Jacoby & Martello Star in Walnut Street's FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 5/26-7/18

The Walnut Street Theatre concludes its landmark 201st season with its long-awaited new staging of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Filled with a powerful and heartwarming score including "Tradition;" "Matchmaker, Matchmaker;" "If I Were A Rich Man" and "Sunrise, Sunset;" FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is a timeless classic. Helmed by Barrymore Award-Winning Director Bruce Lumpkin and featuring Walnut vets Mark Jacoby and Mary Martello, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF begins previews on May 18, opens on May 26 and runs through July 18 on the WST Mainstage.

As Tevye tries to hold onto his religion, his Russian-Jewish traditions and his five daughters, he learns that life is "as shaky as a fiddler on the roof." No other musical has so magically woven music, dance, poignancy and laughter into such an electrifying and unforgettable experience. Relive a glorious tradition of the musical theatre FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Whether this is your first time or your fiftieth, this is a story that stays with you forever. This multi-award-winning musical has captured the hearts of people all over the world and finally makes its highly anticipated debut on the Walnut stage with an all-new production.

Directing FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is Barrymore-Award winning director Bruce Lumpkin. Bruce has directed numerous hit Mainstage and Studio 3 productions, including last season's O Captain, My Captain: Whitman's Lincoln in Studio 3. Other Walnut Mainstage productions include Man of La Mancha, Cabaret, Evita, Grand Hotel, La Vie En Bleu, and Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel among others. Joining Bruce are two familiar faces, Choreographer Michelle Gaudette and Musical Director Douglass G. Lutz. Michelle, a former Radio City Rockette, has previously choreographed State Fair, Man of La Mancha, Carousel (Barrymore nom.), La Vie En Bleu and Evita here at the Walnut. Musical Director Douglass G. Lutz has been involved with numerous Mainstage Musical for the past eleven seasons, most recently Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Oliver!

The world of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will be brought to life by a group of artists very familiar with the Walnut. Scenic Designer John Farrell (Sound of Music, Carousel) is joined by Lighting Designer Jack Jacobs (State Fair, Man of La Mancha, West Side Story), Sound Designer Nick Kourtides (The Producers, Oliver!) and Costume Designer Colleen Grady (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Producers, Oliver!, and many others). Wide open skies, earthy costumes, peaked rooftops and a forest of birch trees frame Anatevka on an operatic scale.

The Cast of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF continues the Walnut's grand ‘tradition' of bringing together the best of local Philadelphia talent with newcomers from the tri-state area. Broadway veteran and Walnut favorite Mark Jacoby returns to the Walnut as Tevye. Mark has previously appeared at the Walnut in State Fair, and as Broadway impresario Julian Marsh in 2007's 42nd Street. Mark's Broadway career is a storied one, including turns in The Phantom of the Opera (The Phantom), Sweet Charity, Ragtime, Man of La Mancha and (most recently), as Judge Turpin in the revival of Sweeney Todd. Mark was nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Gaylord Ravenal in the 1994 revival of Showboat.

Mark is joined by such Walnut favorites as multiple Barrymore Award-winner Mary Martello (Golde), Ben Dibble (Mordcha), Jennie Eisenhower (Frumah Sarah), Lee Golden (Rabbi), Fran Prisco (Avram), Bill Van Horn (Lazar Wolf), Denise Whelan (Yente) and Michael Philip O'Brien. Other local actors/Walnut vets include Joey Abramowicz, Arin Edelstein , Isaiah Ellis, Jacob Horner, Julie Czarnecki, Josie Andrews, Dan Olmstead, Nicholas Park, Danny Rapuano, Jennifer Hallie Rosen, Michaela Shuchman, Eadie Scott, Benjamin Michael, Amadea Smith Martino, Marcus Stevens and Sami Zindel. Newcomers to the Walnut include Jim Becker, Jamison Foreman, Colby Q. Lindeman, Rita Markova (Tzeitel), Mackenzie Maula, Dave Mussen, Chad Parsons, Dillon Rebock, Alexander Sovronsky, Matthew Steffens, Jordi Wallen, Christopher Brian Williams and Gianna Yanelli.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF runs at the Walnut May 18 through July 18. This production is sponsored by Progressive Business Publications. Media Sponsors are B101 and NBC 10. For tickets and information, call 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787. Tickets are also available online 24/7 by visiting www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.

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