ST. CLAIRE, MI–Sixty years after its Broadway debut, Fiddler on the Roof remains one of our most beloved musicals; the original Broadway production was the longest running Broadway musical for almost ten years, and it won nine Tony awards. With book by Joseph Stein, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music by Jerry Bock, Fiddler owes its success to the magical combination of an engaging storyline, superbly-written and memorable music, well-crafted characters, and a timeless theme of tradition versus progress; it has become a popular choice for school and community theaters.

The Boardwalk Theatre in St. Clair, Michigan has assembled a top-notch creative team to bring Fiddler to their stage, headed by Director Mark Eberhard and Music Directed by Colleen Everitt.  The cast is filled with many seasoned veterans of the stage, from the Thumbcoast Theaters team and many other professional venues of Southeast Michigan.

Leading the cast is Rick Carlson as Tevye, a poor Jewish father of five daughters living in the small Russian village of Anatevka, in the early 20^th century. His family—and their village—rely heavily on the traditions of their faith, and Tevye and his wife Golde (Diana Turner) are concerned with arranging good marriages for their daughters, relying on Yente the matchmaker (Diane Hill) to find them good matches. But their three eldest daughters, Tzeitel (Amanda Rae Evans), Hodel (Jenna Russell) and Chava (Olivia Wofford) are all determined to depart from the traditions of their family, their village and their faith.   

Yente arranges a match for Tzeitel with the reputable local butcher Lazar (Adam Sanborn), to the delight of Tevye and Golde. But when Tzeitel and her childhood friend Motel (Kevin T. Keller) beg for Tevye’s permission to marry, Tevye has a conversation with God, examines his options, and finally agrees. A solemn wedding ceremony takes place, followed by joyful dancing.  The celebration is disrupted, however, by an argument between Lazar and Tevye;  revolutionary idealist Perchik (Joseph Caradonna), attempts to break that tension by crossing the traditional Jewish barrier between men and women to dance with Tevye’s daughter Hodel. Finally the entire celebration meets its end when a group of local Russians turns the wedding into a violent “demonstration.”

Months later, Perchik announces to Hodel that he must leave the village to take part in the Revolution, but before he goes, he admits his love for her and proposes marriage.  When the couple tells Tevye of their plan to marry, he is astonished that they are not asking his permission—only for his blessing.  Again, Tevye talks to God, exasperated that his daughter does not feel any obligation to tradition, but eventually admits that they have his blessing and his permission. Hodel later leaves the village to follow and marry her beloved Perchik.

The final straw for Tevye comes when his daughter Chava declares that she loves Fyedka (Phillip Christiansen), a local Russian Gentile, and they intend to marry.  Tevye realizes he cannot condone his daughter marrying outside of their faith, so when he and Golde learn of their elopement, Tevye declares Chava is dead to the family.

Shortly after Tevye disowns Chava, the Russian constable announces that the Jews are all being expelled from Anatevka.  Tevye, Golde and their two youngest daughters decide to move to America, where they have relatives. The final scene is somber, as the villagers bid farewell to one another before they scatter to distant places. Tevye, in a symbolic attempt to preserve some sense of their cultural heritage, beckons the village fiddler (Shaun Muzzarelli) to join them as they leave.

The evolution of this story feels a bit unusual for a musical of this type, moving from its humorous and celebratory early scenes to its more dismal ending. Viewers who are expecting a happy resolution to the conflict may be let wanting, but an unexpected ending often forces us to examine what makes a story powerful and timeless.

There should be very little disappointment regarding the performances in this production however.  The award-winning musical material proved little challenge to the vocally talented cast.  The rich harmony and melodic counterpoint of the opening ensemble in “Tradition,” draws the audience in almost immediately. Act I is when we experience most of the high energy numbers:  the naïve vitality of the daughters in “Matchmaker;” the tavern merriment of Tevye and his friends in “To Life;” the excitement of newly betrothed Tzeitel and Motel in “Miracle of Miracles;” the haunting sequence of Tevye’s contrived nightmare in “The Dream,” one of the most notable scenes of the show; the jubilant celebration in “Wedding Dance,” another highlight of the show.  Act I also features the iconic “If I Were A Rich Man,” when Tevye daydreams about the life of the wealthy; and the beautifully reflective “Sunrise, Sunset” as Tzeitel and Motel marry.

The musical numbers in Act II begin with the optimistic “Now I Have Everything” between Hodel and Perchik, then become more subdued: Tevye gets Golde to admit their arranged marriage developed into love in “Do You Love Me;”  Hodel leaves the only home she has ever known in  “Far From The Home I Love;” Tevye grieves the daughter he considers dead in “Chava Sequence;” and the villagers are forced from their home in “Anatevka.”

Rick Carlson richly deserves the spotlight in his lead role as Tevye.  He seems meant to play the role, a lovely metaphor for Tevye’s belief that he exists exactly where God wants him to be.  Carlson dances up to the line, without ever crossing over, of being over-the-top, especially in Tevye’s more humorous moments.  He elicits laughter when called for, but avoids a cartoonish portrayal; he very capably conveys Tevye’s frustrations and disappointments.  His conversations with God stand out as revealing some of the depth of the character. 

Diana Turner made a commendable partner for Carlson as Tevye’s Golde. They came off as a very believable couple, married 25 years, very different yet complementary, their demeanors balancing each other.

Vocal performances all around were mostly impressive, and the choreography was fitting.  The “Bottle Dance” during the wedding scene was quite fun. On the technical side, the audio balance of the vocals and dialogue with the musicians was very close to ideal. The set was simple yet interesting.  One thing that could be improved is the speed of the scene transitions (there are many); they moved slowly enough to take viewers out of the story.

This production does justice to the story, music and themes of Fiddler on the Roof, and it can be recommended for all but very young children; adolescents should remain entertained and engaged, and adults will love the multi-generational depth of story. 

The show can be seen on The Boardwalk stage through September 22, 2024.  For tickets, go to www.ThumbCoastTheaters.com.