Sundance brings ‘Fiddler’ to life

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    By Kevin Jacobson

    Sundance’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” gives the classic musical new life and a wonderful sense of energy.

    “Fiddler on the Roof” is a romantic musical comedy set in the Russian town of Anatevka during the early 20th century.

    The musical tells of a community that has strong Jewish traditions and must face the political and cultural changes that are occurring in that part of Europe.

    The play centers on Tevye, a poor father of five daughters. During the story, Tevye confronts the conflict between his traditional heritage and the love of his daughters. Their Jewish tradition holds that a matchmaker must decide who will marry whom in the community.

    Tevye’s three oldest daughters, however, fall in love with men not chosen by the matchmaker. Tevye has to face the decision to go against tradition in order to make his daughters happy.

    This situation is a representation of the conflict between change and tradition that affected the entire Jewish community of that time.

    Sundance brings “Fiddler on the Roof” to life. The play has a very authentic tone that makes audience members feel as if they are observers of the actual town of Anatevka.

    The influence of Sundance’s artistic director, Philip Himberg, is visible in almost every scene.

    Himberg’s Eastern European and Jewish heritage can be seen from the basic stage design, which incorporates authentic Yiddish writings, to the dialect used by the actors.

    The most striking element of the play is the energy that Michael Rupert brings to the character of Tevye.

    Gone is the heavy, overly dramatic Tevye that is prevalent in many productions of “Fiddler.” Instead, Rupert plays a charmingly witty and loving Tevye, who is full of vigor and life.

    The vocal performance by Rupert is wonderful, as well as the singing by the rest of the cast. The songs are memorable and made more brilliant by the presence of live musical accompaniment.

    Sundance’s outdoor venue also adds to the atmosphere of the play. The large pine trees and brisk mountain air lend the performance a great sense of reality.

    Although the production is very professional, the venue is sometimes a bit too informal for such a dramatic play.

    During intermission, hot chocolate is sold, which takes away the chill of the crisp mountain evening. However, the sale of popcorn should be restricted to a movie theater. The crunching of popcorn and the rustling of paper bags dominates the first ten minutes of the second act.

    In spite of this, “Fiddler on the Roof” is a must-see performance. Even those who have seen “Fiddler” performed elsewhere will enjoy the liveliness found in Sundance’s production.

    Overall rating: Excellent

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