May 24, 25, 30, June 6, 7, 13, 14, 1998

Matchmaker, matchmaker,
Make me a match.
Find me a find,
Catch me a catch.
Matchmaker, matchmaker,
Look through your book
And make me a perfect match.

For their 75th year production, the Players chose Fiddler on the Roof. The beloved musical by Joseph Stein, with music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, is based on a series of short stories, including Tevye and his Daughters, by Sholem Aleichem (the "Jewish Mark Twain"). Shana Bestock directed, Ruth Bradshaw was musical director, and Diana George was choreographer.

With memorable songs, Fiddler tells the life-affirming story of Tevye, a poor Jewish dairyman who lives with his wife Golde and their five daughters. His love, pride and faith help him face the oppression of turn-of-the-century Czarist Russia.

Fiddler on the Roof takes place about 1910 in Anatevka, a small Ukrainian village. Unrest grips the country — caused by the state-sponsored pogroms (when Jews were driven from their homes into exile), rising anti-Czarist sentiment (which would lead to the Revolution), and the approach of World War I. The historical realities of the time are central to the story. A major theme is the disintegration of old traditions under the pressure of a world culture that is being re-shaped by industrialization and mechanization.

An important tradition is that a matchmaker chooses a wife for a man, the girl's father approves of the match, and the ceremony is held. That's how Tevye (Patrick Neils) and his wife Golde (Becky Johnson-Crist) were united and that's how he believes his five daughters should find their husbands. But Tzeitel (Susie Cvengros) spurns Tevye's choice, the wealthy butcher Lazar Wolf (Craig McCoy), in favor of her childhood sweetheart, the poor tailor Motel (Doug Cottrill). Tevye eventually assents to her choice. Subsequently, his second daughter, Hodel (Kim Ferse) decides to marry a young student and revolutionary, Perchik (Scott Crist), and Chava (Paula Lewis) falls in love with a non-Jew, Fyedka (Eric Lindvall). This is one match that Tevye cannot countenance, and he warns of dire consequence if Chava goes through with the marriage.

During his opening monologue, which Tevye directs at the audience, he likens living in Anatevka to being a fiddler making music while perched precariously on a rooftop. His words are prophetic, at least for the Jewish segment of the community.

This production, a tremendous success, played to capacity and near-capacity crowds for six of its eight performances, with a total of over 4,400 admissions for the run.

The tradition continues!