BWW Blog: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's Ben Rappaport- Tony Aftermath
by Guest Blogger: Ben Rappaport - May 4, 2016
'Twas the night before the Tony nominations, when all through midtown
pretty much everyone was stirring. Especially that mouse (at least in pre-war buildings above restaurants).
The iphones were charging on bedside tables with care
in hopes that when the nomination list came out at 8:30, your name would be there.
BWW Blog: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's Ben Rappaport- Keep It Fresh
by Guest Blogger: Ben Rappaport - April 27, 2016
The orchestra starts the waltz into 'Sunrise, Sunset'. Everyone is in place, Tevye sings, 'Is this the little girl I carried?' Nothing out of the ordinary, here. Then, four male ensemble members and the Rabbi slowly come up the upstage stairs from the trap, moving downstage center, where they slowly get into position with the chuppah (Jewish wedding canopy). One little problem, tonight. There's no chuppah (we later found out it had been broken). I look around the stage at my fellow cast members, who are all slowly registering this and getting that glint in the eye you get when you're about to crack up. Then, it hit me. Samantha Massell and I have a solo coming up in a second where we have to sing the lyric, 'Is there a canopy in store for me?' The irony of this is just too much for me and, no matter how hard I try, I sing this line with the stupidest grin on my face. I mean, you can't ignore it! I absolutely LIVE for moments like this. Happy accidents that keep things fresh, can breathe new life into the show, and remind us all that it's called a 'play' for a reason. It's supposed to be fun!
BWW CD Review: Broadway Records' FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (2016 Broadway Cast Recording) Charms with Nuance
by David Clarke - April 20, 2016
When I saw the current Broadway revival of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, I enjoyed it. So, it was a surprise when I didn't feel the same way about Broadway Records' FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (2016 Broadway Cast Recording) upon first listen. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is one of my top four favorite shows of all time, so I gave the album another couples of listens, and the charm of this record revealed itself to me.
BWW Blog: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's Ben Rappaport- Shtetl Diet
by Guest Blogger: Ben Rappaport - April 20, 2016
I must have been an incredibly naive 12 year old. As my family and I were leaving the Marriott Marquis Theatre after a performance of the revival of Annie Get Your Gun, we passed by the stage door. A hoard of people were crowded behind the barricades, eagerly clutching their playbills, sharpies, and cameras in hopes to snag an autograph or photo with Bernadette Peters and Tom Wopat. We were watching from across the street. A security person was guarding the door, and would escort Bernadette and Tom as they made their way through the crowd, greeting their fans. Once they were done, they each got into the back seats of their respective black Lincoln town cars and rode off into the night. What I couldn't wrap my head around, at the time, was....where do they go?
The Theater People Podcast Welcomes FIDDLER's Danny Burstein
by Theater People Podcast - April 18, 2016
On Monday, April 18, the Theater People podcast welcomes Five-time Tony Award-nominee, Danny Burstein. Burstein, currently staring as Tevye in the Broadway revival of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, began his career on Broadway in the early 1990s working mostly as an ensemble member and understudy. After making the decision to turn down work that didn't challenge him artistically, Burstein would go on to become one of the most celebrated leading men of his generation, earning Tony nominations for his work in THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, SOUTH PACIFIC, FOLLIES, GOLDEN BOY, and CABARET.
BWW Blog: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's Ben Rappaport- They're People. Just Like Us.
by Guest Blogger: Ben Rappaport - April 13, 2016
I must have been an incredibly naive 12 year old. As my family and I were leaving the Marriott Marquis Theatre after a performance of the revival of Annie Get Your Gun, we passed by the stage door. A hoard of people were crowded behind the barricades, eagerly clutching their playbills, sharpies, and cameras in hopes to snag an autograph or photo with Bernadette Peters and Tom Wopat. We were watching from across the street. A security person was guarding the door, and would escort Bernadette and Tom as they made their way through the crowd, greeting their fans. Once they were done, they each got into the back seats of their respective black Lincoln town cars and rode off into the night. What I couldn't wrap my head around, at the time, was....where do they go?
Photo Flash: Stars of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Take Part in Sing For Your Seniors
by BWW News Desk - April 8, 2016
On April 4th, 2016, Sing For Your Seniors (SFYS) hosted the latest in its series of Broadway sessions with cast members from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF for the patients of Calvary Cancer Hospital. The musical performance included songs of the performers' choosing as well of songs from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Patients and their families, nurses, doctors and staff enjoyed a one-hour session, as well as a meet-and-greet visit with the cast following the performance. Scroll down for photos from the event!
BWW Interview: Romance, Fire, Warmth, and Excitement as MSMT Forges Ahead
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - April 8, 2016
“We came up with this pitch that alliterates,” says Maine State Music Theatre's Managing Director Stephanie Dupal of the theatre's description of their upcoming 2016 summer season. “Relive the romance of Ghost; feel the fire of Evita; welcome the warmth of Fiddler; and experience the excitement of Mama Mia,” she recites. Joined by Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark, the pair is talking about their plans for their main stage productions and the various new initiatives this dynamic team has launched since taking the helm of the company's leadership in 2013. By all accounts it is to be a season to surpass even the excellence of the prior ones!
BWW Blog: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's Ben Rappaport- #Bearding
by Guest Blogger: Ben Rappaport - April 6, 2016
I've coined this new term. The power of the beard has not only led me to bow before it in awe and reverence, but also offer it the illustrious status of being a verb. To beard is about doing far more than simply growing it. It's about experiencing it and LIVING it.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF to Appear in Celebrate Israel Parade This June
by BWW News Desk - March 31, 2016
New this year, cast members from the Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof will ride a specially designed float up Fifth Avenue, singing some of the most recognizable songs from the musical and performing live for the TV audience from the Grand Stand area.
BWW Blog: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's Ben Rappaport- A Break From No Routine
by Guest Blogger: Ben Rappaport - March 30, 2016
My trip to visit my girlfriend came to an abrupt halt. I had just gotten off a conference call with my agent and manager, 'Get to the airport as soon as you can. They want to test you for the CBS pilot.' I was sitting on a bench at Lambert-St. Louis Airport next to the check in counters, before you go through security. Anxiously, I clutched my backpack and suitcase waiting for my manager to call and give the green light to check in for my flight to LA. They were negotiating my contract and hadn't reached a deal (when you test for a TV show, your contract has to be signed before the screen test. And if you don't book the job, the contract goes in the shredder). I couldn't board the plane until the deal was closed, and the test was first thing the next morning. After an hour of limbo, I finally got the call. The deal had closed! Time to get the ticket. Of course I had already missed the initial flight, and they had to book me on a later one. This was my first exposure to (what I didn't realize, then) the actor's eternal state of in between-ness.
The Theater People Podcast Welcomes FIDDLER ON THE ROOF's Adam Kantor
by Theater People Podcast - March 28, 2016
On Monday, March 28th, the Theater People podcast welcome's Broadway favorite and Fiddler on the Roof's Motel, Adam Kantor. The actor made his Broadway debut in 2008 as Mark in the closing cast of the Tony winning musical RENT directed by Michael Greif. The director, a mentor to Kantor, went on to cast him as a replacement in the role of Henry in the hit Broadway musical NEXT TO NORMAL.