FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (2000)
“Fiddler On The Roof” was our selection of the show to celebrate our tenth anniversary as a Musical Theatre production company. Once again we had a production company that numbered approximately 150 students, staff, support staff, parents and community volunteers. To this point we have played to approximately thirty thousand patrons including our annual student matinees....”Fiddler” added to these numbers with more large audiences that totalled 3400 in number. Our Principal, Tony de Wit stated that “every year I think this is as good as it gets and every year it gets better”......”Fiddler” was an outstanding production in many ways from the amazing performance by Joel Milette ( as Tevye) to the enthusiastic performance by the ensemble to the detailed costuming to the “rotating” scenery to the wonderful choreography and so on. As another of our supporters wrote, “this was a good one in your long string of successes!” It was another high quality performance of a very demanding musical. The Manager of the Abbey Arts Centre wrote his letter of congratulations too........praising the group for its “professionalism” and for its commitment to the quality of production - this was a much-appreciated comment. Even students from the attending Elementary schools at the matinees wrote of their enjoyment of what was a lengthy performance. It is rewarding for us to receive so many positive notes, phone calls and letters about our efforts.
A couple of anecdotes: our granddaughter Raychel became the youngest ever cast member for YMT when she appeared as a “village child” at the age of two. Mr. Barry Dudzik, a former Yale administrator, added authenticity to the choreographic sequences by performing traditional Eastern European dance. The orchestra was the largest assembled for any of our productions...they did an amazing job on playing the challenging musical score. Before one performance, during the pre-show nightly scenery check, it was discovered that one of the wheels on the revolving house had broken.....not to panic....the crew moved the house to above the orchestra pit then put a ladder under the house to repair the wheel...such ingenuity.
ANECDOTE: Yar Recned appeared as the Priest.
Two more brief notes from our letters, I think sum up the show: “a superb performance”...... “it was awesome!!!”
“Fiddler” was indeed a fitting way to celebrate our first ten years.
see also: Memory Lane (Photos) - Fiddler On The Roof
