“A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no?”
While it is a lesser-known production than shows such as Grease or Wicked, especially to younger generations, my second musical entry is about the classic Fiddler on the Roof. This show is especially fresh in my mind and one that I will always cherish fondly because it was the spring musical in my senior year of high school…which was in March of this year.
In case you are not familiar with the show, I will give a brief background.
The setting takes place in a small Russian town of Anatevka. The historical time period of the show is 1905 at the height of the Russian Revolution; this uprising was instrumental in convincing Tsar Nicholas II to transform the Russian government from an autocracy into a constitutional monarchy. You’re probably wondering what this has to do with the storyline of the musical; I know I was when I was first researching the plot of the show.
The residents of the town practice Judaism and are deeply set in their traditional religious customs. At the start of the show, the residents live peacefully amongst a small population of Russian soldiers; throughout the production, however, acts of antisemitism from the Russian soldiers begin and the people of Anatevka are driven out of their village at the production’s conclusion.
Intense, I know. It was one of the greatest storytelling difficulties that my castmates and I faced. We were determined to accurately convey the harsh reality of the time, for antisemitism continues to be prevalent in today’s world, sadly.
Apart from the historical significance of the show, Fiddler on the Roof follows Tevye, the village milkman, his wife Golde, and their five daughters. Tevye attempts to maintain his Jewish religion and traditions as outside influences, specifically the suitors of the three eldest daughters, encroach upon the family’s lives. Each romantic pairing challenges a different tradition within the family and their deeply cultural town. The three daughters, who wish to marry for love, each convince Tevye (eventually) to accept their choice of partners and the methods which led to their betrothals.
My role in the show, one which proved to be the most challenging one that I have taken on, was Golde. The matriarch of the family, Golde is strong-willed, stubborn, witty, sharp-tongued, sarcastic, and fiercely protective of her daughters. I was determined to perfect my Russian accent in preparation for the role, and while it was not perfect in the end, I spent countless hours rehearsing the lines by myself and in front of others to gain authenticity. As far as the singing aspect was concerned, Golde’s range is higher than where I am used to singing, so I had to work to improve my breath support when sustaining the higher notes.
As I said in my previous entry, I love playing comedic roles in musicals. Golde’s comedic timing came in the form of sarcastic comments, which were super fun to say with laughter from the audience ringing in my ears.
If my description of the show intrigued you, I recommend watching the 1971 movie adaptation!
Fiddler on the Roof is one of my father’s favorite musicals, especially “If I were a rich man.” I like how you tied in the social importance of the musical, and mentioned the serious role antisemitism plays in the musical. I like that you are covering the more serious musicals that follow historical life events as well as the traditional happy musicals more people are familiar with.
I like that you focus each post on a specific show. This organization has allowed me to feel like I am learning something new each week, and gaining a deep appreciation for theater. I am so intrigued by the historical background and the level of preparation it took to prepare yourself for this show. I am sure it was very difficult to perfect a Russian accent, but this touch probably had a huge impact on the show.