West Virginia Public Theatre Casts Eddie Mekka In FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 7/28-8/2

West Virginia Public Theatre's Founder and Executive Director Ron Iannone is pleased to announce the signing of TV legend Eddie Mekka to play the paternal milkman Tevye in WVPT's Fiddler on the Roof this summer from July 28th thru August 2nd.

Eddie Mekka is best known to television audiences for his role as 'Carmine Ragusa', The "Big Ragoo" on the hit ABC-TV sitcom, "Laverne & Shirley". He played the role of 'Carmine' for the show's entire run. The role of 'Carmine' lead to numerous guest appearances on many of the most popular series of the 70s, 80s and 90s. Eddie was seen on such television shows as "The Love Boat", "Fantasy Island", "Moonlighting", "The New Rockford Files".

More recently Eddie appeared on "Family Matters" as 'Officer Charlie Canelli' and "The Jamie Foxx Show". Eddie also enjoyed long runs on two daytime dramas. He appeared as 'Grady', Jenna's sidekick on television's oldest daytime drama, CBS-TVs "Guiding Light" and NBC-TVs sudser, "Sunset Beach". While on "Guiding Light", soap magazines labeled him "The Joe Pesci of Daytime".

On the big screen Mekka has been seen in several popular movies. Eddie played Bette Midler's cohort in the movie "Beaches". He also appeared as Madonna's boyfriend in the movie "A League of their Own" ,'Lt. Vincent Barbero' in "Taking The Heat" with Lynn Whitfield and as 'The Prophet' in Garry Marshall's film, "Dear God". Most recently, he finished filming "On Top Of The World" directed by Sydney Feury and starring Dennis Hopper.

Additionally, at home on the stage, Eddie got his start doing musical theatre as a teenager in Worcester, Massachusetts. Also a star gymnast, Eddie decided to turn his attention to theatre and appeared in the chorus of a 1969 production of Fiddler on the Roof at the Worcester County Light Opera Company. It was that role that lead to a short stint at the Boston Conservatory and training under the guidance of famed choreographer Phil Black. In 1974, Eddie got his "big break" on Broadway in the Vietnam War-themed rock opera, The Lieutenant. It was for The Lieutenant that he received a Best Actor nomination by both the Tony and Drama Desk committees. Although The Lieutenant ran for only three weeks, Eddie also appeared in such shows as Jumpers, The Magic Show with Doug Henning, Damn Yankees with Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston.

Eddie's love of theatre continues today as he continues to entertain audiences across the country with his stage roles. Eddie has taken on such roles as 'Groucho Marx' in An Evening With Groucho, 'Nicky Deluca' in The Right Step (a show he wrote, direted choreographed and starred in) and 'Pseudolus' in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum.

Since 1993, he has been steadily performing the role of 'Tevye' in Fiddler on the Roof. Critics have given him rave reviews saying "Eddie's 'Tevye' makes you forget all others!" In 2003 he finished back-to-back productions of Art with Richard Kline and Greg Mullavey and the American version of Run For Your Wife with Linda Blair, Charlene Tilton, Johnny Whittaker and Murray Langston (The Unknown Comic) also working with the play's author, Ray Cooney. Other productions Eddie has starred in include, the first National tour of The Goodbye Girl, Chess, Jake's Women, Little Shop of Horrors and They're Playing Our Song, to name just a few. Eddie recently played father to his daughter Mia onstage and off when Mia appeared with him in 2003 as Tevye's youngest daughter in Fiddler on the Roof at the Bucks County and Pocono Playhouses in Pennsylvania.

Fiddler returns to the WVPT stage from July 28th through August 2nd. Last seen in 2001 starring Broadway and opera legend Spiro Malas, this Harnick and Bock musical narrates the tale of Tevye, the milkman and his attempts to maintain his family and religious traditions while outside influences encroach upon their lives. He must cope with both the strong-willed actions of his three older daughters-each daughter's choice of husband moves progressively further away from established customs-and with the edict of the Tsar that evicts the Jews from their village. Fiddler features such classic Broadway songs as "If I Were a Rich Man," "Sunrise, Sunset," "Tradition," and "Matchmaker." Directed by WVPT veteran Geoffrey Hitch and choreographed by Chris Saunders.

The remaining cast features Ellen Horst (WVPT's Our Town and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) as Golde, Stephanie Lynn Mason as Tzeitel, WVPT veteran David S. Sollish as Lazar Wolf, Lee Marks (WVPT's My Fair Lady) as Hodel, Heidi Giberson (WVPT's Wizard of Oz and High School Musical) as Chava, Brian Hissong (High School Musical) as Perchik, and local residents Jim Butcher (The Rabbi), Rhowyn Saffel (Bielke), Megan Sickles (Shprintze), and Joann Peterson (Shaindel).

Fiddler on the Roof runs Tuesday, July 28th through Sunday, August 2nd with performances on Tuesday thru Saturday at 8:00PM and 2:00 PM matinees on Wednesday and Sunday. The season continues with Cats: August 4-August 9.

Single tickets are still available. Discounts for students and children are also available. Special "Anniversary Day" tickets are available for $15.00 on opening nights and $20.00 RUSH tickets are available for all other performances two hours prior to curtain. For tickets, call (304) 291-4122 (or toll free at 1-877-999-WVPT) or visit the WVPT box office in the WVU Creative Arts Center between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Monday through Friday; Saturdays 12:00PM-5:00PM; Sundays 12:00PM-4:00PM. WVPT performs at the WVU Creative Arts Center, which is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible. More information can be obtained from WVPT's website: www.wvpublictheatre.com.

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