includes "Tradition," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," "If I Were a Rich Man," and "Sunrise, Sunset."

Fiddler on the Roof stars Tony nominee Brad Oscar as Tevye. Joanna Glushak, last seen in BSC's world premiere Ciao!, returns in the role of Golde. Also featured in the cast are: Rebecca Kuznick (Tzeitel), Dawn Rother (Chava), Stephanie Lynn Mason (Hodel), Colin Israel (Motel), Gordon Stanley (Rabbi), Rachel Coloff (Yente), Abbey Schilling (Bielke), Alex Levin (Perchik), Emma Foley (Shprintze), Travis Nesbitt (Fyedka), Jason Simon (Lazar Wolf), and Michael Scott (Constable). The ensemble includes Adam Brown, Erica Cenci, Taylor Hilt Mitchell, Jesse Coleman, Michael J. Farina (BSC's Company, Mack and Mabel), Hannah Kiem, Andrew Mayer, Rusty Mowery, Matthew Rickard, Rebecca Stavis (Fruma Sarah), making their BSC debuts as musical theatre apprentices are Ben Holtzman, Danny Harris Kornfeld, Rebecca Kuznick, and Meagan Michelson.

The Barrington Stage production will feature scenic design by Jack Mehler, costume design by Michael Bottari and Ron Case, lighting design by Jeff Davis, and sound design by Ed Chapman. Renee Lutz is production stage manager.

An audience favorite nearly 50 years after its stage debut, very few musicals have so magically woven music, dance, poignancy and laughter into such an unforgettable experience. Produced by Harold Prince, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, and starring Zero Mostel, Fiddler on the Roof opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre September 22, 1964, where it experienced unprecedented success running 3,264 performances and winning nine Tony Awards. The musical received international attention thanks to the 1971 United Artists motion picture adaptation featuring Topol. In 1991 and 2004, Fiddler on the Roof was revived on Broadway and received even more Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical (1991) Best Orchestrations (2004) and nominations in 2004 for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actor.

Fiddler on the Roof will be presented at Barrington Stage Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. Performances Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm, Thursday-Saturday at 8pm, Wednesday and Friday matinees at 2pm (excluding June 13 and June 15), Sunday at 5pm. Additional Saturday matinee July 14 at 2pm. Fiddler First Weekend Special! Performances June 15-17 tickets are $35/$40. Opening Night: Sunday, June 17 at 5pm. Tickets: $15-$62. Seniors: $38 all matinees. Youth 18 and under $15 all performances except Saturday evenings.

Brad Oscar (Tevye) was last seen on Broadway as Uncle Fester in The Addams Family. He received a 2001 Tony nomination as Franz Liebkind in The Producers and later went on to play the role of Max Bialystock over 1400 times on Broadway, on tour, in Las Vegas and in London's West End. Other Broadway credits: Spamalot, Jekyll & Hyde, Aspects of Love. National Tour: Young Frankenstein and Jekyll &Hyde. Off-Broadway: Forbidden Broadway, The Body Beautiful, Encores! Bells Are Ringing and Do Re Mi, directed and performed in Broadway by the Year 1931 and 1968 at Town Hall. Regional: Barnum (Asolo Rep/Maltz Jupiter-Carbonell Award, Best Actor in a Musical), The Mystery of Irma Vep, Cabaret, and Damn Yankees (Arena Stage), The First Wives Club (Old Globe), Moonlight and Magnolias (Cape Playhouse), Annie (TOTS, Atlanta). Film: Ghost

Joanna Glushak (Golde) BSC: Ciao! Broadway: Leading roles in Sunday in the Park with George, Les Miserables, Rags, Welcome to the Club, Conversations with my Father, The Sweet Smell of Success, Hairspray. New York City Opera: A Little Night Music, The Most Happy Fella. National Tours: Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein, Xanadu, Evita, Fiddler on the Roof. Joanna has done countless roles in regional theater as well as TV and film. Yale Drama School graduate.

Gary John La Rosa (Director/Choreographer) BSC debut. Gary John has staged 200 productions nationally including: the World Premiere of A Midsummer Night's Dream (Opera Memphis) and the national tour of Footloose; The Sound of Music (Rex Smith); Always…Patsy Cline (Sally Struthers); St. Louis MUNY; Kansas City Starlight; Sacramento Music Circus; Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma; Fulton Theatre; Maine State Music Theatre; Westchester Broadway: WV Public. Favorites: The Light in the Piazza and next to normal (Playhouse on the Square); Sweeney Todd, The Full Monty (Phoenix Theatre) and La Cage aux Folles (Connecticut Critic's Circle Award). NYC: Marry Me a Little (Brent Barrett & Sally Mayes); Pins and Needles (Karen Mason); In My Dream… lift and Another Day in Paradise. Guest Director: SUNY Buffalo (Kennedy Center ACTF Award), NYU, Hofstra, UPenn, and UNM. www.garyjohnlarosa.com

Barrington Stage Company's production of Fiddler on the Roof is generously sponsored by Berkshire Bank, with additional support from Cranwell Resort Spa and Golf Club.

Barrington Stage Company, a professional award-winning Equity regional theatre located in the heart of the Berkshires, in Pittsfield, MA, was co-founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julianne Boyd. Barrington Stage's mission is three-fold: to present top-notch, compelling work; to develop new plays and musicals; and to find fresh, bold ways to bringing new audiences into the theatre-especially young people. Barrington Stage garnered national attention in 2004 when it workshopped, and premiered William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin's musical hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which later transferred to Broadway's Circle-in-the-Square Theatre where it won two Tony Awards and played more than 1,000 performances. In 2009/2010 Barrington Stage produced the world premiere of Mark St. Germain's Freud's Last Session, which later moved Off-Broadway to the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater and then to New World Stages and has played more than 700 performances. Barrington Stage was voted "Best Live Theatre" by The Berkshire Eagle readers in 2011 and was named "Best Theatre Company" in Metroland's Best of the Capital Region 2009-2011.

 

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