The 1964 Broadway production of the Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick musical “Fiddler On The Roof” has been performed thousands of times on the stage, but Zoetic Stage Artistic Director Stuart Meltzer found a novel way of retelling the story of the famed 19th century Russian Jewish milkman Tevye seeking to feel safe with his Jewish family in the village of Anatevka while attempting to marry off his eldest daughter according to the laws of Jewish tradition.
Meltzer’s interpretation of a very intimate “Fiddler On The Roof” is now running for its final week of its three week run that ends on Sunday, April 6 in the small 250 seat Carnival Studio Theater at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Miami to both artistic and box office success. Starting with the show’s preview though its closing date, tickets have been very limited.
The immense popularity of Meltzer’s “Fiddler On The Roof” has been due to the use of the thrust stage surrounded on three sides by the audience who are never more than a few yards away from seeing the actors perform their magic on stage recreating the famed characters. As a result the audience felt that you were part of the community of characters living in Anatevka.
Leading the 11 member cast was Ben Sandomir as “Tevye” whose humor, singing and frustrations with the battle of Jewish tradition against his love of his daughters captured the hearts of the audience, especially in his lament of the song “If I Were A Rich Man”.
Sandomir was also superb in discussing his frustrations with God, his three eldest daughters and learning to cope with survival while beaming with pride in singing “Tradition”.
Also standing out performing without any makeup was actress Jeni Hacker as “Golde”,Hacker transformed “Golde” into an earthy, practical woman whose rugged facial looks made the audience aware of the harshness of living in the village of Anatevka. Hacker was superb in convincing audiences that she was suffering under the brutal rule of the Russian Czar.
Hacker shined in the musical production numbers “Do You Love Me” (a duet with Sandomir), “Sabbath Prayer” and her screaming in “The Dream”.
Actresses Emma Friedman, Shayna Gilberg and Calia Katz were superb as Tevye’s three daughters poking fun at the Jewish matchmaker Yente in their singing and dancing in “Matchmaker”. As “Hodel”, Katz showcased her large vocal range in her heartfelt singing in “ar From the Home I Love”.
David B. Friedman (as “Motel”) showed his love of Tzeitel (Gilberg) in the song “Miracle of Miracles” and Nate Promkul (“Perchick”) expressed his happiness to marry Hodel in his duet with Katz in the song “Now I have Everything.”
Musical director Caryl Fantel and her musicians Roy Fantel (drums), Kate Hamann (trumpet), Orin Jacobs (woodwinds), Liubov Ohrimenco (violin) and Jason Pyle (trombone) created a full orchestral sound that augmented the performances of the actors.
The offstage personnel of choreographer Sandra Portral- Andrew, scenic designer Michael McKeever among other behind the scenes personnel all are to be credited with bringing Meltzer’s version of “Fiddler On The Roof” to life.
Zoetic Stage’s production of the two act, three hour musical “Fiddler On The Roof” that features 16 song and production numbers runs now through Sunday, April 6 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in downtown Miami with evening and matinee performances that can be found at zoeticstage.org. Tickets are limited and range from $66-76. For tickets and more information, go to arshtcenter.org or call 305-949-6722.
