‘Fiddler on the Roof’ is Outstanding at Paper Mill Playhouse

Photo provided and used with permission from Paper Mill Playhouse.

Fiddler on the Roof – A Great Family Show

Looking to celebrate the start of the New Year? A good way to do that is for you, your family, and/or friends to enjoy an outing to the theater. Consider going to the Paper Mill Playhouse where you can see an outstanding version of the time honored classic show Fiddler on the Roof. Running now through Sunday, January 7, Fiddler on the Roof is a story about families and their community and how important each part is to the other.

Fiddler on the Roof was the first Broadway musical I ever saw. The family connection to that show is strong for me since my parents took me to see it as a birthday gift. I never forgot the thrill of that experience. And so it was no surprise that as I sat listening to the opening song, “Tradition,” tears rolled down my cheeks. That’s the kind of show this is: A sweet memory builder.

The cast, creatives, and musicians perform on the large Paper Mill stage with gusto and vigor as they tell the story of Tevye, the hard working milkman and his family. Their struggles and victories among themselves and their little Russian village are joyful, sad, and poignant to experience.

Background

Fiddler on the Roof opened at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre in 1964. It was an instant hit and it went on to win the Best Musical Tony Award in 1965. It features a book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick.

Paper Mill’s production showcases the original Tony-winning choreography by Jerome Robbins which is reproduced by Parker Esse. Dance is featured at key points as the story unfolds. One of the highlights occurs during the wedding scene. Be sure to watch carefully as this beautiful group of dancers perform this famous scene. And yes, the bottles stay in place on their hats.

Photo provided and used with permission from Paper Mill Playhouse.

Mark S. Hoebee directs this production.

This marks the first time Fiddler on the Roof is on the Paper Mill stage in 40 years.

A Story of Culture, Family, and Love for Each Other

Fiddler on the Roof opens with a Prologue song, “Tradition.” This song sets the ideas and tone of the show. Tradition is what guides the small village, Anatevka, in Russia. The year is 1905 right on the eve of the Russian revolutionary period. Without tradition to guide them, the people of the village feel their lives would be as unstable as say a fiddler who sits up on a roof. Listen carefully to the words of the song and you hear an overview of each person’s role in life in the village. It’s a brilliant way to open the show.

But herein lies the basis for conflict. Traditions followed in the past begin to be questioned as young people look for new ways to live their lives. The next song, “Matchmaker” is a good example of this. The time honored tradition of the village matchmaker selecting a husband or wife is challenged. We see this as a husband is selected for Tevye’s oldest daughter, Tzeitel. The butcher is not who she wants to marry. Her desire is for the tailor. In spite of everything that goes with the match, Tevye’s love for his daughter wins out and he gives his approval for the wedding to the tailor.

The wedding scene brings out some very sentimental moments are Tevye and Golde watch their daughter marry. The song “Sunrise, Sunset” is one of the most beautiful in the show. The couple reminisce about the way children grow up so quickly and then have adult lives of their own. And later, in Act Two, the couple review their lives together as they ask the question, “Do You Love Me?” Despite what happens, the ties that bind this couple and their family together remain strong.

There are several difficult moments towards the end of the show where Tevye has to go against his own beliefs in order to say good bye to a family member. Then the moment arrives when the Russian army comes in and orders the village to move out. We feel their sadness as they leave with their meager worldly goods and wonder where they will end up.

Cast

A superb cast performs in the Paper Mill’s production of Fiddler on the Roof. It stars Jordan Gelber as Tevye and Jill Abramovitz as his wife, Golde. Playing their daughters is Alexandra Socha as Tzeitel, Austen Danielle Bohmer as Hodel, and Maya Jacobson as Chava, 

Etai Benson plays the tailor, Motel. Playing the student revolutionary Perchik is David R. Gordon. Suzanne Grodner plays the village matchmaker Yente.

Playing the village butcher Lazar Wolf is Jeremy Radin. Andrew plays Fyedka, the young Christian.

A large ensemble also is a part of the production.

Photo provided and used with permission from Paper Mill Playhouse.

Fun Things to Do Before the Show

Be sure to stop at the Gift Shop in the lobby before going to your seat. There are some very interesting items for sale related to the show including this unique sign talking about Tradition.

Photo K. Nowosad

Also in the lobby are several wall hangings giving more information about the show and the people of the time.

Photo K. Nowosad

And of course no visit is complete without a little beverage refreshment. The Specialty Cocktails are always fun to have or even just read about. I went with the Miracle of Miracles which was divine!

