A birthday celebration for 'Fiddler'
Thursday, March 11, 2004 - IT MAY SEEM hard to believe, but "Fiddler on the Roof'' is 40 years old. Just in time for its birthday, this bittersweet work has received a royal red-carpet revival on Broadway, and a modest but heartfelt tribute at the WestEnd in Los Alamitos.
Written in 1964 by Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (who adapted it from a Sholom Aleichem short story), this musical defied all the rules to become a legend in spite of its subject matter.
Before the 1960s, few people dared to write a Broadway musical based on provocative themes that explored religious faith, prejudice, persecution and poverty. Then "Fiddler'' came along and opened the door, exploding from the stage with such force it struck chords all over the world.
Audiences identified with the struggles of Tevye, the poor bewildered milkman who lived in the tiny Jewish town of Anatevka and was plagued by daughters who disobeyed him. And of course there was Zero Mostel, the comic genius who originated the part with an indelible portrayal that has been the benchmark ever since.
Whenever "Fiddler'' comes to town, everyone tries to emulate Mostel. And let's be honest,it's Tevye's story. If you don't have a decent Tevye, you might as well forget it.
Now along comes Gary Gordon, a veteran performer who has played this marvelous character a dozen times. From the company's opening song, "Tradition'' (which describes the Old World life in the Jewish shtetl) and Gordon's first solo, "If I Were A Rich Man,'' you know you're in capable hands. After all, it's not just any Poppa, who turns to talk to God when he's bewildered and asks for personal advice.
Under the direction of Michael Lopez, the 17-member community ensemble does an admirable job singing the show's beautiful lyrics, especially Shirley Romano who is right on target in her performance as Tevye's sharp-tongued wife.
Their three daughters are convincingly played by Lauren Stone (as Tzietel the eldest), Erin Brittney Green (as Hodel the middle daughter) and Alyson Fainbarg (as Chava, the youngest).
James Mulligan demonstrates a strong stage presence in the part of Perchik, the Kiev University student who falls in love with Hodel and ultimately whisks her away to Siberia.
Equally good are Adam Secousse, as the young Russian Cossack who defies Tevye's orders and runs away with Chava; and LeRoy Steelman, who plays Lazar Wolfe, the middle-aged butcher who was betrothed to Tzietel but looses her.
Director Lopez choreographed the lively ensemble dance routines (the "Wedding Dance'' is especially charming), Kent Johnson designed the functional multipurpose set and Jenny Wentworth created the authentic period costumes.
Unfortunately, there were a few glitches on opening night that need attention. The 17-member cast had some trouble coordinating the lyrics with the show's pre-recorded music, and important words in the exciting "Dream'' scene (dramatically performed in the dark) wereunintelligible through the actors' florescent-painted masks.
But the cast is full of energy and enthusiastic, so the show will surely be pulled together after a few more performances. After hearing the heartwarming lyrics of "Sunrise, Sunset,'' the uplifting words in "Sabbath Prayer,'' and the earthy humor of "Do You Love Me,'' anything can be forgiven. In the end, as the fiddler plays and the villagers leave Anatevka for the unknown, their fervent faith fills the audience with hope for the future in the face of forces that continue to threaten the world.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Where: WestEnd Dinner Theatre, 11172 Los Alamitos Blvd, Los Alamitos
When: 7 p.m. dessert/coffee, 8 p.m. curtain Thursday; 7 p.m. dinner, 8 p.m. curtain Friday and Saturday; 4 p.m. dinner, 5 p.m. curtain Sunday; through April 25
Tickets: $25-$50
Information: (562) 596-6892
Shirle Gottlieb is a Long Beach freelance writer.
