L’Chaim. “To Life” indeed. There’s a ton of it, not to mention humor, sorrow and wisdom in the 1964 Stein/Harnick/Bock musical triumph, Fiddler on the Roof, which opens soon at La Mirada Theatre, the only So Cal location that truly creates Broadway-style productions (their recent outing, Waitress, was an eye-popping marvel). This exciting new revival will have musical direction by Alby Potts, choreography by Lee Martino and direction by Lonny Price. Previews begin Friday, November 8, with the official Press Opening on Saturday, November 9 at 8, and running through December 1, 2024.
Jason Alexander (yes, that Jason Alexander of Seinfeld fame) stars as Tevye, the scripture-citing, God-fearless milkman who’s rich in daughters and poor in everything else. Many don’t know this, but Alexander began as a Broadway actor, appearing in the original 1981 version of Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along (which starred Fiddler‘s director Lonny Price!), and later winning a Tony for Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. He’s also a knockout tap dancer, although he’ll be hanging up his tap shoes for boots here.
As for the heartwarming, heartbreaking universal story of a tiny Jewish hamlet in Russia — it is seen so completely from the inside out that we ache for every loss as the village of Antaveka becomes one collective character, its eccentricities no greater than the contradictions within a single soul. A microcosm of Anatevka, the family of the dairyman Tevye ’” his five daughters and his tough-loving wife Golde ’” contend with marriage proposals made with and without the father’s permission or blessing, plus a final one that may force the family outside the faith.
Isolated as it is, Antaveka is on the edge of history: It takes place in 1905, when the first major rebellion will be launched against the latest pogrom-crazed Romanov. The 1964 musical taps into the world’s ongoing question of how to deal with emigrating, borders, and dictators.
And that is why it’s great that La Mirada Theatre is introducing this musical to a whole new generation; make sure to bring your teenagers along — there’s much to talk about afterwards.
No matter how many times I’ve seen it (including the stunning Fiddler in Yiddish and the horrid rendition with Harvey Fierstein as Tevye – what were they thinking?), Fiddler keeps surprising me by causing an examination of my own humanity. What stands out in this faithfully orchestrated and totally trusted musical isn’t just the wry folk wisdom of Tevye or his comic confrontations with constant change, it’s also the unimprovable songs: “Tradition,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” and “To Life.”
And then there is the way that dances mark every important turning in the tale. Whether it’s the carefree improvising that goes into Tevye’s covetous shenanigans, the briefly hopeful fusion of the Hora and a Cossack, the swirling specter in Tevye’s hilarious dream, the taboo-smashing couples who tentatively polka, the celebratory bottle dancers, or the doleful processional that empties Anatevka forever, the dances chart a disappearing world in its seemingly eternal circles.
Joining Alexander, sporting a new beard as “Tevye”, is a remarkable who’s who cast of Broadway, touring and SoCal favorites: the great Valerie Perri as “Golde,” Rachel Ravel as “Tzeitel,” Alanna J. Smith as “Hodel,” Emerson Glick as “Chava,” Cameron Mabie as “Motel,” Remy Laifer as “Perchik,” Sawyer Patterson as “Fyedka,” Eileen T’Kaye as “Yente,” Ron Orbach as “Lazar Wolf,” Gregory North as “Constable,” Catherine Last as “Shprintze,” Ava Giselle Field as “Bielke,” David Prottas as “The Fiddler” & “Yussel,” Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper as “Mordcha,” Hayden Kharrazi as “Mendel,” Ryan Dietz as “Avram,” Marc Moritz as “Rabbi,” Daniel Stromfeld as “Nachum,” Jean Kauffman as “Grandma Tzeitel”, Gwen Hollander as “Fruma-Sarah,” Dana Weisman as “Shaindel,” and Hannah Nicole Sedlacek as “Fredel”. The Ensemble: Anthony Cannarella, Michael James, Bruno Koskoff, Gavin Leahy, Mark C. Reis, Michalis Schinas, Chad A. Vaught, and Michael Wells.
The Design Team: Sets by Anna Louizos; Lights by Japhy Weideman; Sound by Jonathan Burke; Costume Coordination by Adam Ramirez; Hair/Wig Design by Kaitlin Yagen; and Props by Kevin Williams.
Fiddler on the Roof
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
& McCoy Rigby Entertainment
14900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada
November 8 – December 1, 2024
Wed at 7:30 (Nov. 27); Thurs at 7:30 (dark Nov. 28); Fri at 8; Sat at 2 & 8; Sun at 1:30 & 6:30 (dark Nov 10 @ 6:30)
(previews Nov 8 at 8 and Nov. 9 at 2)
talkback with cast on Nov 14 at 7:30 and Nov 27 at 7:30
for tickets ($34-$109), call 562.944.9801 or visit La Mirada Theatre
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I’d rather stick pins in my eyes. M.r Alexander has always been a “enough about me….what do YOU think of me” self-important kind of performer. He only won the Tony for Jerome Robbins’ Broadway because there was no one else to nominate … except 2 guys from the rather awful Starmites. In the show he gave a “worse than High School” performance recreating some of the theaters greatest roles. It was beyond cringe worthy. Granted he was great on Seinfeld but Anatevka is a long way from NYC. I’d rather sit through the “All Gay” Harvey Firestein/Rosie O’Donnell revival again then watch him smug and mug his way as Tevye. He and Martin Short destroyed The Producers when it ran at the Pantages and he sank the L.A. Reprise Theatre Company faster than the Titanic’s iceberg when he took over, and has done a terrible job at directing a few local shows and Broadway’s The Cottage. I have been lucky enough to have seen many Tevyes, including the original Zero Mostel when I was just a kid and on 3 occasions the incomparable Topol, among others. I think I will let the memory of these greats live on and not allow it to be tarnished by what surely will be an “Oy Vey they can’t be serious” performance.