Review: The Muny Honors Tradition with a Classic Performance of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

What can be said about an absolutely perfect production of one of the most well written musicals of all time? Hurling superlatives seems cliché but there is nothing about The Muny’s latest offering of the classic FIDDLER ON THE ROOF that can be criticized. From the opening when the town’s residents circle to share their “Traditions,” to their closing moments mourning the loss of their community “Anatevka,” this production makes you laugh and cry, and laugh and cry repeatedly. It is emotion-packed storytelling at its finest with superb direction, divine choreography, outstanding orchestral accompaniment, pristine sound, and a dream cast acting and singing at the top of their game. The costume, set, video, and lighting design are picture perfect.  

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Broadway premiere of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s music and lyrics combine to create one of the most memorable scores ever written. Sheldon Harnick’s book is filled with bittersweet and melancholic realism and is arguably one of the best musical theatre scripts ever written. Audiences fell in love with its relatable themes of family, faith, tradition, and love. The funny, charming, and heartbreaking story of the devout Tevye, his wife Golde, and his five daughters is still delighting today.  

Director Rob Ruggerio, his cast, and crew have created a FIDDLER ON THE ROOF for the ages. Ruggerio’s production fittingly honors tradition and pays homage to the original vision of Hal Prince and Jerome Robbins to illustrate the magnificence of this theatrical masterpiece. Choreographer Parker Esse recreated Robbin’s original choreography and adapted it for The Muny’s expansive stage. The Muny and their casting partners at The Telsey Office have assembled a stellar cast led by the fiercely talented Adam Heller and Jill Abramovitz who give impassioned performance as Tevye and Golde  

Heller’s portrayal of Tevye was magnetic. He entered stage left, delivered the familiar opening lines about life in Anatevka and the massive Muny stage immediately shrunk. He reached out, grabbed the audience, pulled them in, and held them close for the next three hours. His Tevye was witty, kind, warm, loving and relatable. He told of Tevye’s changing world and how his traditions were being challenged. Heller’s portrayal milked empathy from the audience who walked by his side, sharing all his conflicted emotions.  

Having seen more than a dozen professional productions of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Abramovitz's portrayal of Golde may have been the best I have seen. She and Heller had strong chemistry with impeccable comedic timing. Their “Do You Love Me” was among one of the sweetest moments that Muny audiences have ever experienced. Her Golde created strong balance for Tevye. She was the solid foundation of her family. But foundations crack. Abramovitz broke hearts when she crumbled center stage after Chava married outside the Jewish faith. It was in that moment that a realization hit, Abramovitz’s portrayal was something incredibly special. It showed depth and range not frequently seen from actors playing Golde. 

Samantha Massell as the dutiful and conflicted Tzietel, Hannah Corneau as the bold and presumptuous Hodel, and Emerson Glick as the lovelorn Chava each gave performances that were uniquely their own while honoring the traditional spirit of their characters. Massell was marvelous convincing her younger sisters to temper their haste for a husband. Corneau’s Hodel was boldly assertive. She, like her mother, possesses the backbone to respectfully stand up to her demanding father and her idealistic fiancé. Glick’s anguish and heartache was palpable as the young romantic girl choosing love over family.  

Max Chernin (Motel), Clay Singer (Perchik), Andrew Alstat (Fyedka), Cheryl Stern (Yente), Jeremy Radin (Lazar Wolf), and the rest of the cast melded together with genuine and authentic performances to tell this ageless tale. Each Muny show this season has featured a talented professional actor who calls St. Louis Home. In this production, Zoe Vonder Haar did double duty as Motel’s mother Shaindel and as part of the ensemble. Vonder Haar is an actor who makes short moments on stage count and her work here was no exception. 

Music Director and Conductor Darryl Archibald and the exquisite Muny orchestra created beautiful and balanced music to support the actors. Finding musical highlights from the iconic score of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is difficult because the entire score is memorable, but the ensemble and orchestra delivered unforgettable lyrical moments with “Tradition,” “The Dream,” and “To Life.” 

Unforgettable vocal moments in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF do not stand alone. They were all enhanced by Parker Esse’s masterful adaptation of the original choreography. Esse filled the Muny stage with shapes and movement that celebrated the original Broadway production. his choreography for “The Wedding” included the traditional hat bottle dance, and the balletic “Chava Sequence” was lovely, adding poignancy to Tevye’s decision to push Chava away. 

Tijuana Bjelajac’s versatile set design allowed for seamless transitions between scenes. The stage was flanked on each side by graduated houses ascending toward the back of the stage. Bjelajac used forced perspective to create a sense of community. There was an enchanting collaborative moment with John Lasiter’s lighting design during “Sabbath Prayer.” Each of the town cottages glowed with the lit candles for the sabbath. It created a delicate reverence, especially at sundown in Forest Park. Lasiter’s lighting design was critical to the storytelling. There were significant shifts in lighting to freeze the action during Tevye’s soliloquies. Often, excellence in lighting design is less discernable in a vast outdoor theatre, but Lasiter’s work on this production was exceptional. Kevin Loney’s modest video projections added subtle warmth to the production. But, when Loney had the opportunity to amp up “Tevye’s Dream,” he did not miss. His animated cemetery projections brought Grandma Tzeitel and Fruma-Sarah back from the grave with spooky panache. Alejo Vietti’s costume designs captured the essence of poor Jewish families in pre-revolutionary Russia.  

There were so many special moments in this Muny version of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF that it seems disingenuous to call any of them special. The entire production is extraordinary. Having seen many excellent productions of this show it is hard to fathom how this singular production could create such an emotional stir. This production, in its poignant perfection, packs a sentimental wallop. One might think that familiarity with the show would make me immune from significant empathic joy and sadness, but it did not. I laughed and I cried, often.  

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF continues at The Muny through July 25th. Click the link below to purchase tickets.

PHOTO CREDIT: Phillip Hamer

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