Seattle Musical Theatre to Celebrate 50 Years of Tradition with FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, 11/7-23

Seattle Musical Theatre is celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the most beloved musicals in history, nine-time Tony Award winner FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein. With Director Scot Charles Anderson at the helm and with music direction by Mark Press and Nancy Press, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF runs November 7-23, 2014 at Seattle Musical Theatre at Magnuson Park. Tickets ($20-$35) are available at www.seattlemusicaltheatre.org or by calling 1-800-838-3006.

Based on Shalom Alecheim's collection of stories, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is set in the early 1900s on the Pale of Settlement in Russia, a strip of land where Jews were forced to live in small villages called shtetls under threat of persecution. Despite this specific historical background, FIDDLER's universal themes of family, tradition, and community have delighted audiences for 50 years, remaining one of Broadway's longest-running shows with over 3,000 performances since its premiere in 1964.

FIDDLER follows the story of Tevye, a poor Jewish dairyman with five unmarried daughters and a tough cookie for a wife, as he guides the audience through the customs of his small village of Anatevka. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instill them with traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Its score, filled with humor, warmth, and honesty, includes favorites "If I Were a Rich Man," "Matchmaker Matchmaker," "Sunrise, Sunset," "To Life," "Tradition," and more.

SMT is thrilled to welcome home Seattle theatre veteran Scot Charles Anderson, flying in from New York for his directing debut at SMT. Before moving to New York, Anderson performed roles at the 5th Avenue Theatre, Village Theatre, Actor's Repertory Theatre, Theater Schmeater, Showtunes, and other Seattle theatres. A talented director, Anderson has helmed local productions of Lend Me a Tenor (ArtsWest) and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown (ReAct), as well as New York productions of The Ketchup Commercial, Zombie Temps from Outer Space, and Can-Can. He has also choreographed Ruthless: The Musical, A Chorus Line, 110 in the Shade, Out of This Word, Annie, Into the Woods, and Guys and Dolls.

FIDDLER's creative team also includes music direction by Mark Press and Nancy Press, choreography by Kerry Christianson, light and sound design by Caleb Dietzel, sets by Steven Fogell, and costumes by John Allbritton.

Seattle stalwart actor Larry Albert will take on the starring role as Tevye the Dairyman. Albert has been performing and directing in the Seattle area for over 25 years, boasting several roles at Village Theatre, including Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Grandpa Prophater in Meet Me in St.Louis, and Froggy in The Foreigner, among many others. He recently performed in the hit production of Rumors at Phoenix Theatre in Edmunds.

Albert will be joined by other Seattle regulars Shannon Kipp as Golde, Lindsay Powers as Tzeitel, Daina Goldenberg as Hodel, Walker Caplan as Chava, Nicholas Tarabini as Motel, Brian Pucheu as Perchik, Jonathan Fowles as Fyedka, William Hamer as Lazar Wolffe, and Teri Lee Thomas as Yente. The FIDDLER cast also includes Greg Brisendine, Meagan Marie Castillo, Jason Conner, Dawn Cornell, Quinn DeVries, Robert Falk, Hannah Gorham, Wiley Jones, Rebecca Maiten, Natalie Moe, Jonathan Olson, Lydia Salo, Brandon Scalf, Joshua Valencia, and William Zimmerman.

SPECIAL EVENT: Calling all former Tevyes, Goldes, Hodels, and Yentes!

To honor the 50th anniversary of this beloved musical and in accordance with SMT's commitment to community and family, SMT is inviting anyone who has ever been involved with a production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF to attend the opening night performance, 7:30pm Friday, November 7, 2014, with a special $10 ticket offer.

Former Anatevka residents should bring an ID and either a photo of themselves in costume or a program from their production for a $10 ticket to opening night only; bring a friend for one additional $20 ticket in SMT's Gold seating. Tickets must be purchased at the door on opening night only. Immediately after the show, the current SMT cast and anyone who has ever participated in a production of FIDDLER will gather on stage for a group photo and a champagne toast to commemorate the occasion.

SMT's season continues with SWEET CHARITY directed by Harry Turpin, music direction by Michael Nutting, playing February 13-March 1, 2015 and concludes with A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM directed by Vince Brady, music direction by Joel Kurzynski, playing April 10-26, 2015.

The mission of Seattle Musical Theatre is to engage and entertain the community by producing new and traditional musicals. The theater nurtures local talent by providing training and artistic development opportunities for children, youth, and adults from all walks of life. SMT's vision is to enrich the entertainment and educational value of live theater in the Northwest region; provide a premiere environment for nurturing artistic and technical talent; and develop the Magnuson Park theater facility as a key cultural resource for civic, arts, and other community organizations. SMT at all times will strive to demonstrate and inspire these values among the Board of Directors, staff, artists, volunteers, patrons, and donors.

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