Photo K. Nowosad

To See Fiddler on the Roof

For tickets and more information about this show, visit the Paper Mill Playhouse’s website.

Parking is available close to the theater entrance and the staff at the lots do a fine job of getting everyone taken care of.

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‘Having Our Say’ – A Celebration of Age and Memories

Dr. Bessie Delany (Rosalyn Coleman) and Sadie Delany (Inga Ballard) in a scene from Having Our Say at George Street Playhouse – Photo credit T. Charles Erickson

Having Our Say – Reflections of Two Incredible Lives

George Street Playhouse closes out 2023 with a beautiful show. Having Our Say is based on the true story of two African-American sisters, Sadie and Bessie Delany, both of whom lived past the golden age of 100.

This play is produced in a warm, home, and family oriented manner allowing the audience to feel like they are actually visiting with the two sisters. We see them on a well designed set which represents their home kitchen, dining room, and living room in Mount Vernon, New York. The sisters are preparing to celebrate their deceased father’s birthday with a nutritious dinner along with some delightful sweets. The audience is invited to come to the dinner and at times it is hard to stay seated and not go up to the stage. This play is so well crafted that it feels like these sisters are really alive on the stage and their invitation is authentic.

But of course, they are not because both Sadie and Bessie Delany are no longer living. However, Rosalyn Coleman playing Dr. Bessie Delany and Inga Ballard as Sadie Delany bring the magic of theater to their roles allowing the audience to feel like they are really there.

Background

The book of the sisters’ lives written by Bessie and Sadie inspired the 1995 Broadway play, Having Our Say. This show played 314 performance at the Booth Theatre. Emily Mann is the playwright.

Laoina Michelle serves as director for the George Street Playhouse production.

Directing Having Our Say is truly personal to me. Being a Black woman, I often struggled with my identity and my worthiness in this country. For that reason, I am deeply drawn to this play. The early American history books were not written by my ancestors therefore I often questioned their accuracy. In
Emily Mann’s Having Our Say you get a first-hand account of a century of living told through two eyewitnesses, Sadie and Bessie Delany, who lived and experienced it.

Laoina Michelle

When you attend this play, be sure to look in the program booklet at the two pages that provide Historic Milestones of Delaney Sisters’ 100 Years. You will see a timeline which starts at 1889 when Sadie was born through to 1995 when the show premiered on Broadway. Important events from their lifetime are show.

Captivating Moments

There are many moments in the play that capture the senses and feelings towards these two sisters. Their recollections of growing up with their family down south are enjoyable to hear. Their father, the Reverend Henry B. Delany, was a former slave. He served as Vice-Principal of St. Augustine’s School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both Bessie and Sadie attended the school where their mother, Nanny Logan, was a teacher and administrator. Theirs was a life of privilege but one where hard work was expected and respected.

The moments in the show that deal with the effects from the Jim Crow laws are difficult to hear. The family moved to Harlem to escape some of those effects but they still encountered racism and sexism. In one case, the acts of racism were extreme. However, they were able to survive and their recollections provide quite a stirring testament to the evils racism brings.

There are moments of triumph where you can see the hard work pay off. Some of these include Bessie graduating from Columbia University’s School of Dental and Oral Surgery and opening her dental practice. Sadie earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Columbia University in education. Her career as a teacher in New York City helped her earn a pension which helped support her and Bessie in their older age.

There are also moments of humor. One of the finest is when they discuss that they never married. But they claim that is the reason they lived that long!

I Highly Recommend Seeing Having Our Say

Having Our Say only has a few days left to its run at George Street Playhouse. I highly recommend seeing this show. It is a unique piece of theater. True stories like this one are inspiring as well as an opportunity to learn a bit of history in a most enjoyable manner.

For more information about the play or to purchase tickets, go to the George Street Playhouse website.

Be sure to arrive a little early so you can enjoy the lobby of NBPAC. Click this link to see a video of the decorations in the lobby.

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NBPAC’s Decorative Lobby

It’s the holiday season and New Brunswick Performing Arts Center is all decked out and ready for the season.

I went down to attend a performance from George Street Playhouse of Having Our Say on Sunday, Dec. 3, and not only was I impressed with the show, but I also enjoyed strolling around the lobby.

This is the first year that businesses in New Brunswick are participating in the Ginger Bread House contest. There is quite a nice variety to see.

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