In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the debut of the “Fiddler on the Roof” Broadway production, the TCOE Theatre Company will perform the popular musical seven times this month at the L.J. Williams Theatre, 1001 Main St., Visalia.
“’Fiddler’ is one of the most popular musicals ever written,” said Brian Roberts, director of the theatre company. “We wanted our students to be familiar with the material because it is a classic and because they will certainly come across it again as they keep performing.”
“Fiddler on the Roof” is the story of Tevye, a father of five daughters who struggles to maintain his family and their Jewish traditions in pre-revolutionary Russia. Tevye, who will be played by Redwood High School junior Jack O’Leary, must cope both with the strong-willed actions of his three older daughters and the edict of Russia’s czar to evict the Jews from their village.
“We try to select very different material from year to year,” says Roberts. “So, after doing ‘Shrek’ last summer, a classic like ‘Fiddler’ seemed natural. Our students will be challenged by the deep characters and the cultural differences they encounter in this show. It’s an actor’s musical, demanding strong characterizations that are very different from what our students have experienced in the past.”
The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, was the first musical theatre run in history to surpass 3,000 performances. “Fiddler” also won nine Tony Awards.
Evening shows on July 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26 begin at 7:30pm. Matinee shows on July 19 and 26 start at 2pm. Tickets are $12 for general admission, and $20 VIP tickets are available at Visalia TCOE locations: 7000 Doe Ave., Suite A, and 2637 W. Burrel Ave., Monday-Friday during normal business hours.
For more information, call the TCOE Theatre Company at 651-1482.