Interview: Bruce Winant on Reuniting With Tevye in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at The Gateway Playhouse

The return of the beloved classic musical, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, is now in rehearsals and will run at The Gateway Playhouse from January 26 – February 25, 2024. BroadwayWorld sat down with Bruce Winant, who's starring as Tevye, to talk about his return to the role, his personal connection to the story, and more.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will be directed and choreographed by Keith Andrews, with musical direction by Keith Levenson.

An alumna of The Gateway will play the patriarch and lead role of Tevye, Bruce Winant. Bruce has appeared in previous productions of Fiddler on the Roof in the same role, as well as in Pippin, Ragtime, Sweeney Todd, and Phantom. He has appeared on Broadway in Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, Ragtime, American in Paris, La Cage Aux Folles, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, and My Favorite Year. On TV, Bruce has made guest appearances on Blue Bloods, Law & Order, SVU, The Good Fight, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Deadbeat, God Friended Me, and Star Trek: TNG, among others. Abby Lee will play the role of Golde. Fiddler on the Roof will be her debut performance at The Gateway Playhouse. Ms. Lee’s regional credits include West Side Story, Miss Julie, and A Christmas Carol. Film/TV credits include Chicago P.D., 21 and a Wakeup, Confessions of a Shopaholic Bridesmaid, and Year For Silk.

The ensemble cast includes Leah Mossman as Tzeitel, Ruthy Froch as Hodel, Rebecca Goldfarb as Chava, Giada Longo and Addison Wasylyshyn as Shprintze, Sonnie Betts and Sofia Da Costa-Wilson as Bielke, Oliver Prose as Motel, Nikita Burshteyn as Perchik, Ethan Zeph as Fyedka, Justin R G Holcomb as Lazar Wolf, Susan Jacks as Yente, Jennifer Brett as Fruma Sarah, Alexander Blake Wind as Avram, Ze'ev Barmor as Mendel, J.J. Johnson as the Fiddler, Ben Cherry as Mordcha, John Reed as Chiam, Jose Contreras as Nachum, Ryan Bailer as Constable, Wyatt Slone as Boris, James Stevko as Sasha, Anthony DaSilva as Yuri, Rivers O'Neal, Bennett Schneider, Asher King, and Nicholas Iannaccone as Cheder Boys, David Tobachnik as the Rabbi, Brooke Wetterhahn as Grandma Tzeitel, and with Skylar Greene and Hailey Aviva as villagers.

The award-winning tale of Tevye the Dairyman and his family's struggles in a changing Russia is a true musical theater tradition. Rich with musical hits you know and love, including “Tradition,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life (L’Chaim!),” Fiddler on The Roof is the heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and life, love and laughter.

You've played Tevye before - what has the process of coming back to the show at The Gateway been like?

It’s been a blast.  I always love coming back to a role I’ve done before with a clean slate. Each new director and cast has something new and exciting to offer and I love approaching the role as fresh as possible each time.  Tevye is such a complex and nuanced character it’s always a fun challenge to find new aspects of this wonderful man. 

Coming into the rehearsal process so familiar with the material - what's something that surprised you about the process?

I would say, finding new levels of both comedy and pathos within Tevye.  In a way, I’m lucky that I am already familiar with the material so that I can take the short time we have to re-explore all the different aspects of the character.  Also, it’s surprising to see what comes up as I work with new and wonderful actors who have different approaches to their roles opposite to me.

The story of Fiddler seems incredibly timely given the current state of the world - how has that affected the rehearsal process or your performance?

This show has remained timely throughout it’s entire existence.  Especially now, with what’s going on in Ukraine.  The fictional town of Anatevka is in today’s Ukraine and once again, the Russians are trying to push out the locals. In addition to the horrors going on in Israel, everyone in the cast has that simmering underneath their performances.  History continues to repeat itself.  It especially hits me in my line to the Constable as the villagers are being forced out of Anatevka, “This little corner of the world has always been our home, why should we leave?”

What's one of your pre-show 'traditions?’

It’s different for each show.  For this one, I muse on a photo of my Grandfather who was forced out of his village in, what was then Poland, before WW I.  He is a partial inspiration to me for this role.

Why should audiences come and see Fiddler at The Gateway Playhouse?

This is, in my opinion, one of the best musicals ever written.  The heart and soul of this piece touches everyone in a different way.  The music it timeless and the story is brilliant and this talented cast is bringing it to glorious life.  If you’ve seen it before, treat yourself to a another helping of joy and tears, if you haven’t seen it, well, now’s the time.

How To Get Tickets

Tickets for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF are on sale now and start at $55. The Gateway offers many options on how to save! We offer Teen pricing, Student Rush tickets which can only be purchased one hour before show-time, at the door, and with a valid Student ID, and Group Sales Discounts available for groups of 15 people or more. For more information, contact the Box Office at (631) 286-1133, or visit the website at TheGateway.org.

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